Metric Basics
The three basic metric units are the meter (length), the gram (weight), and the liter (volume). The key to metric prefixes are:
- 1000 = kilo
- 100 = hecto
- 10 = deca
- 0.1 = deci
- 0.01 = centi
- 0.001 milli
Common Measurements
|
Length
|
|
1 Kelometer
|
= 0.62137 mi
|
|
1 Meter
|
= 3.2808 ft
|
|
1 Centimeter
|
= 0.3937 in
|
|
1 Mile
|
= 1.6093 km
|
|
1 Foot
|
= 0.3048 m
|
|
1 Inch
|
= 2.54 cm
|
|
Weight
|
|
1 kilogram
|
= 2.2046 lbs
|
|
1 gram
|
= 0.0353 oz
|
|
1 short ton
|
= 907.1847 kilos
|
|
1 pound
|
= 0.4536 kilos
|
|
1 ounce
|
= 28.3495 g
|
|
Volume
|
|
1 hectoliter
|
= 100 l
|
= 0.1 m³
|
= 26.4172 gal
|
|
1 liter
|
= 100 cl
|
= 1 dm³
|
= 1.0567 qt
|
|
1 gallon (U.S.)
|
= 3.7853 l
|
|
|
|
1 cubic inch
|
= 16.3871 cm³
|
|
|
|
Area
|
|
1 square kilometer
|
= 1 million m²
|
= 0.3861 mi²
|
|
1 hectare
|
= 10,000 m²
|
= 2.471 acres
|
|
1 square meter
|
= 10.7639 ft²
|
= 1550.003 in²
|
|
1 square mile
|
= 640 acres
|
= 258.9988 ha²
|
|
1 square foot
|
= 144 in²
|
= 929.0304 cm²
|
Easy Conversions
|
|
Symbol
|
If You Know
|
Multiply By
|
To Find
|
Symbol
|
|
Length
|
mm
|
millimeters
|
0.03937
|
inches
|
in
|
|
cm
|
centimeters
|
0.3937
|
inches
|
in
|
|
m
|
meters
|
3.3
|
feet
|
ft
|
|
m
|
meters
|
1.1
|
yards
|
yd
|
|
km
|
kilometers
|
0.62
|
miles
|
mi
|
|
in
|
inches
|
2.54
|
centimeters
|
cm
|
|
ft
|
feet
|
30.48
|
centimeters
|
cm
|
|
yd
|
yards
|
0.9144
|
meters
|
m
|
|
Area
|
cm²
|
square centimeters
|
0.16
|
square inches
|
in²
|
|
m²
|
square meters
|
1.2
|
square yards
|
yd²
|
|
km²
|
square kilometers
|
0.4
|
square miles
|
mi²
|
|
ha²
|
hectares (10,000 m²)
|
2.5
|
acres
|
|
|
in²
|
square inches
|
6.5
|
square centimeters
|
cm²
|
|
ft²
|
square feet
|
0.09
|
square meters
|
m²
|
|
yd²
|
square yards
|
0.8
|
square meters
|
m²
|
|
mi²
|
square miles
|
2.6
|
square kilometers
|
km²
|
|
Weight
|
g
|
grams
|
0.035
|
ounces
|
oz
|
|
kg
|
kilograms
|
2.2046
|
pounds
|
lb
|
|
t
|
tonnes (1,000 kg)
|
1.1
|
short tons
|
|
|
oz
|
ounces
|
28.3495
|
grams
|
g
|
|
lb
|
pounds
|
0.45
|
kilograms
|
kg
|
|
Volume
|
ml
|
milliliters
|
0.03
|
fluid ounces
|
fl oz
|
|
l
|
liters
|
2.1
|
pints
|
pt
|
|
l
|
liters
|
1.06
|
quarts
|
qt
|
|
l
|
liters
|
0.26
|
gallons
|
gal
|
|
m³
|
cubic meters
|
35.314
|
cubic feet
|
ft³
|
|
m³
|
cubic meters
|
1.3
|
cubic yards
|
yd³
|
|
tsp
|
teaspoons
|
5
|
milliliters
|
ml
|
|
tbsp
|
tablespoons
|
15
|
milliliters
|
ml
|
|
fl oz
|
fluid ounces
|
30
|
milliliters
|
ml
|
|
c
|
cups
|
0.24
|
liters
|
l
|
|
pt
|
pints
|
0.47
|
liters
|
l
|
|
ot
|
quarts
|
0.97
|
liters
|
l
|
|
gal
|
gallons
|
3.8
|
liters
|
l
|
|
ft³
|
cubic feet
|
0.03
|
cubic meters
|
m³
|
|
yd³
|
cubic yards
|
0.76
|
cubic meters
|
m³
|
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