TABLES OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES 5 



THE METRIC SYSTEM 



The metric system is based on the meter, which, according 

 to the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey Report of 1884, is equal 

 to 39.370432 in. The value commonly used is 39.37 in., and 

 is authorized by the U. S. government. The meter is defined 

 as one ten-millionth of the distance from the pole to the equator, 

 measured on a meridian passing near Paris. 



There are three principal units the meter, the liter (pro- 

 nounced lee-ter), and the gram, the units of length, capacity, 

 and weight, respectively. Multiples of these units are obtained 

 by prefixing to the names of the principal units the Greek 

 words deca (10), hecto (100), and kilo (1,000); the submultiples, 

 or divisions, are obtained by prefixing the Latin words deci (^y), 

 centi Ojfoj), and milli (xsW)- These prefixes form the key 

 to the entire system. In the following tables, the abbrevi- 

 ations of the principal units of these submultiples begin with 

 a small letter, and those of the multiples begin with a capital 

 letter; they should always be written as here printed. 



MEASURES OF LENGTH 



10 millimeters (mm.) ! = 1 centimeter cm. 



10 centimeters =1 decimeter dm. 



10 decimeters =1 meter m. ' 



10 meters =1 decameter Dm. 



10 decameters =1 hectometer Hm. 



10 hectometers =1 kilometer Km. 



MEASURES OF SURFACE (NOT LAND) 



100 square millimeters (sq. mm.) = 1 square centimeter. . sq. cm. 



100 square centimeters =1 square decimeter. . . sq. dm, 



100 square decimeters =1 square meter sq. m, 



MEASURES OF VOLUME 



1,000 cubic millimeters 



(cu. mm.) =1 cubic centimeter. . . c. c. or cu. cm. 



1,000 cubic centimeters. . = 1 cubic decimeter cu. dm. 



1,000 cubic decimeters . . = 1 cubic meter cu. m. 



