Measurement Guide: Customary and Metric

Brush up on your knowledge of measurement, both customary and metric. Tuck this into your notebook as a handy reference for math homework or into a cookbook for cooking conversions.

Customary Units of Length

Standardized units are agreed upon all over the world. The two main systems are customary and metric. The customary units for measuring length are inch (in) , foot (ft) , yard (yd) , and mile (mi). 12 inches equal 1 foot. 3 feet equal 1 yard. 5,280 feet equal 1 mile.

Customary Units of Weight

Weight measures the force of gravity applied to an object. The customary units for weight are the ounce (oz) , pound (lb), and ton (tn). 16 ounces equal 1 pound. 2,000 pounds equal 1 ton.

Customary Units of Capacity

Capacity is the measure of how much liquid a container will hold. The customary units of capacity are fluid ounce (fl oz.) , cup (c) , pint (pt) , quart (qt) , and gallon (gal). One cup equals eight ounces. One pint equals two cups. One quart equals two pints. One gallon equals four quarts.

Customary Units of Temperature

The customary unit of temperature is the degree Fahrenheit (F). Water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit and boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit.

Metric System

The metric system is another standardized system of measurement. It is based on the number 10. Prefixes are added to the names of basic units to form greater and lesser units. Length is measured in meters. Weight is measured in grams. Capacity is measured in liters.

Metric Units of Length

The basic metric unit of length is the meter. The most common units are the millimeter, centimeter (cm), meter (m), and kilometer (km). One meter is about 40 inches. A centimeter is 1/100 of a meter. A millimeter is 1/1000 of a meter. A kilometer is 1,000 meters.

Metric Units of Capacity

The basic metric unit of capacity is the liter (L). The most common units are the milliliter (ml) and liter (L).

Metric Units of Weight

The basic metric unit of weight is the gram. The most common units are the milligram (mg), gram (g), and kilogram (kg). a gram (g), and kilogram (kg). A gram is about 0.035 oz. A milligram is 1/1000 g or about 0.000035 oz. A kilogram is 1,000 g or about 2.2 pounds. A metric ton is 1,000 kg or about 1.1 tn.

Metric Units of Volume

The units of length and capacity are related in the metric system. A milliliter is equivalent to a cube that measures 1 centimeter on each side (called a cubic centimeter).

Metric Units of Temperature

The metric unit of temperature is the degree Celsius . Water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius and boils at 100 degrees Celsius.

Converting Customary to Metric and Metric to Customary

Measuring Time

Time is measured universally. The standard units of time are the second (sec.), minute (min.), hour (hr.), and day (d.) One minute equals sixty seconds. One hour equals 60 minutes. One day equals 24 hours.

American Education Publishing Math Fact Book