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In science, decimals are important, as exact measurements are required. In the metric system, because every unit is a multiple of 10 in some way, decimals are especially important for very easy conversion. As an example, one million and five milligrams is equal to 1000.005 grams.

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9y ago
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10y ago

In the metric system a chatracteristic may be measured in terms that are related to one another by factors or multiples of ten. Unlike the Imperial system where similar units could be related by almost any integer, for example:

  • 2 pints in a quart
  • 3 feet in a yard
  • 4 quarts in a gallon
  • 6 feet in a fathom
  • 8 furlongs in a mile
  • 9 square feet in a square yard
  • 12 inches in a foot
  • 14 pounds in a stone
  • 16 ounces in a pound

and so on.

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Q: Why is the decimal point important to the value in the metric system?
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To convert measurements in the metric syste you can move the decimal point left or right. Why does this work?

This is because the metric system and our number system are both based on powers of ten.


How would you convert from one unit of measure to another in the metric system?

move the decimal point the the correct spot


Why does the decimal moves when you are converting in the metric system?

Because conversion in the decimal system is based on multiplication (or division) by powers of ten. Each multiplication by ten is equivalent to moving the decimal point one place to the right.


What is the hundreds place on a decimal?

Like the metric system, the decimal is placed by 10ths. One number away from the decimal point is one-tenth. The second number away is the one-hundredth place. So, basically, it's two numbers away (to the right) of the decimal point.


What advantages does the metric system have over systems that you used previously?

The biggest advantage is that conversion between units is simply a matter of shifting the decimal point!


How are fractions expressed when working with metric numbers?

The question is poorly stated: the point being uncertain as there is no such thing as "metric fractions". My best guess would be that the question is"How are fractions expressed in the metric system?".If so, here is the answer:The metric system is a decimal system. Therefore, all measurements, including fractional parts ("fractions") of its units, are always expressed as decimals.


Why is a decimal point called a decimal point?

Because it is a point that is used in the decimal system of counting. Decimal means based on ten.


What is a decimal system of measurement?

The decimal system is one of numbers, not of measurement. A decimal number is simply a way of representing a number in such a way that the place value of each digit is ten times that of the digit to its right.


What happens to a decimal place in the number when you are converting from a smaller metric unit to a larger unit?

The decimal point moves to the left.


What are some advantages that the metric system has over the imperial system?

The metric system has the advantage of base 10 conversion. There are 100 centimeters to a meter, 1000 milliliters to a liter, and 1000 grams to a kilogram. This means that so long as you are using Base 10 for your calculations, all you have to do to move a decimal point.


Why is the decimal point an important symbol in writing amounts of money?

The decimal point is important, when dealing with money, because it differentiates $500 from $5.00. After the decimal point there will be two digits, these two digits are the number of cents (in America). The number in front of the decimal point is the number of dollars. It is very important that you put the decimal point in the right spot especially when writing checks.


Is German metric the same as Middle Eastern metric?

The whole point of the metric system is that it is a universal system, so that one metre in one country is the same as one metre in every other country. The metric system is the same everywhere.