Metric Conversions: Length

Meters are the standard unit of length in the metric system. The smaller units are 10ths (decimeter), 100ths (centimeter), and 1000ths (millimeter) of a meter. These common examples might help you to visualize the metric units:

• A meter is slightly longer than a yard (about 40 inches).
• An aspirin tablet is about one centimeter across (.4 inches).
• A millimeter is about the thickness of a dime.