Metric Unit Conversions Notes & Questions | Class 5 Mathematics | Drishti OS

Metric Unit Conversions

The standard metric relationships: 1 km = 1,000 m, 1 kg = 1,000 g, 1 L = 1,000 mL, 1 m = 100 cm.
To convert from a bigger unit to a smaller one (multiply) and from a smaller unit to a bigger one (divide).
To solve real-life measurement problems involving mixed units.

Symbolic: value in big unit × conversion factor = value in small unit.

Example: 3.5 km × 1,000 = 3,500 m

Symbolic: value in small unit ÷ conversion factor = value in big unit.

Example: 4,500 g ÷ 1,000 = 4.5 kg

Convert 6 km to metres

6 × 1,000 = 6,000
Answer: 6,000 m

Convert 2,500 mL to litres

2,500 ÷ 1,000 = 2.5
Answer: 2.5 L

A rope is 350 cm long. How many metres is that?

350 ÷ 100 = 3.5
Answer: 3.5 m

Mistake	Why it happens	Fix
Multiplying when converting small to big	Forgetting which direction needs division	Big → small = multiply; Small → big = divide
Using 100 instead of 1,000 for km/kg/L	Mixing up the cm rule with km/kg/L	Only m ↔ cm uses 100; the rest use 1,000
Dropping the unit label in the answer	Rushing the final step	Always write the new unit with the number

Convert 8 kg to grams.
Convert 7,000 m to km.
Convert 250 cm to metres.
Stretch: A bottle holds 750 mL. How many such bottles are needed to fill a 6 L container?

Revision tip: Memorise "1000 for km/kg/L, 100 for m/cm" as a two-line chant.

Open the Practice tab for graded questions on Metric Unit Conversions.