One meter is equal to _____ centimeters and ______ millimeters?

One meter is equal to _____ centimeters and ______ millimeters?

• A. 100 cm and 1,000 mm
• B. 10 cm and 100 mm
• C. 1 cm and 10 mm
• D. 1,000 cm and 10,000 mm

Answer: (A)

In the metric system, length scales by powers of ten from the base unit, the meter. A centimeter is 1/100 of a meter, so there are 100 centimeters in one meter. A millimeter is 1/1000 of a meter, so there are 1000 millimeters in one meter. Therefore, one meter equals 100 centimeters and 1000 millimeters. The other options would correspond to 0.1 m, 0.01 m, or 10 m, which aren’t one meter. Remember, 1 cm equals 10 mm and 100 cm equals 1000 mm, which also lines up with 1 m.

In the metric system, length scales by powers of ten from the base unit, the meter. A centimeter is 1/100 of a meter, so there are 100 centimeters in one meter. A millimeter is 1/1000 of a meter, so there are 1000 millimeters in one meter. Therefore, one meter equals 100 centimeters and 1000 millimeters. The other options would correspond to 0.1 m, 0.01 m, or 10 m, which aren’t one meter. Remember, 1 cm equals 10 mm and 100 cm equals 1000 mm, which also lines up with 1 m.