Metric system conversions..need I say more?

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BLECH!!!

I can't seem to grasp the concept of converting within the metric system, :no:esp when going from, example:

174.5 mL to dL

I know I will have to do this, does someone have a saying or something that I can remember which way to move the decimal point?? boo!!!

thanks!

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do you have a book with the stanard metric units laid out when you need to convert?.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_System_of_Units#Length.2C_mass_and_temperature_convergence

right ml is 10-3 and dl 10-1

so move the decimal point 2 steps left small to big

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hi!

maybe these will help. these are all threads on allnurses.com

each thread has info regarding conversions, etc.

https://allnurses.com/forums/f205/need-help-remembering-conversions-319769.html

(this one actually has a chart you can download and print)

https://allnurses.com/forums/f50/nifty-metric-conversion-trick-31619.html

https://allnurses.com/forums/f205/question-about-equivalents-help-109883.html

best of luck to you!

jadu1106 :redbeathe

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AAHHH! I think I get it!! saw on a prev post a guy used his own hands to figure out where the dec. pt goes.."LEFT-larger" (bigger units) and "RIGHT-smaller" (smaller units)

awesome!

thanks!

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Specializes in Med Surg, Ortho.

Why do you need to know mL to dL ??

I know we need to know mL to ounces..... but dLs???? Never ever once used that, not even in school.

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here are 2 more that daytonite has provided before:

both also have prinntable charts!

http://www.accd.edu/sac/nursing/math/convers.html

http://www.tostepharmd.net/pharm/clinical/measurement.html

jadu1106

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Specializes in Interested in ER, L&D, Surg/Med.
BLECH!!!

I can't seem to grasp the concept of converting within the metric system, :no:esp when going from, example:

174.5 mL to dL

I know I will have to do this, does someone have a saying or something that I can remember which way to move the decimal point?? boo!!!

thanks!

if your going from mililiter to deciliter try this

if you want to go Larger you move the decimal Left

if you want to go smalleR then you move the decimal Right

OR

since mili is 10 to the -3 and deci is 10 to the -1 you move it 2 spots to the left...hope this helps

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Specializes in ED.

you will never use dL. THat wasn't even ever on our med tests in school. More like mL to oz or oz to CC etc.

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Specializes in none yet, but I'm VERY excited!.

Memorizing which way the decimal goes works for some people, but it could cause you to make a mistake one day that could hurt someone (when things are going crazy, you have a lot of patients, and you just got off of a vacation - for instance).

The example below seems complicated, but if you do a few of them, you get the knack, you understand it in your gut, and you're good to go forever (as opposed to memorizing which can be easily confused or forgotten).

Give this one a try:

1) Visualize how big the unit is (a milliliter is a small cube 1 cm on each edge - like a sugar cube).

2) Visualize how big the other unit is (a deciliter is a square with 100 small cubes in it - 10cm on each edge).

3) Try moving the decimal to the right or left.

4) Check to see if the resulting number makes sense.

Example: 2145 ml = 214500 dl? No, because how can so many big squares fit into so few small cubes?

Let me know if it didn't come across, and I'll hook up with you offline.

Regards,

Kenny B.

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BLECH!!!

I can't seem to grasp the concept of converting within the metric system, :no:esp when going from, example:

174.5 mL to dL

I know I will have to do this, does someone have a saying or something that I can remember which way to move the decimal point?? boo!!!

thanks!

Ok, so this is totally the kindergarten way to do things, but it works for me. I write out K H D (base) d c m at the top of the page. I use the mnemonic (sp?) "King Henry Died by drinking chocolate milk" where the "by" stands for base...the measurements are kilo, hecto, deca, deci, centi, and milli...and then draw little loop/swoop things from the starting measurement to the end measurement. That's how many places you need to move your decimal. So for 174.5 mL, you would go two "swoops" to the left (from m to d) and then move your decimal place from 174.5 to 1.745. Hope that helps!

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I think I totally have it now...thanks!! ..i ahve a really hard Bio teacher...it's more like Organic Chem rather than bio 101....ugggghh...

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Specializes in ER/Trauma.

I wonder if the British use the imperial system as much as we do.... :icon_roll All the world uses the SI system...

.... except us, of course.

cheers,

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