Compare Measurements: 300 Centimeters vs 3 Meters

Q: Why can't I just compare 300 and 3 directly?

Because they're in different units! It's like comparing 300 pennies to 3 dollars - you need to convert to the same unit first. 300 cm and 3 meters are actually equal when properly converted.

Q: How do I remember the conversion between meters and centimeters?

Remember: centi- means "one hundred" (like century = 100 years). So 1 meter = 100 centimeters. A meter stick has 100 centimeter marks on it!

Q: Are there other metric conversions I should know?

Yes! Key ones include: 1 kilometer = 1,000 meters1 meter = 100 centimeters1 centimeter = 10 millimeters Tip: Each step is ×10 or ×100!

Unit Conversion with Metric Measurements

Which is larger?

300 cm ⬜ 3 meters

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Understand the problem

Which is larger?

300 cm ⬜ 3 meters

Step-by-step solution

To solve this problem, let's follow our planned steps:

Step 1: Convert the measurement of 3 meters into centimeters.
Step 2: Compare the two measurements.

Now, we'll go through each step in detail:

Step 1: Convert 3 meters to centimeters. Using the conversion factor: 1 meter $= 100$ centimeters.

Thus, $3$ meters $= 3 \times 100$ centimeters $= 300$ centimeters.

Step 2: Compare the values: 300 centimeters (initial given) and 300 centimeters (converted from 3 meters).

Since both measurements are equal (300 cm), we conclude they are the same size.

Therefore, the correct comparison is $=$ .

Final Answer

$=$

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Conversion Rule: 1 meter equals exactly 100 centimeters
Method: Convert 3 meters to centimeters: 3 × 100 = 300 cm
Verification: Check both sides have same units: 300 cm = 300 cm ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Comparing different units directly
Don't compare 300 cm to 3 meters without converting = wrong comparison! You're comparing a large number (300) to a small number (3) in different units. Always convert to the same unit first before comparing.

Practice Quiz

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Convert to meters:
$$ 40 $$ cm

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why can't I just compare 300 and 3 directly?

Because they're in different units! It's like comparing 300 pennies to 3 dollars - you need to convert to the same unit first. 300 cm and 3 meters are actually equal when properly converted.

Which unit should I convert to?

Convert to whichever unit makes the math easier! In this case, converting meters to centimeters (3 × 100 = 300) is simpler than converting centimeters to meters (300 ÷ 100 = 3).

How do I remember the conversion between meters and centimeters?

Remember: centi- means "one hundred" (like century = 100 years). So 1 meter = 100 centimeters. A meter stick has 100 centimeter marks on it!

What if the numbers don't come out equal?

Then one measurement is truly larger! After converting to the same unit, use < (less than) or > (greater than) to show which is bigger.

Are there other metric conversions I should know?

Yes! Key ones include:

1 kilometer = 1,000 meters
1 meter = 100 centimeters
1 centimeter = 10 millimeters

Tip: Each step is ×10 or ×100!

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