Which system uses multiples of 10?

Study for the GMAS 5th Grade Science Test. Improve your understanding with multiple choice questions and detailed explanations. Prepare for success!

Multiple Choice

Which system uses multiples of 10?

Explanation:
The main idea here is that the metric system is decimal-based, built around tens. Units are connected by powers of ten, so prefixes like kilo-, centi-, and milli- let you multiply or divide by 10, 100, or 1000 with simple moves of the decimal. That’s why you can smoothly convert within the same kind of measurement—meters to centimeters, liters to milliliters, or grams to kilograms—by shifting the decimal point. For example, 1 kilogram equals 1000 grams, and 1 meter equals 100 centimeters. Other options don’t fit as neatly because the English (imperial) system uses mixed factors like 12 inches in a foot or 3 feet in a yard, not a simple tenfold progression. The binary system works on base 2, which isn’t based on tens. And “system of weights” isn’t a decimal-based framework for everyday measurements.

The main idea here is that the metric system is decimal-based, built around tens. Units are connected by powers of ten, so prefixes like kilo-, centi-, and milli- let you multiply or divide by 10, 100, or 1000 with simple moves of the decimal. That’s why you can smoothly convert within the same kind of measurement—meters to centimeters, liters to milliliters, or grams to kilograms—by shifting the decimal point. For example, 1 kilogram equals 1000 grams, and 1 meter equals 100 centimeters.

Other options don’t fit as neatly because the English (imperial) system uses mixed factors like 12 inches in a foot or 3 feet in a yard, not a simple tenfold progression. The binary system works on base 2, which isn’t based on tens. And “system of weights” isn’t a decimal-based framework for everyday measurements.

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