New
New
Use knowledge of decimal place value to convert between and compare metres and centimetres
I can use knowledge of decimal place value to convert between and compare metres and centimetres.
Lesson 1 of 10
New
New
- Year 5
Use knowledge of decimal place value to convert between and compare metres and centimetres
I can use knowledge of decimal place value to convert between and compare metres and centimetres.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- There are 100cm in 1m.
- 1cm is one hundredth of a metre so you can write 1cm as 0.01m.
- 10cm is one tenth of a metre so you can write 10cm as 0.1m.
- Lengths of m and cm can be recorded using whole numbers and two decimal places.
Keywords
Metre - A metre is a measure of length that can be abbreviated as m.
Centimetre - A centimetre is a measure of length that can be abbreviated as cm.
Convert - To exchange a unit for an equivalent unit.
Common misconception
Pupils may write for example 3 cm as 0.3 m.
Make connections between the headings in the place value chart and images that represent metres, tenths of metres and centimetres.
Make sure children have the opportunity to develop a sense of the size of a metre in comparison to a tenth of a metre and a centimetre. Avoid giving a procedural strategy to convert from one unit to another - instead work towards generalising this.
Teacher tip
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is the name of the missing place value column? Give your answer as a word.
What is the name of the missing place value column? Give your answer as a word.
Q2.Look at the sequence. Write the missing number as a decimal. 0.27, 0.28, 0.29, , 0.31, 0.32
Look at the sequence. Write the missing number as a decimal. 0.27, 0.28, 0.29, , 0.31, 0.32
Q3.One metre is equivalent to:
One metre is equivalent to:
20 lots of 10 cm
10 cm
100 mm
Q4.0.63 can be described as:
0.63 can be described as:
63 tenths
63 decimals
Q5.Which of these representations does not represent 0.42?
Which of these representations does not represent 0.42?
Q6.Write this representation as a decimal number.
Write this representation as a decimal number.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.There are centimetres in 1 metre.
There are centimetres in 1 metre.
Q2.What is 3 hundredths of a metre written as a decimal number?
What is 3 hundredths of a metre written as a decimal number?
300 m
0.3 m
Q3.Write 27 hundredths of a metre as a decimal number: metres
Write 27 hundredths of a metre as a decimal number: metres
Q4.If one green bar represents one metre, how many centimetres are shown in the picture.
If one green bar represents one metre, how many centimetres are shown in the picture.
3 cm
30 cm
3000 cm
Q5.Tick the values that are greater than 340 cm. Check the units carefully.
Tick the values that are greater than 340 cm. Check the units carefully.
3 m 4 cm
0.34 m
Q6.Tick the descriptions that match this image.
Tick the descriptions that match this image.
205 m
250 cm
