Whenever we start our metric unit, I hear, "But I HATE math," or "I just don't get it." Surprise, surprise - THIS IS A MATH FREE ZONE! Although you'll be working with numbers, ther is no math involved. In fact, if you can count, you've got it made.

Suppose I had you change 40 dekameters to decimeters. Don't get nervous, all you have to do is follow the jumping frog! Here's how it works:

1. Always start with what you know. In this case, you know how many dekameters you have. Place the frog on the deka lilly-pad.
2. Figure out where you want to go. In this case, it's the deci lilly-pad.
3. Count how many JUMPS the frog had to take to get there.
4. Move your decimal that number of times in the direction the frog moved.

It's that easy!

You start with 40 dekameters, and the frog had to jump twice to get to deci. Move the decimal two places to the right.

But WOAH - where's the decimal? If you don't see it, it's hiding after the number. The number "40" is the same as "40." You move that decimal two places to the right and you get 40__. Drop zeroes in the blanks and you get 4000 (or 4000.), the correct answer.