One kilometer is equal to 1000 meters.
To express this mathematically, the conversion factor is:
kilometer = 1000 meters
This conversion is part of the metric system, which is a decimal-based system of measurement used in most parts of the world for its simplicity and consistency.
The term “kilo-” in “kilometer” is a prefix in the metric system that means “thousand.” So, when we say “kilometer,” it literally means a 1000 meters. This is similar to other metric system units where “kilo-” is used, like a kilogram being a 1000 grams.
This straightforward conversion is particularly useful in everyday life, especially for measuring distances. For example, when you say that a place is 1 kilometer away, it means it is 1,000 meters away. This system makes it easy to understand and convert measurements without complex calculations.
Understanding that 1 kilometer equals 1,000 meters helps in various scenarios, from following directions in navigation to measuring distances in sports and science.