CMS Metric Documentation & Communication 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A period following a unit symbol is used:
- After every unit symbol
- Only at the end of a sentence
- After abbreviated unit names
- Never — unit symbols do not use periods except at sentence end (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Never — unit symbols do not use periods except at sentence end
Unit symbols are not abbreviations and do not take a period, except at the end of a sentence.
Question 2: Which format correctly expresses a compound unit for speed?
- kph
- km/h (Correct answer)
- kmh
- km·h
Correct answer: km/h
The correct SI format for kilometres per hour is km/h, using a solidus (slash) to indicate division.
Question 3: When dual dimensioning (metric and inch-pound) in technical documents, which system should appear first according to U.S. federal guidance?
- Inch-pound first, then metric in brackets (Correct answer)
- Metric first, then inch-pound in brackets
- Either order is acceptable
- Only metric should appear in federal documents
Correct answer: Inch-pound first, then metric in brackets
U.S. federal guidance for dual dimensioning typically lists the primary (inch-pound) value first with metric in parentheses during transition periods.
Question 4: The word 'litre' is correctly abbreviated as:
- l
- L (Correct answer)
- lt
- ltr
Correct answer: L
Capital 'L' is the preferred symbol for litre in the U.S. to avoid confusion with the digit '1' (one).
Question 5: In metric documentation, which statement about unit names is correct?
- Unit names are capitalized when spelled out (e.g., Kilogram)
- Unit names are not capitalized unless at the start of a sentence (e.g., kilogram) (Correct answer)
- Only SI base unit names are capitalized
- Unit names derived from proper nouns are always lowercase
Correct answer: Unit names are not capitalized unless at the start of a sentence (e.g., kilogram)
Unit names written out in full are not capitalized mid-sentence; only their symbols may be capitalized if derived from a proper name.
Question 6: How should the symbol for cubic centimetres be written?
- cc
- cm3
- cm³ (Correct answer)
- ccc
Correct answer: cm³
The correct SI notation uses a superscript exponent: cm³ (cubic centimetres).
CMS Metric Documentation & Communication 2
A period following a unit symbol is used: