They are alike because one kilometer is one thousand times more than one meter like one thousand is one thousand times more than one one. 1 kilometer= 1,000 x 1 meter 1 thousand=1,000 x 1 one 1 Liter= 1,000 x 1 milliliter 1 ten thousand=1,000x 1 ten 1 Kilogram=1,000 x 1 gram 1 hundred thousand=1,000 x 1 hundred They are different because metric units are for measurement/volume/mass and place value units are for counting/numbers.