Ace the ParaPro Assessment 2026 – Unleash Your Teaching Talent!

The correct answer is "a kilometer" because the metric system defines a kilometer as equivalent to 1,000 meters. The prefix "kilo-" in metric terminology denotes a factor of one thousand. Therefore, when converting meters to kilometers, one finds that 1 kilometer is exactly 1,000 meters. This is a foundational concept in understanding both metric measurements and conversions.

In contrast, a mile is longer than 1,000 meters; it is approximately 1,609 meters. This means that while a mile can be converted to meters, it does not equal 1,000 meters. A yard is significantly shorter, being roughly 0.914 meters, which also does not equate to 1,000 meters. Lastly, a meter itself is the base unit of length in the metric system, and thus cannot be equivalent to 1,000 meters; it is simply a smaller unit of measurement.