Final answer:
The statement is false; a metric micrometer uses metric units, such as millimeters or micrometers, and not inches, to provide precise measurements.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that a metric micrometer is graduated to provide readings in tenths of inches is false. In the metric system, units of length such as the millimeter, centimeter, meter, and kilometer are used. Devices marked with metric units, such as metric rulers or micrometers, provide measurements in metric divisions, not customary units like inches. For example, a millimeter is one-tenth of a centimeter, but it is not related to the inch unit of the Imperial system. To measure as precisely as possible, devices with smaller scale divisions, such as millimeters, should be used to ensure a more accurate measurement. The metric micrometer's precision allows the user to estimate readings typically to the nearest hundredth of a unit, which would be in millimeters or micrometers, not tenths of inches.