Unit Conversions

Meters Centimeters Ratios and Examples Unit Conversions

Ratios • Distance- US • 1 inch= 2.54 centimeters • 1 foot= 12 inches • 1mile= 5280 feet • 1 yard= 36 inches • 1 mile= 5280 feet • 1 yard=3 feet

Ratios • Distance- Metric • 1 centimeter= 10 millimeters • 1 meter=100 centimeters • 1 meter=1000 millimeters • 1 kilometer= 1000 meters • 1 meter= 39.37 inches • 1 meter= 1.06x10^-16 Light years • 1 meter= 0.00021 miles • 1 meter= 1.0936 yards • 1 meter=3.28 feet

Ratios • Volume- US • 1 cup= 8 ounces • 1 pint= 2 cups • 1 quart= 2 pints • 1 Gallon= 4 quarts

Ratios • Temperatures • 1 Kelvin= -272.15 oC • 1 Kelvin= -457.87oF • oC= (oF-32) 1.8

Ratios • Time • 1 minute= 60 seconds • 1 hour= 60 minutes • 1 day= 24 hours • 1 week= 7 days • 1 year= 52 weeks • 1 decade= 10 years • 1 century= 10 decades

Ratios • Weight/Mass • 1 kilogram=1000 grams • 1 gram= 1000 milligrams • 1 gram= 0.0022 pounds • 1 gram= o.o35 ounces • 1 gram= 1.102x10^-6 tons • 1 pound= 16 ounces • 1 ton= 2000 pounds

Ratios • Volume • 1 Liter= 0.001 cubic meters • 1 Liter= 1000 milliliters • 1 Liter= 0.264 gallons • 1 Liter= 1.056 quarts • 1 Liter= 2.113 pints • 1 Liter= 4.227 cups • 1 Liter=33.8 fluid ounces • 1 Liter= 0.035 cubic feet

Why Use It? • When different units are used, sometimes it makes the numbers easier to manipulate • Very large and very small numbers are easier to work with after they are either made smaller or larger • Some equations call for a specific unit

How do you convert to a different unit? • Start by making a grid like this • Next put the unit that you have in the upper left hand space e.g. Meters

How do you convert to a different unit? • Next place the unit you want to get to in the far upper right hand space. Meters Centimeters

How do you convert to a different unit? • Now we need to determine what goes into the middle. • This will be a ratio of the unit you have and the unit you want. • For this example we can use the relationship between meters and centimeters Meters Centimeters Centimeters Meters

How do you convert to a different unit? • Which unit do you put on top and which unit to put on the bottom? • The unit on bottom much be diagonal to the unit you already have. Meters Centimeters Centimeters Meters

Using more than one step to get a new unit • Follow the same rules e.g. Kilograms milligrams Go from Kilograms to grams, then grams to milligrams Kilograms Grams milligrams milligrams Kilograms Grams

Now let’s add some numbers • Remember: in ratios the number 1 ALWAYS goes with the larger unit. 2 Meters 100 Centimeters 200 Centimeters 1 Meter LargerUnit

Unit Conversion Calculations • How do you actually calculate how much of something you have in the new units? • Every time you see a vertical line multiply • Every time you see a horizontal line divide 2Meters 100 Centimeters 200 Centimeters 1 Meter 2 Meters 100 Centimeters 200 Centimeters 1 Meter

Unit Conversion • We can also go from smaller units to larger units following the same method. 560 mg 1 g 0.56 g 1000mg Note: The matching units are still diagonal to each other and the 1 goes with the larger unit. Larger Unit Units match

Example • Example: How many inches are in one mile? 1 mi 5280ft 12 in 63,360 inches 1mi 1 ft

Example • Example: How many milligrams are there in a 0.56 g sample? 0.56 g 1000 mg 560 mg 1 g

Example • Example: How many days are in 54,320 minutes? 54,320 minutes 1 hour 1 day 37.7 days 60 minutes 24 hours

Unit Conversions