Conversion of Units.


Get in the habit of converting from one unit to another by multiplying by a fraction equal to one, in which the denominator contains the unit you want to get rid of, and the numerator contains the unit you want to end up with.

Example: Convert 55 centimeters to meters.

First step: Create a fraction with cm in the denominator and meters in the numerator -- _____m/_____cm.

Second step: Fill in the quantity of each unit so that the numerator equals the denominator. To do this, you must know that 1 meter = 100 centimeters.

You can now create a fraction that is equal to one as follows:

1 m / 100 cm.

Third step: Multiply 55cm by the fraction you just created. You will not change the value of the measurement, you will only manipulate the units.

Example: 55cm x 1m/100cm = 55/100 m = .55 m

You see that the centimeters cancel out and you are left with meters as your units.

Show all work for each question listed.

The following are some helpful equalities:

1 m = 100 cm; 1m = 1000 mm

1000 m = 1 km; 1 km = .62 mi

1 L = 1000 mL

1 g = 1000 mg; 1000 g = 1 kg

After you have tried the homework problems yourself, check your answers at the Measurement Converter web site, an interactive site that allows you to convert units.

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