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Here you will learn about the conversion of units including conversions between metric units and between customary units.
Students will first learn about conversion of measurement as part of measurement and data in 5th grade.
The conversion of measurement units is taking a given unit, such as a length, capacity, mass or time and showing the same measurement with a different unit.
For example,
How many minutes are in 2 hours?
Hours is a measurement of time.
Conversion of Measurement Units for Time | |
1 minute | 60 seconds |
1 hour | 60 minutes |
1 day | 24 hours |
1 week | 7 days |
1 year | 365 days |
Using the relationship between each, you can convert between the units of time.
Since there are 60 minutes in 1 hour, there are 120 minutes in 2 hours.
\quad 60 minutes ( 1 hour)
+ \;\, \underline{60} minutes ( \underline{1} hour)
\;\; 120 minutes ( 2 hours)
Each measurement system has their own conversion factors.
For example,
\begin{aligned}& 1 \mathrm{~km}=1000 \mathrm{~m} \\\\ & 1 \mathrm{~m}=100 \mathrm{~cm} \\\\ & 1\mathrm{~kg}=1000 \mathrm{~g} \\\\ & 1 \mathrm{~cl}=10 \mathrm{~ml}\end{aligned}
For example,
\begin{aligned}& 1 \text { foot }=12 \text { inches } \\\\ & 3 \text { feet }=1 \text { yard } \\\\ & 1,760 \text { yards }=1 \text { mile }\end{aligned}
For both systems, you can convert units of measurement using conversion factors.
The conversion factor is a number you multiply or divide by to change units.
For example,
Below are the conversion factors for meters.
Convert 400 centimeters into meters.
There are 100 \, cm in 1 \, m. This is the conversion factor. To convert from cm to m you need to divide.
So, 400 \mathrm{~cm} \div 100=4 \mathrm{~m}.
For example,
Below are the conversion factors for capacity (volume) in the customary system.
Convert 9 quarts into pints.
There are 2 \text { pints } in 1 \text { quart }. This is the conversion factor. To convert from quarts to pints , you need to multiply.
So, 9 \text { quarts } \times 2=18 \text { pints }.
You can also use unit conversions for time.
For example,
How many minutes are there in 5 hours?
There are 60 minutes in 1 hour.
So, 5 \text { hours } \times 60=300 \text { minutes }.
How does this relate to 5 th grade math?
In order to convert measurement units:
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DOWNLOAD FREEConvert 2 minutes to seconds.
Since seconds is the desired unit, you need the conversion factor between minutes and seconds:
1 \text { minute }=60 \text { seconds }
The conversion factor for minutes and seconds is 60.
2Multiply or divide by the conversion factor.
Look at the relationship in the original conversion.
From minutes to seconds, the relationship is multiplying by 60.
Multiply 2 minutes by 60 :
2 \times 60=120 \text { seconds }
3Write down the answer.
2 \text { minutes }=120 \text { seconds }
Convert 180 inches to feet.
Find the conversion factor.
Since feet is the desired unit, you need the conversion factor between inches and feet:
1 \text { foot }=12 \text { inches }
The conversion factor for inches and feet is 12.
Multiply or divide by the conversion factor.
Look at the relationship in the original conversion.
From inches to feet, the relationship is dividing by 12.
Divide 180 inches by 12 :
180 \div 12=15 \text { feet }
Write down the answer.
180 \text { inches }= 15 \text { feet }
Convert 2.5 liters to milliliters.
Find the conversion factor.
Since milliliters is the desired unit, you need the conversion factor between liters and milliliters:
1 \text { liter }=1,000 \text { milliliters }
The conversion factor for liters and milliliters is 1,000.
Multiply or divide by the conversion factor.
Look at the relationship in the original conversion.
From liters to milliliters, the relationship is multiplying by 1,000.
Multiply 2.5 liters by 1,000 :
2.5 \times 1,000=2,500 \text { milliliters }
Write down the answer.
2.5 \text { liters }=2,500 \text { milliliters }
Convert 7 kilograms to milligrams.
Find the conversion factor.
1 \text { kilogram }=1,000,000 \text { milligrams }
The conversion factor for kilograms to milligrams is 1,000,000.
Multiply or divide by the conversion factor.
Look at the relationship in the original conversion.
From kilograms to milligrams, the relationship is multiplying by 1,000,000.
Multiply 7 kilograms by 1,000,000 :
7 \times 1,000,000=7,000,000 \text { milligrams }
Write down the answer.
7 \text { kilograms }=7,000,000 \text { milligrams }
Convert 9,000 seconds to hours.
Find the conversion factor.
60 \text { seconds }=1 \text { minute } \quad and \quad 60 \text { minutes }= 1 \text { hour }
The conversion factor for minutes and seconds is 60 , and the conversion factor for minutes and hours is 60.
Multiply or divide by the conversion factor.
Look at the relationship in the original conversions.
From seconds to minutes, the relationship is dividing by 60.
Divide 9,000 seconds by 60 :
9,000 \div 60=150 \text { minutes }
From minutes to hours, the relationship is dividing by 60.
Divide 150 minutes by 60 :
150 \div 60=2.5 \text { hours }
Write down the answer.
9,000 \text { seconds }=2.5 \text { hours }
Convert 230 meters to kilometers.
Find the conversion factor.
1 \text { kilometer }=1,000 \text { meters }
The conversion factor for meters and kilometers is 1,000.
Multiply or divide by the conversion factor.
Look at the relationship in the original conversion.
From meters to kilometers, the relationship is dividing by 1,000.
Divide 230 meters by 1,000 :
230 \div 1,000=0.23 \text { kilometers }
Write down the answer.
230 \text { meters }=0.23 \text { kilometers }
1. Convert 4.5 \, minutes to seconds\text{:}
The conversion factor between \text{minutes} and \text{seconds:}
Multiply 4.5 \text{ minutes} by 60 :
4.5 \times 60=270 \text { seconds }
4.5 \text { minutes }=270 \text { seconds }
2. Convert 144 \, \text{ounces} to pounds\text{:}
The conversion factor between \text{ounces} and \text{pounds:}
Divide 144 \, minutes by 16 :
144 \div 16=9 \text { pounds }
144 \text { ounces }=9 \text { pounds }
3. Convert 3,400 \, km to m\text{:}
Multiply 3,400 \, kilometers by 1,000 :
3,400 \times 1,000=3,400,000 \text { meters }
3,400 \text { kilometers }=3,400,000 \text { meters }
4. Convert 5 \, \text{gallons} to \text{cups:}
Multiply 5 \, \text{gallons} by 16 :
5 \times 16=80 \, \mathrm{cups}
5 \text { gallons }=80 \text { cups }
5. Convert 2,560 \, \text{milliliters} to \text{liter:}
Divide 2,560 \, \text{milliliters} by 1,000 :
2,560 \div 1,000=2.56 \text { liters }
2,560 \text { milliliters }=2.56 \text { liters }
6. Convert 5 \, \text{hours} to \text{seconds:}
The conversion factor between \text{hours} and \text{minutes:}
Multiply 5 \, hours by 60 :
5 \times 60=300 \text { minutes }
The conversion factor between \text{minutes} and \text{seconds:}
Multiply 300 \, \text{minutes} by 60 :
300 \times 60=18,000 \text { seconds }
5 \text { hours }=18,000 \text { seconds }
It is a shorthand way to write very large or small numbers based on their power of 10.
Fahrenheit is a measurement of temperature. Celsius is another commonly used temperature measurement. The conversion between them is more complicated than the examples shown on this page. The formula used to convert between them is F=C \times \cfrac{9}{5}+32.
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