Changing units of measure is called conversion. To convert one unit of measure to another unit of measure, multiply or divide using a conversion factor.
A conversion factor is the relationship between a large and a small unit.
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Standard Units of Measurement
This section will cover the fundamentals and rules for measurement and how to convert units
Converting Standard Units
Adding Units
Multiplying Units
Example: Multiply 6 feet and 3 inches by 9.
Since 25 ounces is not in its simplest form, we will divide 25 by 16.
The answer is: 1 pint and 9 ounces
Metric System Conversion
The metric system uses the following three units of measure:
A meter (m) measures length. 1 meter is a little more than a yard.
A gram (g) measures weight. 1 ounce equals about 30 grams.
A liter (l) measures liquid. 1 liter is a little bigger than a quart of milk.
The Metric System attaches prefixes to their three units.
An Added Note About the Metric System
Since knowing how to convert using the Metric System depends upon the placement of the units, use a mnemonic device to help you remember.
For example: By taking the first letter of each prefix, we can create an easy-to-remember sentence.
kilo hecto deka unit deci centi milli
Kangaroos have dainty umbrellas during chilly mornings.
Sometimes the sillier the sentence, the easier it is to remember.
For words that start with the same letter, use two letters instead of one as shown above.
Math: Measurement - Tutorial
Remember to add a comma between the hundreds and thousands place.
Example 3: Convert 2 meters 56 centimeters to centimeters.
Hint: Change 2 meters to centimeters.
To do this, move the decimal point two spaces to the right of 2 and add two zeros.
2 meters = 200 centimeters
Now that the units are alike, add them together.
200 cm + 56 cm = 256 cm
The answer is 256 centimeters.
