1. Meters
Centimeters
Ratios and Examples
Unit Conversions

2. 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

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

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

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

6. 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

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

8. Ratios Volume 1 Liter= 0.001 cubic meters 1 Liter= 1000 milliliters
1 Liter= gallons
1 Liter= quarts
1 Liter= pints
1 Liter= cups
1 Liter=33.8 fluid ounces
1 Liter= cubic feet

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

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

16. 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 Centimeters
1 Meter
2 Meters Centimeters Centimeters

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

18. Example Example: How many inches are in one mile?
1 mi ft in ,360 inches
1mi ft

19. Example Example: How many milligrams are there in a 0.56 g sample?
0.56 g mg mg
1 g

20. Example Example: How many days are in 54,320 minutes?
54,320 minutes hour day days
60 minutes 24 hours