Factor-Label Method

The factor-label method gives you a valuable tool to convert from one unit to another. It will be a
tool that you will find you will need over and over in almost every module in the course. Be sure
to master it in this module.

Title

Transcript:

The factor label method will help you to flawlessly convert from one unit to another. It is
designed to let you use unit cancelling to verify that you have everything set up correctly.

It is vitally important in this lesson to work them on your calculator as we go so that you
can check that you understand how the order of operations work in doing these. Most
students that have trouble with these do so only because they are not understanding how
important it is to get a subtotal of the numerators and enclosing the denominators in
parentheses plays into the logic of how calculators work with the order of operations.

Once you get the flow of how the mass and length conversions work, don't stop just yet.
The area and the volume conversions have a special consideration that you must be sure
to understand.

Your Notes:

Ratios

Transcript:

Before we get started, you need to realize that ratios of defined units can be inverted.

1 inch is equal to 2.54 centimeters. This is also fine to write as 2.54 centimeters is equal
to 1 inch in ratio form. Any equivalent ratio can be written in a ratio format.

Your Notes:
Mass

Transcript:

Let's take a look at mass relationships. You will find the defined equivalents at the bottom.
These will be used to convert between units.

Let's convert 170 pounds to its equivalent in kilograms. We begin by putting the given
over 1 and noting what our final unit will be. Now we need the ratio that has both pounds
and kilograms. The units will cancel, much like what you do with cancelling numerators
and denominator numbers in multiplication. The pounds will cancel leaving us with just
the unit that we want in our final answer. Complete the calculations by multiplying across
the top if necessary get a subtotal and then dividing by the total in the denominator. If you
have something other than a number and 1 be sure to place the multiplied denominators
in parentheses when using a calculator.

Your Notes:
Linear Length

Transcript:

Next, we will convert the length of 68 inches to meters. Notice that we do not have a
conversion unit that goes from inches to meters. No problem, we can chain units
together.

We will put our given over 1. Now look for the units we can chain. We need inches to
convert to something where we also can get to meters. We can chain the inches to cm
and the cm to meter units. We will place the numerators and denominators in such a way
that all units will cancel except for the unit we want in the answer. Now we will multiply
across the top and hit the equal or enter on our calculator to get our subtotal and then
divide by the 100 in the denominator. We get 1.7 meters.

Your Notes:
Area

Transcript:

Area works a little differently than linear length. Often you will begin with computing the
area. 6 inches times 2 inches is 12 square inches. Note the unit being squared. You will
place your unit in twice then for conversion. Both must be cancelled, so you will end up
using the conversion ratio twice. Multiply across the top and note that when you divide
you will definitely need to place the denominators in parentheses with your calculator
since you want to be sure to get the correct order of operations.

Your Notes:
Volume

Transcript:

Volume works much the same as area in that you will have a unit that is raised to a power
and each must be cancelled.

Let's begin with getting the volume in inches. 2 x 6 x 4 is 48 cubic inches. We must cancel
each unit. Multiply across the top, get a subtotal if needed and then divide by the
denominator enclosed in parentheses on your calculator.

Our answer is 0.028 square feet.

Your Notes:

License
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