LESSON 2:

CONVERSION OF UNITS
 CONVERSION OF UNITS
• Converting units from one system to another

• In Converting Units, we only change the unit of

measurement but the VALUE remains the same.
 Conversion Table
LENGTH (Metric – English)
1m 39.37 in
LENGTH (English - Metric)
1.09 yd
1yd 0.9144 m
3.28 ft
3 ft
1 km 1 094 yds
1 mi 1.61 km
LENGTH (English - Metric) 1609 m
1 in 2.54 cm 5 280 ft
1 ft 30.48 cm 1 760 yds
12 in
 Conversion Table
MASS (Metric- English)
1g 0.0353 oz
1 kg 2.2 lbs

MASS (English - Metric)

1 oz 28.349 g
1 lb 453.5 g
16 oz
1 slug 14.59 kg
 Conversion Table
TIME EQUIVALENT
1 min. 60 s
1 hr. 60 min. = 3600 s
1 day 24 hrs.
1 wk. 7 days
1 month 4 weeks = 30 days
1 year 12 months = 52 weeks
365 days
1 leap year 365.25 days
1 decade 10 years
1 score 20 years
1 century 100 years
Conversion of Units
Method 1:
Given Unit x Desired Unit = Desired Unit
Given Unit

Method 2:
Given Unit x Desired Unit x Given Unit = Desired Unit
Given Unit Desired Unit
A. Convert 15 in to ft.
Given Unit: 15 in
Desired Unit: ft.
Conversion Factors:
1 ft = 12 in

Solution:
Convert 15 in to cm
Given Unit: 15 in
Desired Unit: cm
Conversion Factors:
1 in = 2.54 cm

Solution:
B. Converting speed units
The world land speed record is 763.0 mi/h, set on October 15,
1997, by Andy Green in the jet-engine car Thrust SSC. Express
this speed in meters per second.
Given unit = 763.0 mi/h Solution:
Desired unit = m/s
Conversion Factors: 763 mi/h x 1609 m x 1 h = 341.0 m/s
1 h = 3600 s 1 mi 3600s
C. Converting Volume units
The world’s largest cut diamond is the First Star of Africa
(mounted in the British Royal Sceptre and kept in the Tower of
London). Its volume is 1.84 cubic inches. What is the volume in
cubic meters?
Solution:
Given unit = 1.84 in³
Desired unit = m³
Conversion Factors:
1 m = 39.37 in
(get the cube of the
conversion factors)
1 m³ = 61023.38 in³
D. Converting SI Prefixes SI Prefixes
Convert 2.6 kg to dg Prefix Symbol Multiple Prefix Symbol Multiple
Yotta Y 1024 Deci d 10-1
Given unit = 2.6 kg 1021
Zetta Z Centi c 10-2
Desired unit = dg Exa E 1018 Milli m 10-3
Multiple: Peta P 1015 Micro µ 10-6

kg = 10³ Tera T 1012 Nano n 10-9

Giga G 109 10-12
dg = 10^-1 Pico p
Mega M 106 Femto f 10-15
Kilo k 103 Atto a 10-18
Hecto h 102 Zepto z 10-21
Deca da 101 Yocto y 10-24
 Conversion Factors:
1 kg = 10^4 dg

To get the exponent of the

smaller unit,
3 – (-1) = 4