Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Convert by calculating
• Method 2 of 2: Convert by shifting the decimal point
• Tips

In the metric system, the gram is used as the unit of lighter weights and kilograms as the unit of heavier weights. There are 1000 grams in one kilogram. This means that converting from grams to kilograms is very simple, namely: divide the number of grams by 1000.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Convert by calculating

1. Write down the number of grams. Call this number "grams" or "g". If you have a calculator, just enter the number.
   • In this section we will run through an example problem to make things more transparent. Let's say we want to convert 20,000 grams to kilograms. To begin with, we write this as "20,000 grams " on paper.
2. Divide by 1000. One kilogram is 1000 grams. This means that to go from grams to kilograms, the number of grams must be divided by 1000.
   • In our example, we get kilograms by dividing 20,000 grams by 1000.

     20.000/1.000 = 20

3. Place the correct units after your answer. Do not forget this step! It is very important to put the correct unit behind your answer. When it comes to a schoolwork problem, it can cost you points if you don't list units. If you have to do this for any other reason, people can assume the wrong units.
   • In our example, we give the unit "kilogram" as the unit of the answer:

     20 kilograms.

4. To turn this back into grams, we multiply the previous answer by 1000. As discussed above, one kilogram is equal to 1000 grams. This means that if you ever want to convert from kilograms to grams, you will have to multiply the number of kilograms by 1,000.Since multiplication is actually the "opposite" of division, this will "undo" the division and yield an answer in grams.
   • To convert 20 kg to grams, multiply the number by 1000 (don't forget to add the unit):
   • 20 kilograms × 1000 = 20,000 grams

Method 2 of 2: Convert by shifting the decimal point

1. Start with the number of grams. Believe it or not, you can convert between grams and kilograms without using math. This works because the base of the metric system is 10. In other words, the metric units are always a multiple of 10; There are 10 millimeters in a centimeter, 100 centimeters in a meter, 1000 meters in a kilometer, and so on.
   • In this section we convert 37 grams to kilograms. We start in the same way as in the section above, and note "37 grams ".
2. Move the decimal point three spaces to the left. First find the decimal point of the number. If you want to convert an integer, this sign is usually not indicated, but you can assume that it is to the far right of the number. Move the decimal point three positions to the left. Whenever you move the decimal point a digit, it counts as a position shift. If there are no more digits to move the comma along, leave an empty space for each position (or put a zero in advance for clarity).
   • In our example, the 37 gram comma is to the right of 7 (that is, 37 grams is the same as 37.0 grams). We move one position at a time, making moving the decimal point three positions to the left looks like this:
   • 37,
   • 3,7
   • ,37
   • ,_37 - Note that we leave a blank space when the numbers run out.
3. Place zeros in the blanks. You cannot leave blank spaces in your answer, so place a zero in each open position. Don't forget to add a zero to the left of the decimal if there are no digits there.
   • In our example, there is an empty space between the comma and the three, so we fill it with a zero, as follows:

     ,037

   • Place the correct unit after it (plus an extra zero to the left of the decimal point), and we have the final answer:
   • 0.037 kilograms
4. To convert back to grams, we shift the decimal back. If you have something in kilograms, shifting the decimal three positions to the right will result in grams again. Fill in any empty positions with zeros again.
   • In our example, we can shift the decimal three positions to the right, as follows:

     0,037

     00,37

     003,7

     0037, - the zeros on the left have no meaning anymore, so we can rewrite this as 37 grams.

Tips

• The kilogram is the standard unit of the International System of Units (SI) for the mass. The gram is a smaller unit of mass in the metric system and the International System of Units. Gram was originally defined as the mass of one cubic centimeter (cm³) of water at 4 ° C
• In the metric system, the prefix of the unit indicates how large it is. "Kilo" means that the unit is one thousandth (1,000) of what the unit would be without a prefix. For example, one kilowatt is 1,000 watts; likewise, one kilogram is equal to 1,000 grams; and if 100 kilometers is the given, it is equal to 100,000 meters (and so on).