Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

Today, there are many tools on the internet that allow us to convert pounds to kilograms precisely; But at school, it is different, the teacher will ask you to clearly state the steps or require explanation for each step in the assignment. One of the simplest methods is to simply divide your weight in pounds by 2.2 and you will get some relative results. This article shows you the algebraic steps you can take to convert pounds to kilograms.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Apply the formula

1. 

   Fill in the pound value in the blank as "lb" in the formula. This is the formula for determining the number of kilograms. We have 1 kilogram equal to 2.2046226218 pounds (here rounded to 2.2).

2. 

   
   
   Perform the division to get the result in kilograms. You would first divide 1 kg by 2.2 lb, then multiply that by the pound value you need to convert.
   • Example: You need to convert 4 pounds to kilograms. First, you divide 1 kg by 2.2 lb to get 0.45. Then, multiply 0.45 by 4 to get 1.81. So, 4 pounds equals 1.81 kilograms.
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Method 2 of 2: mental arithmetic

1. 

   
   
   Subtract the first digit of the weight from the total weight, then divide the result by two. This is the method most overseas nurses use to calculate the patient's dosage because the drug is usually calculated in kilograms while the patient's weight is usually calculated in pounds.
   • Example: Convert 46 lb to kg. Subtract the first digit from 46 to give 42 lb. Then, divide 42 by 2, the result will be 21 kilograms. (Meanwhile, the result when calculated using the formula is 20.87 kilograms, rounded to 21 kilograms.)
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Advice

• If you are doing homework, be sure to complete the steps and apply the first method.
• Dividing mass in pounds by 2.2 only gives you the relative weight in kilograms. So, if you want your answer to be more accurate, you should use a formula and calculator.

Warning

• Mathematical methods for converting pounds and kilograms are only approximate.