Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings

There are different systems of units of measurement and it is good to know how to convert one unit to another. In some cases this is easy, in others it is not very (requires a calculator). But the concept of converting is always the same.

Steps

1. 1 Determine the unit of measure you want to convert. For example, you need to convert 3 meters to feet.
2. 2 Write down a simple equation. There is no need to write down the equation for every conversion - it is included here to clarify the process.
   • In this example, we will be converting meters to feet.
   • 3 meters = x feet
   • This equation has a variable "x" representing what we want to find.
3. 3 Find the conversion factor. It exists for most (if not all) units of measurement. In our example, find the meter to feet conversion factor.
   • In our example: 1 meter = 3.2808399 feet.
4. 4 To use the conversion factor correctly, you must change it to apply in the equation. When solving equations, any actions are performed with both sides of the equations, that is, if one side of the equation is multiplied by 4, then the other side must be multiplied by 4 (to maintain equality). In our problem, "x" does not need to be changed, so if you multiply both sides of the equation by 1, "x" does not change. This means that if the conversion factor is "1 = something," then you can multiply both sides of the equation by 1 without changing the "x" but changing the value.
   • Look at the original equation and determine which unit should be abbreviated. In our example, we want to find feet, so meters must be abbreviated.
   • Thus, it is necessary to rewrite the conversion factor so that the meters are reduced.
     • For meters to be reduced, you must divide by meters.
     • You need to change the conversion factor so that meters are in the denominator.
   • In our example, 1 meter = 3.2808399 feet; Divide both sides of the equation by meters and on the left you get 1 (no units), and on the right you get 3.2808399 ft / m.
   • You rewrote the equation as 1 = 3.2808399 ft / m.
5. 5 Multiply both sides of the original equation by 1:
   • 3 meters * 1 = x * 1
   • Since 1 = 3.2808399 ft / m, plug this value (instead of 1) on the left side of the equation (leave it off the right side).
   • 3 m * 3.2808399 ft / m = x * 1
6. 6 Simplify the equation.
   • Right side of the equation: x * 1 = 1.
     • 3 meters * 3.2808399 ft / m = x
   • Left side of the equation: 3 * 3.2808399 = 9.8425197
     • 9.8425197 (m * ft) / m = x
   • (m * feet) / m = feet (meters are abbreviated).
     • 9.8425197 ft = x
7. 7 Since 9.8425197 ft = x and 3 m = x, then 9.8425197 ft = 3 m or 3 m = 9.8425197 ft.
8. 8 Answer:
   • 3 meters = 9.8425197 feet.

Tips

• To convert other units, simply use a different conversion factor. For example, 1 kilometer = 1000 meters. The described method is correct for units of measurement of any quantity (not just distance).

Warnings

• Check the correctness of your calculations. Any mistake can lead to incorrect results.