How do you convert between metric units?

Answer 1

There are units for many different things. But basically, you look up the conversion factor, then multiply or divide. It is safest (so as not to multiply when you should divide, or vice versa) to work as in the following example:

To convert 10 inches to centimeters: 1 in = 2.54 centimeters, therefore, 1 in / 2.54 cm = 1; 2.54 cm / 1 in. is also equal to 1.

10 inches x (2.54 cm / 1 in) = 25.4 cm (the inches cancel in the division).

If you tried to multiply instead by (1 in / 2.54 cm), the units don't cancel, so it doesn't work out.

Answer 2

To convert between metric units, you can use the prefixes to go up or down the scale. For example, to convert from meters to kilometers, you divide by 1000; to convert from grams to kilograms, you divide by 1000. Remember: move the decimal to the left to convert to a larger unit and to the right to convert to a smaller unit.

Answer 3

It depends on the specific units, but it will almost always be

a matter of multiplying or dividing by some power of 10.

Answer 4

For converting between two systems you need to know relations.

For example 1 yard is 0.9144 meters. So every other number of yd you need to multiply by above number to get meter.

Answer 5

To convert a larger metric unit to a smaller one you have to multiply

2m= ______mm

=2x1000=2000mm