Section 1.

3
Metric and Unit Conversions
Metric Conversions
The Ladder Method
 1 Ladder Method
2
KILO 3
1000 HECTO
Units 100 DEKA
Units 10
Units
DECI
0.1 CENTI
Unit 0.01 MILLI
Meters Unit 0.001
Liters Unit
Grams

How do you use the “ladder” method? 4 km = _________ m

1st – Determine your starting point. Starting Point Ending Point
2nd – Count the “jumps” to your ending point.
How many jumps does it take?
3rd – Move the decimal the same number of
jumps in the same direction.
4. __. __. __. = 4000 m
1 2 3
 Conversion Practice

Try these conversions using the ladder method:

1 g
1000 mg = _______
1,000 mL
1 L = _______
1,600 mm
160 cm = _______
14,000 m
14 km = _______
.109 kg
109 g = _______
.250 km
250 m = _______
 Conversion of Squared Units
1 cm2 = _____ mm2
1 cm x 1 cm = ____ mm2 (Convert 1cm to mm)
10mm x 10mm = 100 mm2

1 m2 = ___ cm2
1m x 1m = ______ cm2 (Convert 1m to cm)
100 cm x 100 cm = 10,000 cm2

6 m2 = ____ mm2
6 x 1 m x 1 m = ____ mm2 (Convert 1m to mm)
6 x 1,000 mm x 1,000 mm = 6,000,000 mm2

4 cm2 = _____ mm2

4 x 1 cm x 1 cm = ____ mm2 (Convert 1cm to mm)
4 x 10 mm x 10 mm = 400 mm2
 Dimensional Analysis / Conversions
• The fundamental or base quantities, such as length, mass, and time are
called dimensions.

• Dimensional Analysis is a procedure by which the dimensional

correctness of an equation can be checked.

• Both sides of an equation must not only be equal in numerical value, but
also in dimension.

• Dimensions can be treated like algebraic quantities.

 Dimensional Analysis / Conversion
• Units, instead of dimensional symbols, may be used in unit analysis.

• Used in chemistry, physics, engineering, and medicine

• This is different than a math class – this is science!!

• The units mean something

• Simple unit conversions; the idea of dimensional analysis

• We need a conversion factor, a relationship between the units (This

MUST be shown in all conversions!!!)
 Dimensional Analysis
Example: Check whether the equation d = at2 is correct, where d is length, a is acceleration,
and t is time interval.

variable description dimension unit

d length [L] m
a acceleration [L] / [T] 2 m/s2
t time [T] s

Dimensional analysis: left side of equation right side of equation

[L] = [L] x [T] 2

[T] 2

The dimension of the left side is equal to the right, so the equation is dimensionally correct!!
 Dimensional Analysis/ Conversions

Two Important Things:

1. The units on the given problem
2. The correct conversion factor(s) for the given units

Conversion Factor = Fraction = Ratio

 1 inch = 2.54 cm can be written as a fraction
 Either side can go on top
 1 in / 2.54 cm
 2.54 cm / 1 in
 Dimensional Analysis/ Conversions

NOTE:
You do not have to show conversions using the ladder
method if the base units remain the same.

Example:

100 cm = 1 m

Notice the base unit is still in meters, we are just using a

different prefix.
 Conversions – Single Step

Step #1: Write the given.

Step #2: Draw a chart (if necessary)
Step #3: What is your conversion relationship?
Step #4: Cancel units diagonally
 Conversions – Single Step

Example #1
Calculate the number of minutes in 3.61 hours.

Step #1: Write the given.

Step #2: Draw the chart (If necessary)
 Conversions – Single Step

Example #1
Calculate the number of minutes in 3.61 hours.

Step #3: What is your conversion relationship?

Step #4: Cancel units diagonally
 Conversions – Single Step

Example #1
Calculate the number of minutes in 3.61 hours.

Step #5: Multiply the top numbers together

Step #6: Multiply the bottom number together
Step #7: Divide
 Conversions – Single Step

Example #2
How many centimeters are in 4.2 inches?

10.67 cm
 Conversions: Multi-Steps

Example #3
Calculate the number of seconds in 2 weeks

 Realize that we don’t know just one conversion (step)

from weeks to seconds.

 Start as Usual!!!

 Keep extending your table and adding conversion

relationships as needed!!
 Conversions: Multi-Steps

Example #3
Calculate the number of seconds in 2 weeks

1,209,600 sec
 Conversions: Multi-Steps

Example #4
Convert 5 days to hours

120 Hours

Example #5
How many seconds are there in 4 minutes?

240 Seconds
 Conversions: Multi-Units

Example #6
Convert 50 m/s to km/hr?

50m 1km 3600s

x x = 180 km/h
s 1000m 1hr
Starting Conversion Conversion Result
Value Factor for Factor for
Meters seconds
 Conversions: Multi-Units

Example #7
Convert 147 ft/s to miles/hr

100.23 mi/hr
 Conversions: Multi-Units

Example #8
Convert 60 m/s to ft/s

196.85 ft/s
 Conversions: Multi-Units

Example #9
Convert 120 km/hr to ft/s

109.36 ft/s
 Conversions: Multi-Units

Example #10
Convert 25 m/s to km/hr

90 km/hr
 Conversions: Multi-Units

Example #11
Convert 75 km/hr to m/s

20.83 m/s