LESSON 7 CONVERSION FACTORS OF ENGLISH AND

METRIC SYSTEM

Learning outcomes
In this lesson, you are expected to have:

a. Distinguished English and Metric system;

b. Learned the SI units of measurement; and
c. Understand the conversion method of measurement.

Time Frame: 3 hours

Let’s begin
This module is concerned with the measurement of quantities. This also
describes the system of measurement units that is currently in use (usually referred to
as SI units) and explains how some of the basic units of that system are defined and
maintained in terms of internationally accepted standards.

Fuel the Thrill

Answer the following questions:

1. What are the fundamental quantities of measurement?

2. What are the derived quantities of measurement?

Let’s discuss

It is very important to be able to understand measurements in both the English

and the SI (Systems International) system of units. As our society and economy
become more global in scope, it is increasingly important to fully comprehend both the
English and the SI systems of units and to accurately and conveniently convert from
one system to another. Unit conversion multipliers are presented in this sub-module
along with several examples to further understand the use of this multiplier.

Length
Metric US or Imperial
1 millimeter [mm] 0.03937 in
1 centimeter [cm] 10 mm 0.3937 in
1 meter [m] 100 cm 1.0936 yd
1 kilometer [km] 1000 m 0.6214 mile
US or Imperial Metric
1 inch [in] 2.54 cm
1 foot [ft] 12 in 0.3048 m
1 yard [yd] 3 ft 0.9144 m
1 mile 1760 yd 1.6093 km
1 int nautical mile 2025.4 yd 1.853 km
Example:
Convert 46 in to m
Solution:
2.54 𝑐𝑚 1𝑚 116.84 𝑚
46 in x 1 𝑖𝑛 x 100 𝑐𝑚 = 100 =1.1684 m
Practice A. Convert. (Check your answers at bottom of this page.)
1. 322 cm to yd 2. 2 mi to m

Mass
Metric US or Imperial
1 milligram [mg] 0.0154 grain
1 gram [g] 1,000 mg 0.0353 oz
1 kilogram [kg] 1,000 g 2.2046 lb
1 tonne [t] 1,000 kg 1.1023 short ton
1 tonne [t] 1,000 kg 0.9842 long ton

US or Imperial Metric
1 ounce [oz] 437.5 grain 28.35 g
1 pound [lb] 16 oz 0.4536 kg
1 stone 14 lb 6.3503 kg
1 short ton (US) 0.9072 t
1 long ton (UK) 1.0160 t

Example:
Convert 2.3 kg to g
Solution:
1000 𝑔
2.3 kg x 1 𝑘𝑔 =2300 g
Practice B. Convert. (Check your answers at bottom of this page.)
1. 400 mg to oz 2. 1.2 kg to oz

Area and Volume

Metric US or Imperial
1 sq cm [cm²] 100 mm² 0.1550 in²
1 sq m [m²] 10,000 cm² 1.1960 yd²
1 hectare [ha] 10,000 m² 2.4711 acres
1 sq km [km²] 100 ha 0.3861 mile²
1 cu cm [cm³] 0.0610 in³
1 cu decimeter [dm³] 1,000 cm³ 0.0353 ft³
1 cu meter [m³] 1,000 dm³ 1.3080 yd³
1 liter [l] 1 dm³ 2.113 fluid pt 1.7598 pt
US or Imperial Metric
1 sq inch [in²] 6.4516 cm²
1 sq foot [ft²] 144 in² 0.0929 m²
1 sq yd [yd²] 9 ft² 0.8361 m²
1 acre 4840 yd² 4046.9 m²
1 sq mile [mile²] 640 acres 2.59 km²
1 cu inch [in³] 16.387 cm³
1 cu foot [ft³] 0.02832 m³
1 fluid ounce 1.0408 UK fl oz 29.574 ml
1 pint (16 fl oz) 0.8327 UK pt 0.4732 liters
1 gallon (231 in³) 0.8327 UK gal 3.7854 liters

Time
1 millisecond (ms) 1000 microseconds (μs)
1 second 1000 milliseconds (ms)
I minute 60 seconds (s)
1 hour 60 minutes
1 day 24 hours
1 month 30 days
1 year 365 days
1 banking year 360 days

Example:
Convert 4 hours to minutes
Solution:
60 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒𝑠
4 hours x 1 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟 = 240 minutes

Practice C. Convert. (Check your answers at bottom of this page.)

1. Convert 120 s to hour 2. 2 hours to minutes

Temperature
5 9
ºC = 9(ºF-32) ºF = 5 ºC + 32 K = ºC + 273.15
Example:
Convert 83 ºF to ºC
Solution:
5 5 5
ºC = 9(ºF-32) = 9 (83-32) = 9 (51) = 28.33 ºC

Practice D. Convert. (Check your answers at bottom of this page.)

1. Convert 31 ºC to ºF 2. Convert 112 ºF to ºC

Untwist the loop

Answer the following problems:
1. Conversion:
a. 2 km to ft b. 12 m to in c. 5 yd to m
 d. 1.2 mi to m e. 54 ft to mm f. 3.2 kg to oz
g. 9 oz to mg h. 7 lb to kg i. 3.6 lb to g
j. 98 mg to oz k. 3 days to mins l. 16 hours to s
m. 45 min to ms n. 15 l to gal o. 14 acres to ha

2.. Ethanol boils at 78.5 ºC and freezes at -117 ºC. Convert these temperatures to the
Fahrenheit scale.

3. Mercury boils at 675 ºF and solidifies at -38.0 ºF. Convert these temperatures to the
Celsius scale.

4.. Convert the temperatures in problem 1 to the Kelvin scale.

5. Convert the temperatures in problem 2 to the Kelvin scale.

6. Express 3.69 m in kilometers, centimeters, and millimeters.

7. Express the mass of 32 g of oxygen in milligrams, kilograms, and pounds.

Speak your mind

Extend your horizon

IMPORTANT CONCEPTS TO REMEMBER
• Fundamental quantities (or base quantities) are those which are used to define
all other quantities (derived quantities).
• A multiple of a unit in the international system is formed by adding a prefix to the
name of that unit.

References
Gibilisco, S. (2002). Physics Demystified, New York, McGraw Hill
OpenStax College (2012). College Physics.OpenStax College, Rice Univesity.
http://cnx.org/content/co.l11406/latest/