Name ____________________________
Per. _____ Date ___________________
Science Math
Conversions
Conversion between units is a skill needed when you work with the metric system. The
following example should be your primary way of converting units.
Example: convert 152 meters into centimeters
Solution:
Equivalent from tables (see
note below)
The value you
are converting
Answer – cancel units,
leaving centimeters – your
target unit
Note: The equivalent should have the unit you are converting from as the denominator and your
target unit as the numerator.
Practice
Complete the following problems in the space provided. Show all your work. Showing all your
work includes setting up the entire equation and using unit abbreviations for each value. Draw a
box around your final answer – include units!
1. 3 meters into centimeters
2. 10 kilometers into meters
3. 38 millimeters into centimeters
4. 435 millimeters into centimeters
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5. 15,050 millimeters into meters
6. 3,264 centimeters into meters
Many times you will need to convert between English System measurements to the metric
system or vice versa. Use the conversion factors to complete the problems that follow.
Length
Volume
Mass
2.54 cm = 1 inch (in)
1 liter = 1.06 quarts
1 kilogram (kg) = 2.20 pounds (lb)
1 m = 3.28 feet (ft)
3.79 liters = 1 gallon
1 m = 1.094 yards (yd)
1.609 km = 1 mile (mi)
Practice – Show Your Work!
1. 4.5 inches into centimeters
2. 25.3 meters into feet
3. 2.3 miles into kilometers
4. 14 inches into centimeters
5. 125 pounds into kilograms
6. 20 gallons into liters
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Science Problems
Most science problems aren’t presented as simple “hey convert this!” problems. They are often
word problems. For example, do the following problem. Show your work.
1. Darth Vader is 2 meters tall. How tall is Darth in feet?
Ok, that isn’t a problem from our Earth Science book or labs, but the next ones are.
Complete these problems. Show your work.
2. Mrs. C just said that the Earth is 40,000 km in diameter. How many miles is that?
3. On a geologic time scale, 1 mm = 1,000,000 years. You need to mark 560 million years on
the scale. How many cm do you measure for the mark? (You will use 2 conversion
equivalents to determine the answer.)
4. Measured on a topographic map, Diamond Brook is 3.1 cm long (run). The change (rise) in
elevation is 700 ft. Determine the average slope in feet per mile if the scale on the map is
1.5 cm per mile. Use rise over run to determine the slope. Show your work. Hint: first
convert the run into miles and then divide the rise by the run.
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Now that you know how to set up conversion problems, here is an easier way to convert Metric
Units using the Metric Stairs. Why didn’t you learn this first? Because most of the time you will
need to show your work to receive credit for your answers.
King Henry Ducked Under Desks Counting Money
Decimal Left
Decimal Right
Use the following steps when you convert metrics using the metric stairs. Remember: Any
metric unit that does not have a prefix is always found on the Unit stair.
Convert:
25,000.0 centimeters = ___________ kilometer
1. Locate the known metric unit prefix on the metric stairs. (Centi)
2. Locate the unknown metric unit prefix that you want to convert to. (kilo)
3. Count the number of stairs you would need to move to get from the known metric unit
prefix to the unknown metric unit prefix. (5)
Going to a larger unit, move the decimal Left.
Going to a smaller unit, move the decimal Right.
4. Did you go left or right on the metric stairs? (Left).
5. Move the decimal (.) the number of steps you took on the stairs in the direction you went
in the known number and convert to the unknown metric unit number. (0.25 km)
Convert the following using the Metric Stairs:
1. 25 mm =
__________ cm
2. 4.56 cm =
__________ mm
3. 2.5 mm =
__________ m
4. 75.2 cm =
__________ m
5. 350 cm =
__________mm
6. 0.45 m =
__________ cm
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