For working in mathematics, you will require the conversions of various units. Although it is not difficult, it can be a little challenging until you get the feel of it, and some people make it seem more difficult than it is. For instance, if the base is given in centimeters and the height is supplied in meters, and you are requested to find the area of a triangle in centimeters, you must convert the height from meters into centimeters. Therefore, in order to change one unit into another, you must be aware of unit conversions. Unit conversion is the name for a multi-step procedure that involves multiplying or dividing by a numerical factor.
Conversion of Units
The process of converting between units involves multiplying or dividing a conversion factor or, more particularly, a numerical factor. Additionally, the procedure can call for rounding and picking the right number of significant digits. Various attributes can be measured using conversion units, such as the area of a room stated in meters. However, a pencil’s length is measured in centimeters and its thickness in millimeters.
As a result, we must convert from one unit to another. We must understand the link between units before we can understand the concept of unit conversion.
Unit Conversion Table
Conversion is the process of changing the value of one form to another, for as from inches to millimeters, or from liters to gallons. Measurement of length, weight, capacity, temperature, and speed is done using units.
| Quantity | Unit |
| Length | inches, feet , yards and miles |
| Weight | Kilogram, Pounds and Tons |
| Area | Square feet, acre, mile and inch |
| Capacity | Gallons, Fluid ounces and pint |
| Temperature | Celcius and Fahrenheit |
Length and Mass conversion
Mensuration is an ancient concept. Every physical quantity, like length, mass, time, temperature etc., has a specific unit. A unit is a measurement of a physical quantity by definition.
There are two systems of units:
- SI units (International System of Units)
- Metric system
For example, the SI unit of length is a meter (m), while metric units are kilometer (km), meter (m), decimeter (dm), centimeter (cm) and millimeter (mm).
SI unit of mass is Kilograms (kg).
Importance of Mathematical Conversions
In order to maintain accuracy and eliminate measurement confusion, we must convert one unit to another. A pencil is not measured in kilometres, for instance. In this case, a conversion from kilometres (km) to centimetres (cm) is required (cm). To convert one unit to another of the same quantity, a nonlinear conversion factor is often applied. Let’s see how to modify a mass or length measurement.
Table for Length Conversion
The table for conversion of length is:
| Unit conversion for Length | |
| 1 millimeter | 0.001 meter |
| 1 centimeter | 0.01 meter |
| 1 decimeter | 0.1 meter |
| 1 decameter | 10 meters |
| 1 hectometer | 100 meters |
| 1 kilometer | 1000 meters |
| 1 inch | 2.54 × 10−2 meters |
| 1 foot | 0.3048 meters |
| 1 mile | 1.609344 km |
Table for Mass Conversion
The table below provides insight into the convection of mass units.
| Unit conversion for Mass | |
| 1 milligram | 0.001 gram |
| 1 centigram | 0.01 gram |
| 1 decigram | 0.1 gram |
| 1 decagram | 10 gram |
| 1 hectogram | 100 gram |
| 1 kilogram | 1000 grams |
Unit Conversion Table
Let’s look at some fundamental length and mass unit conversions.
| Units of Length | Units of Mass |
| 1 km = 10 hm = 100 dam = 1000 m | 1 kg = 10 hg = 100 dag = 1000 g |
| 1m = 10 dm = 100 cm = 1000 mm | 1 g = 10 dg = 100 cg = 1000 mg |
| 1 dm = 10 cm = 100 mm | 1 dg = 10 cg = 100 mg |
| 1 cm = 10 mm | 1 cg = 10 mg |
We can see that the values of the length units are not equal in the table above, i.e., 1 km, 1 m. We need 1000 meters to make up one kilometer if 1 km is equivalent to 1000 m. As a result, a kilometer is larger than a meter. The same holds true for 1 kilogram = 1000g. Unit conversion can be completed in a few simple steps.
Mathematical issues that include time can include simple and compound interest, speed and distance, work, etc.
The table below shows the conversion of time units.
| Conversion of Units for Time | |
| 1 minute | 60 seconds |
| 1 hour | 60 minutes (or) 3600 seconds |
| 1 day | 24 hours |
| 1 week | 7 days |
| 1 year | 365 days |
Finding the area and perimeter of shapes is a common topic in geometry. In certain circumstances, converting units of measure into area might be necessary. The table below provides assistance with these conversions.
| Conversion of Units for Area | |
| 1 sq. inch | 6.4516 x 10-4 square meter |
| 1 sq. foot | 9.2903 x 10-2 square meter |
| 1 acre | 4.0468 x 103 square meter |
| 1 hectare | 1 x 104 square meter |
| 1 sq. mile | 2.5888 x 106 square meter |
Things to keep in mind:
- Multiply to change larger units into smaller units.
- Divide to change one unit into another that is larger.
Conclusion
You can learn more about a number than simply its one digit by knowing the units of measurement that go with it. Measurements like time, weight, temperature, and length are important in our daily lives. converting from one unit to another in order to attain accuracy that avoids measurement ambiguity. In a nutshell, the mathematical unit of measurement is the basis upon which a number is constructed.
