How to Learn Math Conversion

Converting from inches into feet, minutes into hours, or cents into dollars is something that is performed many times in a day. These types of conversions, from one unit to another related unit with the exception of temperatures, can be performed with a tool called math conversion.

Instructions

Math Conversion

1

Decide upon the target unit. The target unit is the unit that the original unit is to be converted into. The target unit must measure the same property as the original unit. For example, inches and feet both measure lengths and thus it is possible to convert between the two. However, inches and minutes do not measure the same properties (the former measures length and the latter measures time) and therefore it is impossible to convert between these two units.

2

Look up the conversion factor between both the original and target unit and write it down. See the references section for a website with a table of common conversion factors. For example, the conversion factor from feet into meters is 0.3048.

3

Multiply the original value by the conversion factor to get the value in the target unit.

For example, to convert 10 feet into meters, multiply 10 feet times the conversion factor 0.3048. The product is 3.048 meters. Thus, 10 feet is equivalent to 3.048 meters.

4

Convert hours into minutes. The conversion factor for hours into minutes is 60. To convert 3 hours into minutes, multiply 3 hours by the conversion factor and the result is 180 minutes.

5

Convert miles into centimeters. This conversion requires multiple steps, first a conversion from miles into feet, and then from feet into centimeters. The conversion factor for miles into feet is 5,280, and the conversion factor for feet into inches is 12. To convert 2 miles into inches, multiply 2 miles by 5,280 to get 10,560 feet, then multiply 10,560 feet by 12 to get 126,720 inches.

Exception: Temperature Conversion

6

Convert Fahrenheit into Celsius. Begin by subtracting the original temperature by 32, then divide the answer by 9, and finally multiply the answer by 5.

For example, convert 90 degrees Fahrenheit into Celsius. First, subtract 32 from 90 to obtain 58. Then, divide 58 by 9 to obtain 6.44. Finally, multiply 6.44 by 5 to obtain the final result, 32.2 degrees Celsius.

7

Convert Celsius into Fahrenheit. First multiply the original temperature by 9, then divide the product by 5, and finally add 32 to the quotient.

For example, convert -5 degrees Celsius into Fahrenheit. Multiply the original by 9 to obtain -45, then divide by 5 to obtain -9. Finally, add 32 to the quotient to obtain the final result, 23 degrees Celsius.

8

Convert Fahrenheit into Kelvin. First, convert from Fahrenheit into Celsius as the Kelvin conversion can only be made using Celsius. Once in Celsius, add 273 to the temperature to obtain the temperature in degrees Kelvin.

For example, convert 90 degrees Fahrenheit into Celsius. First, convert 90 degrees Fahrenheit into Celsius. The result is 32.2 degrees Celsius. Then, add 273 to this value to obtain 305.2 Kelvin as the final result.