
2.7: Solving Multi-step Conversion Problems
- Last updated
- Save as PDF
Multiple Conversions
Sometimes you will have to perform more than one conversion to obtain the desired unit. For example, suppose you want to convert 54.7 km into millimeters. We will set up a series of conversion factors so that each conversion factor produces the next unit in the sequence. We first convert the given amount in km to the base unit, which is meters. We know that 1,000 m =1 km.
Then we convert meters to mm, remembering that \(1\; \rm{mm}\) = \( 10^{-3}\; \rm{m}\).
Concept Map
Calculation
\[ \begin{align*} 54.7 \; \cancel{\rm{km}} \times \dfrac{1,000 \; \cancel{\rm{m}}}{1\; \cancel{\rm{km}}} \times \dfrac{1\; \cancel{\rm{mm}}}{\cancel{10^{-3} \rm{m}}} & = 54,700,000 \; \rm{mm} \\ &= 5.47 \times 10^7\; \rm{mm} \end{align*}\]
In each step, the previous unit is canceled and the next unit in the sequence is produced, each successive unit canceling out until only the unit needed in the answer is left.
Example \(\PageIndex{1}\): Unit Conversion
Convert 58.2 ms to megaseconds in one multi-step calculation.
Solution
Steps for Problem Solving | Unit Conversion |
---|---|
Identify the "given" information and what the problem is asking you to "find." | Given: 58.2 ms Find: Ms |
List other known quantities | \(1 ms = 10^{-3} s \) \(1 Ms = 10^6s \) |
Prepare a concept map. | ![]() |
Calculate. | \[ \begin{align} 58.2 \; \cancel{\rm{ms}} \times \dfrac{10^{-3} \cancel{\rm{s}}}{1\; \cancel{\rm{ms}}} \times \dfrac{1\; \rm{Ms}}{1,000,000\; \cancel{ \rm{s}}} & =0.0000000582\; \rm{Ms} \nonumber\\ &= 5.82 \times 10^{-8}\; \rm{Ms}\nonumber \end{align}\nonumber \] Neither conversion factor affects the number of significant figures in the final answer. |
Example \(\PageIndex{2}\): Unit Conversion
How many seconds are in a day?
Solution
Steps for Problem Solving | Unit Conversion |
---|---|
Identify the "given" information and what the problem is asking you to "find." | Given: 1 day Find: s |
List other known quantities. | 1 day = 24 hours 1 hour = 60 minutes 1 minute = 60 seconds |
Prepare a concept map. | |
Calculate. | \[1 \: \text{d} \times \frac{24 \: \text{hr}}{1 \: \text{d}}\times \frac{60 \: \text{min}}{1 \: \text{hr}} \times \frac{60 \: \text{s}}{1 \: \text{min}} = 86,400 \: \text{s} \nonumber\] |
Exercise \(\PageIndex{1}\)
Perform each conversion in one multi-step calculation.
- 43.007 ng to kg
- 1005 in to ft
- 12 mi to km
- Answer a
- \(4.3007 \times 10^{-11} kg \)
- Answer b
- \(83.75\, ft\)
- Answer c
- \(19\, km\)
Career Focus: Pharmacist
A pharmacist dispenses drugs that have been prescribed by a doctor. Although that may sound straightforward, pharmacists in the United States must hold a doctorate in pharmacy and be licensed by the state in which they work. Most pharmacy programs require four years of education in a specialty pharmacy school. Pharmacists must know a lot of chemistry and biology so they can understand the effects that drugs (which are chemicals, after all) have on the body. Pharmacists can advise physicians on the selection, dosage, interactions, and side effects of drugs. They can also advise patients on the proper use of their medications, including when and how to take specific drugs properly. Pharmacists can be found in drugstores, hospitals, and other medical facilities. Curiously, an outdated name for pharmacist is chemist, which was used when pharmacists formerly did a lot of drug preparation, or compounding. In modern times, pharmacists rarely compound their own drugs, but their knowledge of the sciences, including chemistry, helps them provide valuable services in support of everyone’s health.

Summary
In multi-step conversion problems, the previous unit is canceled for each step and the next unit in the sequence is produced, each successive unit canceling out until only the unit needed in the answer is left.
If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website.
If you're behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains *.kastatic.org and *.kasandbox.org are unblocked.
Video transcript
- Abt audi rsq8 r
- Stuffed puffs chocolate peppermint bark
- Hyalite canyon hiking trail map
- Used cars stuttgart germany military
1.6 Unit Conversion Word Problems
Chapter 1: Algebra Review
One application of rational expressions deals with converting units. Units of measure can be converted by multiplying several fractions together in a process known as dimensional analysis.
The trick is to decide what fractions to multiply. If an expression is multiplied by 1, its value does not change. The number 1 can be written as a fraction in many different ways, so long as the numerator and denominator are identical in value. Note that the numerator and denominator need not be identical in appearance, but rather only identical in value. Below are several fractions, each equal to 1, where the numerator and the denominator are identical in value. This is why, when doing dimensional analysis, it is very important to use units in the setup of the problem, so as to ensure that the conversion factor is set up correctly.
If 1 pound = 16 ounces, how many pounds are in 435 ounces?
The same process can be used to convert problems with several units in them. Consider the following example.
A student averaged 45 miles per hour on a trip. What was the student’s speed in feet per second?
Convert 8 ft3 to yd3.
A room is 10 ft by 12 ft. How many square yards are in the room? The area of the room is 120 ft2 (area = length × width).
Converting the area yields:
The process of dimensional analysis can be used to convert other types of units as well. Once relationships that represent the same value have been identified, a conversion factor can be determined.
A child is prescribed a dosage of 12 mg of a certain drug per day and is allowed to refill his prescription twice. If there are 60 tablets in a prescription, and each tablet has 4 mg, how many doses are in the 3 prescriptions (original + 2 refills)?
Distance
Imperial to metric conversions:
Area
Imperial to metric conversions:
Volume
Imperial to metric conversions:
Mass
Imperial to metric conversions:
Temperature
Fahrenheit to Celsius conversions:

For questions 1 to 18, use dimensional analysis to perform the indicated conversions.
- 7 miles to yards
- 234 oz to tons
- 11.2 mg to grams
- 1.35 km to centimetres
- 9,800,000 mm to miles
- 4.5 ft2 to square yards
- 435,000 m2 to square kilometres
- 8 km2 to square feet
- 0.0065 km3 to cubic metres
- 14.62 in3 to square centimetres
- 5500 cm3 to cubic yards
- 3.5 mph (miles per hour) to feet per second
- 185 yd per min. to miles per hour
- 153 ft/s (feet per second) to miles per hour
- 248 mph to metres per second
- 186,000 mph to kilometres per year
- 7.50 tons/yd2 to pounds per square inch
- 16 ft/s2 to kilometres per hour squared
For questions 19 to 27, solve each conversion word problem.
- On a recent trip, Jan travelled 260 miles using 8 gallons of gas. What was the car’s miles per gallon for this trip? Kilometres per litre?
- A certain laser printer can print 12 pages per minute. Determine this printer’s output in pages per day.
- An average human heart beats 60 times per minute. If the average person lives to the age of 86, how many times does the average heart beat in a lifetime?
- Blood sugar levels are measured in milligrams of glucose per decilitre of blood volume. If a person’s blood sugar level measured 128 mg/dL, what is this in grams per litre?
- You are buying carpet to cover a room that measures 38 ft by 40 ft. The carpet cost $18 per square yard. How much will the carpet cost?
- A cargo container is 50 ft long, 10 ft wide, and 8 ft tall. Find its volume in cubic yards and cubic metres.
- A local zoning ordinance says that a house’s “footprint” (area of its ground floor) cannot occupy more than ¼ of the lot it is built on. Suppose you own a
-acre lot (1 acre = 43,560 ft2). What is the maximum allowed footprint for your house in square feet? In square metres?
- A car travels 23 km in 15 minutes. How fast is it going in kilometres per hour? In metres per second?
- The largest single rough diamond ever found, the Cullinan Diamond, weighed 3106 carats. One carat is equivalent to the mass of 0.20 grams. What is the mass of this diamond in milligrams? Weight in pounds?
<a class=”internal” href=”/intermediatealgebraberg/back-matter/answer-key-1-6/”>Answer Key 1.6
Celsius to Fahrenheit conversion scale long description: Scale showing conversions between Celsius and Fahrenheit. The following table summarizes the data:
Celsius | Fahrenheit |
---|---|
−40°C | −40°F |
−30°C | −22°F |
−20°C | −4°F |
−10°C | 14°F |
0°C | 32°F |
10°C | 50°F |
20°C | 68°F |
30°C | 86°F |
40°C | 104°F |
50°C | 122°F |
60°C | 140°F |
70°C | 158°F |
80°C | 176°F |
90°C | 194°F |
100°C | 212°F |
[Return to Celsius to Fahrenheit conversion scale]
Further, the surveillance cameras in the apartment complete the story. Kolya and Anya enter the apartment. They go and evaluate the scale of work.
Problems word step multi conversion
"I wanted to piss something," said Dima, and looked into my eyes. maybe your boss won't know what a great sucker you are. I opened my mouth and now dark urine with a pungent smell hit my throat.
Unit Conversions: Multi-Step Problems (Honors Chemistry Only)And what. And you sucked at the local bearded gopota on "frets sedan" for free. Are you saying that you are better or what.
You will also like:
- Is ion hair dye vegan
- Light bulbs with silver coating
- Ohio stna practice test 2020
- Find a studio to rent
- Land for sale elkins ar
- 30 inch wide mattress topper
- Pc motherboard with thunderbolt 3
- Best instant camera reddit 2020
- Johnson florist savannah, ga
- Amazon prints promo code 2020
Slowly swaying completely out of time with the music, she put one hand on her powerful chest, passionately kissed the nose and. Lips of her partner. At the same time, we could see how the arm bent at the elbow made movements that did not allow double interpretation. His powerful chest moved with a shake, and wide palms, easily lifting up a short skirt, tightly squeezed round buttocks.