Unit 2, Lesson 16
Converting Units
Accelerated 6
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The speed limit on a Canadian highway is 80 kilometers per hour. An American driver was driving 75 miles per hour.
Was the American driving too fast? If so, by how much? Explain or show your reasoning.
A veterinarian uses weights in kilograms to figure out what dosages of medicines to prescribe for animals. For every 10 kilograms, there are 22 pounds.
Calculate each animal’s weight in kilograms. Explain or show your reasoning. If you get stuck, consider drawing a double number line diagram or table.
A certain medication says it can be given only to animals over 8 kilograms. How much is this in pounds?
When we measure something in two different units, the measurements form an equivalent ratio. We can reason with these equivalent ratios to convert measurements from one unit to another.
Suppose you cut off 20 inches of hair. Your Canadian friend asks how many centimeters of hair that was. Since 100 inches equal 254 centimeters, we can use equivalent ratios to find out how many centimeters equal 20 inches.
Using a double number line:
Using a table:
| length (in) | length (cm) |
|---|---|
| 100 | 254 |
| 1 | 2.54 |
| 20 | 50.8 |
One quick way to solve the problem is to start by finding out how many centimeters are in 1 inch. We can then multiply 2.54 and 20 to find that 20 inches equal 50.8 centimeters.