Conversion of Length

How to Convert Lengths

To convert length from one unit to another: multiply or divide by the correct number.

Follow these steps:

Let's look at a detailed example:

One-foot ruler shown next to a one-meter ruler for scale comparison

When we put a 1-meter ruler next to a
1-foot ruler, they look like this

Look closely and we see that the 1-foot ruler comes to exactly 0.3048 on the meter ruler

So, the conversion for feet to meters is: 1 ft = 0.3048 meters

To convert feet to meters, multiply by 0.3048

In fact we could put three 1 foot rulers next to each other like this:

Three one-foot rulers lined up to equal 0.9144 meters

Now you can see that 3 feet = 3 × 0.3048 meters = 0.9144 meters

So: 3 ft = 3 × 0.3048 m = 0.9144 m

The conversion for kilometers into miles is:

1 km = 0.6214 mile (to 4 digits of accuracy)

So, the length conversion is "multiply by 0.6214":

5 × 0.6214 = 3.107

So: 5 km = 3.107 miles (to 3 decimal places)

Doing the conversion the "wrong way around" will lead to a weird answer!

So it is a good idea to think "will my answer be more or less?"

To fix it, divide instead of multiply or vice versa.

Will the answer be more or less than 8? Feet are smaller than meters, so there should be more feet than meters.

The conversion is 1 ft = 0.3048 meters.

To the nearest 0.1 feet:

Answer: 8 m = 8 ÷ 0.3048 = 26.2 ft

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