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Conversion Chart

Started by Chad Smith Aug 26, 2006 at 12:44 PM 1 replies 1.8k views

Original Post

Aug 26, 2006 at 12:44 PM

Alrighty, first of all I am going to say...this is homework (yes I know it is against the rules...), but after getting some of my classmates to help me, and even asking the teacher to help me, I still don't understand this one bit. Ok, I just started my Junior year in High School, and I am taking Physics. Well, right now we are doing conversions, and we must do it via a conversion chart. If we don't then we don't get credit at all. I can convert stuff just doing some simple math, but that is without the chart. So, I am asking if someone could give me maybe a simple problem, and walk me through it. Maybe it would help me a lot. I will go ahead and give you the table that I have, so maybe if you could use that table for the problem it would rock.


60 minim=1 fluid dram
8 fluid drams=1 fluid ounce
1 gill=4 fluid ounces
4 gills=1 pint
2 pints=1 quart
4 quarts=1 gallon
1 barrel=33.5 gallons

So, maybe if you can help me with it! Please please!


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Like, I understand that where the verticle line is, that means multiplication (is that correct??), and the horizontal line is division (is that correct??). I'm sorry if I sound like a noob to this, or w/e. But...any help on this would be greatly appreciated!

ToohrVyk

Aug 26, 2006 at 12:48 PM

I have never heard of your method, so I'm afraid I can't help you. My personal preference is as follows:

1° Compute the conversion factor:
2 pints = 1 quart, so pints/quart = 1/2

2° Make the convert-to unit appear.
x pints = x pints * (quart/quart)

3° Make the conversion factor appear.
x pints * (quart/quart) = x quart * (pints/quart)

4° Replace the conversion factor by its value.
x quart * (pints/quart) = x * 1/2 quart

Simian Man

Aug 26, 2006 at 12:53 PM

I don't know what you mean by "charts" so I can't help you there. Just remember that conversions are done by multiplying by one.

For instance if we have a value of 2 hours and want to convert it to minutes, we multiply by the term (60 minutes/1 hour). Because 60mins == 1hour, this term is just one. Thus:

             60 minutes2 hours   *  ----------               1 hours

Equals 120 minutes because the "hours" on the top and bottom cancel out just like in algebra. It is important to note that by doing this conversion, we did not change the value at all (because we multiplied by one), just the units.

When you try to do your own conversions, always make sure the terms you multiply by are equal to one and that your units cancel out properly and you should be fine.

Hope that helps.

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