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Table of Contents
In this lesson, we will try to solve problems involving measurement and conversion of measurements from larger units to smaller units. This can be done through familiarizing yourselves with relative units of measurement within one system of units and using the four operations to solve word problems involving distances, intervals of time, liquid volumes, masses of objects, and even simple fractions.
See the fact file below for more information on the converting units or alternatively, you can download our 33-page Converting Units worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
CONVERTING METRIC UNITS
- Recall that the most commonly used metric units of length are kilometer (km), meter (m), centimeter (cm), and millimeter (mm).
- These units of length are related as follows:
- 10 mm = 1 cm
- 100 cm = 1 m
- 1000 m = 1 km
- To convert length from a larger unit into a smaller unit, multiply by the relevant power of 10.
- To convert length from a smaller unit into a larger unit, divide by the relevant power of 10.
- Example 1. Convert 7 cm to mm.
- 7cm x 10mm/1cm = 70 mm
- Note that cm is a larger unit than mm. Thus, multiply 7 cm by 10 mm.
- Cancel the same units to arrive at our desired unit. In this case, 7 is multiplied by 10 mm, and then divided by 1, resulting in 70 mm.
- Example 2. Convert 9000 m to km.
- 9000m x 1km/1000m = 9 km
- Note that m is a smaller unit than km. Thus, divide 9000 m by 1000 m.
- Cancel the same units to arrive at our desired unit. In this case, 9000 m is divided by 1000 m, and then multiplied by 1, resulting in 9 km.
- Converting seconds to other units of time is also possible. Below is the table for conversion:
- 60 seconds = 1 minute
- 60 minutes = 1 hour
- 24 hours = 1 day
CONVERTING IMPERIAL UNITS
- To convert imperial units, you must use a conversion factor.
- A unit conversion factor is a fraction that is equal to 1.
- The numerator (top) of the fraction contains the number of units of the unit you want to convert to.
- Whenever we do conversions, it is important to put whatever we want on top and whatever we have on the bottom.
- Example 5. Convert 116 inches to feet.
- 116 in x 1ft/12in = 9.67ft
CONVERTING UNITS WORD PROBLEMS
- Example 7. Tessa is training for a marathon. She ran 13 km for 3 straight days. How many meters did Tessa run in all?
- Step 1. Tessa ran 13 km for 3 days.
- 3 x 13 km = ? km
- Step 2. Tessa ran a total of 39 km.
- 3 x 13 km = 39 km
- Step 3. Now, we need to convert 39 km to m.
- 1 km = 1000 m
- 39 km = 39000 km
- Therefore, Tessa ran a total of 39000 m.
- Example 8. Itβs 3:32 in the afternoon, and Gina has piano lessons at 6:00 in the evening. How many minutes are there until Ginaβs piano lessons?
- Step 1. Letβs find out how much time there is between 3:32 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
- Step 2. Letβs add minutes until we get to the next hour, 4:00 p.m.
- Step 3. Now, letβs find out how many hours are between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
- Step 4. Letβs convert 2 hours and 28 minutes into only minutes.
- Adding 120 min and 28 min results to 148 min. Therefore, there are 148 min until Ginaβs piano lessons.
- Example 9. Jack has 19700 g of sand in his sandbox. He brought home another 6300 g of sand from the beach to add to his sandbox. How many kilograms of sand does Jack have in his sandbox now?
- Step 1. Jack had 19700 g of sand and added 6300 g more.
- Step 2. Jim has 26000 g of sand in his sandbox.
- Step 3. We need to convert 26000 g to kg.
- Therefore, Jack has 26 kg of sand in his sandbox.
- Example 10. Coach Edwin bought 28 L of sports drink to the soccer game. He divided the sports drink equally between 7 coolers. How many milliliters of sports drink did Coach Edwin put in each cooler?
- Step 1. Coach Edwin divided 28 L into 7 equal parts.
- Step 2. Each cooler contained 4 L of sports drink.
- Step 3. Convert 4 L into milliliters.
- Therefore, Coach Edwin put 4000 mL of sports drink in each cooler.
Converting Units Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Converting Units across 33 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Converting Units worksheets that are perfect for teaching students how to solve problems involving measurement and conversion of measurements from larger units to smaller units. This can be done through familiarizing yourselves with relative units of measurement within one system of units and using the four operations to solve word problems involving distances, intervals of time, liquid volumes, masses of objects, and even simple fractions.
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- Lesson Plan
- Converting Units
- Converting Metric Units
- Converting Imperial Units
- Unit to Unit
- Arranging Capacities
- Comparing Units
- Japan Road Trip
- Rags and Riches
- Birthday Cake
- Find Your Height
- Real Wor(l)d Problems
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Link will appear as Converting Units Facts & Worksheets (Grade 5): https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, July 2, 2020
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.