Converting and Calculating Units of Length
🎬 Video: Understanding Length Units
What are Metric Units of Length? (0:01)
Metric units of length are used to measure distances and sizes accurately. The most common metric units are:
- Millimeters (mm): Smallest unit here, used for tiny objects.
1 mm is about the thickness of a credit card. - Centimeters (cm): Common for everyday objects.
1 cm is about the width of a fingernail. - Meters (m): Used for measuring rooms, furniture, or height.
1 m is about the height of a chair. - Kilometers (km): Used for long distances.
1 km is about the distance between two bus stops.
How to Convert Between Units of Length? (0:50)
You need to remember these key conversions between units of lengths:
- 1 mm = 0.1 cm
- 1 cm = 10 mm
- 1 m = 100 cm
- 1 km = 1000 m
Example 1: Converting 47 meters to centimeters
- Meters to centimeters → Multiply by 100 (since 1 m = 100 cm).
- $47 \times 100 = 4700$
- So, 47 meters = 4700 centimeters ✅
Example 2: Converting 5020 meters to kilometers
- Meters to kilometers → Divide by 1,000 (since 1 km = 1000 m).
- $5020 \div 1000 = 5.020$
- So, 5020 meters = 5.02 kilometers ✅
How to Add and Subtract Different Units of Length? (2:34)
When performing calculations with different length units, convert to the same unit first.
Example 1: Adding 1.75 m and 40 cm
- Convert 40 cm to m: $40 \text{ cm} = 0.4 \text{ m}$
- Add the values in meters: $1.75 \text{ m} + 0.4 \text{ m} = 2.15 \text{ m}$
- Final Answer: 2.15 m ✅
Example 2: Subtracting 40 cm from 1.75 m
- Convert 1.75 m to cm: $1.75 \text{ m} = 175 \text{ cm}$
- Subtract the values in cm: $175 \text{ cm} – 40 \text{ cm} = 135 \text{ cm}$
- (Optional) Convert back to m: $135 \text{ cm} = 1.35 \text{ m}$
- Final Answer: 1.35 m ✅
📂 Flashcards: Revising Length Units
🍪 Length Units Quiz (6 Questions)
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