1. Unit
Conversions

2. How many jumps does it take?
Ladder Method 1 2
KILO 1000 Units 3
HECTO 100 Units
DEKA 10 Units
DECI 0.1 Unit
Meters Liters Grams
CENTI 0.01 Unit
MILLI Unit
How do you use the “ladder” method?
4 km = _________ m
1st – Determine your starting point.
2nd – Count the “jumps” to your ending point.
3rd – Move the decimal the same number of jumps in the same direction.
Starting Point
Ending Point
How many jumps does it take? _. _. _.
= 4000 m 4. 1 2 3

3. 56 cm 6 m 7 g 698 mg Conversion Practice KILO 1000 Units
HECTO 100 Units
DEKA 10 Units
DECI 0.1 Unit
Meters Liters Grams
CENTI 0.01 Unit
MILLI Unit
Try these conversions using the ladder method.
1000 mg = _______ g 1 L = _______ mL 160 cm = _______ mm
14 km = _______ m 109 g = _______ kg 250 m = _______ km
Compare using <, >, or =.
56 cm m 7 g mg

4. Metric Conversion Challenge
Write the correct abbreviation for each metric unit.
1) Kilogram _____ 4) Milliliter _____ 7) Kilometer _____
2) Meter _____ 5) Millimeter _____ 8) Centimeter _____
3) Gram _____ 6) Liter _____ 9) Milligram _____
Try these conversions, using the ladder method.
10) 2000 mg = _______ g 15) 5 L = _______ mL 20) 16 cm = _______ mm
11) 104 km = _______ m 16) 198 g = _______ kg 21) 2500 m = _______ km
12) 480 cm = _____ m 17) 75 mL = _____ L 22) 65 g = _____ mg
13) 5.6 kg = _____ g 18) 50 cm = _____ m 23) 6.3 cm = _____ mm
14) 8 mm = _____ cm 19) 5.6 m = _____ cm 24) 120 mg = _____ g

5. Compare using <, >, or =.
25) 63 cm m 27) 5 g mg 29) 1,500 mL L
26) 536 cm dm 28) 43 mg g 30) 3.6 m cm

6. We start by writing down the
Converting
Inches to centimeters
10.0 in
We start by writing down the
number and the unit

7. Converting Inches to centimeters 10.0 in 2.54 cm 1 in
Our conversion factor for this is 1 in = 2.54 cm.
Since we want to convert to cm, it goes on the
top.

8. Converting Inches to centimeters 10.0 in 2.54 cm 1 in
Now we cancel and collect units. The inches cancel
out, leaving us with cm –
the unit we are converting to.

9. Converting Inches to centimeters 10.0 in 2.54 cm 25.4 cm = 1 in The
Since the unit is correct,
all that is left to
do is the arithmetic...
The
Answer

10. Even though we have two different numbers
and two different units, they represent the
exact same length. You can check this by
looking at a ruler – find the 10 in mark and
directly across at the cm side. What number
do you find?

11. A more complex conversion
km to m
hr s
We need to convert kilometers
per hour into meters per second. We
can do both conversions at once using
the same method as in the previous
conversion.

12. A more complex conversion
km to m
hr s
Step 1 –
Write down the
number and the
unit!
80 km hr

13. A more complex conversion
km to m
hr s
80 km
1 hr hr
3600 s
First we’ll convert time. Our conversion factor is
1 hour = 3600 sec. Since we want hours to cancel
out, we put it on the top.

14. A more complex conversion
km to m
hr s
80 km
1 hr
1000 m hr
3600 s
1 km
Next we convert our distance from kilometers to
meters. The conversion factor is 1 km = 1000 m.
Since we want to get rid of km, this time it goes
on the bottom.

15. A more complex conversion
km to m
hr s
80 km
1 hr
1000 m m = s hr
3600 s
1 km
Now comes the important step – cancel and collect units.
If you have chosen the correct conversion factors, you
should only be left with the units you want to convert to.

16. A more complex conversion
km to m
hr s
80 km
1 hr
1000 m = hr
3600 s
1 km
80,000 m
Since the unit is correct, we
can now do the math – simply
multiply all the numbers on the
top and bottom, then divide the
two.
3600 s

17. A more complex conversion
km to m
hr s
80 km
1 hr
1000 m = hr
3600 s
1 km
80,000 m m 22
The
Answer!! = s
3600 s

18. both velocities. A car that is exact same velocity as a car
80 km/hr and 22 m/s are
both velocities. A car that is
moving at a velocity of
80 km/hr is traveling the
exact same velocity as a car
traveling at 22 m/s.