Architect
Seamstress
Taxi driver
Interior designer
Fashion designer
Truck driver
Carpenter
Landscaper
Travel agent
Farmer
Contractor
LENGTH: MEASUREMENT
CONVERSIONS
MISS OBERLANDER
HERE’S A LITTLE RAP TO
HELP!
When you are converting
on the fly,
Bigger to smaller, you
multiply!
When you’re converting,
don’t hide,
Smaller to bigger, just
divide!
HOW TO CONVERT
• Given: 48 inches= __________ feet
• Step 1: Write what conversion you KNOW between
inches and feet in the same order as the problem.
Know:
______ inches = 1 foot
• Step 2: Think  AM I going bigger to smaller or
smaller to bigger?
Inches  feet
(small) TO (big)
• If you are going bigger to smaller, you will
multiply! x
• If you are going smaller to bigger, you will
divide! ÷
• Step 3: Set up a math problem using what you
know with what you were given.
Know: 12 inches = 1 foot
Given: 48 inches
48 ÷ 12 =
• Step 4: Ask yourself, “Does my answer make
sense?”
• There are 48 inches in 4 feet.
HOW TO CONVERT
• Given: 5 miles = __________ feet
• Step 1: Write what conversion you KNOW between
inches and feet in the same order as the problem.
Know:
1 mile = ________ feet
• Step 2: Think  AM I going bigger to smaller or
smaller to bigger?
miles feet
(big) TO (small)
• If you are going bigger to smaller, you will
multiply! x
• If you are going smaller to bigger, you will
divide! ÷
• Step 3: Set up a math problem using what you
know with what you were given.
Know: 1 mile = 5,280 feet
Given: 5 miles
5,280 x 5 =
• Step 4: Ask yourself, “Does my answer make
sense?”
• There are 26,400 feet in 5 miles.
HOW TO CONVERT
• Given: 52 yards = __________ feet
• Step 1: Write what conversion you KNOW between
inches and feet in the same order as the problem.
Know:
1 yd = ________ feet
• Step 2: Think  AM I going bigger to smaller or
smaller to bigger?
Yards  feet
(big) TO (small)
• If you are going bigger to smaller, you will
multiply! x
• If you are going smaller to bigger, you will
divide! ÷
• Step 3: Set up a math problem using what you
know with what you were given.
Know: 1 yard = 3 feet
Given: 52 yards
52 x 3 =
• Step 4: Ask yourself, “Does my answer make
sense?”
• There are 156 feet in 52 yards.
WHAT ABOUT CONVERSIONS WITH
METRIC?
• The steps remain the same!
• Just remember the conversions we memorized:
•
•
•
•
1,000 millimeters = 1 meter
100 centimeters = 1 meter
10 decimeters = 1 meter
1,000 meters = 1 kilometer
• Multiplying and dividing with 10s is even easier!
• That’s why the rest of the world prefers to use METRIC rather
than customary measurement.
HOW TO CONVERT
• Given: 200 centimeters = __________ meters
• Step 1: Write what conversion you KNOW between
inches and feet in the same order as the problem.
Know:
___________centimeters = 1 meter
• Step 2: Think  AM I going bigger to smaller or
smaller to bigger?
centimeters meters
(small) TO (big)
• If you are going bigger to smaller, you will
multiply! x
• If you are going smaller to bigger, you will
divide! ÷
• Step 3: Set up a math problem using what you
know with what you were given.
Know: 1 meter = 100 centimeters
Given: 200 centimeters
200 ÷ 100 =
• Step 4: Ask yourself, “Does my answer make
sense?”
• There are 2 meters is the same as 200
centimeters.
HOW TO CONVERT
• Given: 45 kilometers = __________ meters
• Step 1: Write what conversion you KNOW between
inches and feet in the same order as the problem.
Know:
1 kilometer = 1,000 meters
• Step 2: Think  AM I going bigger to smaller or
smaller to bigger?
kilometers meters
(big) TO (small)
• If you are going bigger to smaller, you will
multiply! x
• If you are going smaller to bigger, you will
divide! ÷
• Step 3: Set up a math problem using what you
know with what you were given.
Know: 1 kilometer = 1,000 meters
Given: 45 kilometers
45 x 1,000 =
• Step 4: Ask yourself, “Does my answer make
sense?”
• There are 45,000 meters is the same
as 45 kilometers.