Using the Factor Label Method of Unit Conversion
Name ____________________
Here are some useful conversion factors:
1 mile
1 foot
1 inch
1m
1m
1 km
Length
= 5280 ft
= 12 inches
= 2.54 cm
= 100 cm
= 1000mm
= 1000meters
1 gallon
1 quart
1 pint
1 gallon
1 liter
231 in3
Volume
= 4 quarts
= 2 pints
= 16 ounces
= 3.78 liters
= 1000 ml
= 1 gallon
Mass/Weight
1 pound = 16 ounces
1 ton
= 2000 lbs.
1 kg
= 2.2 lbs.
1 kg
= 1000 grams
1000 mg = 1 gram
Remember that defined numbers, such as conversion factors, do not limit the significant figures in
your answer. Ex: there is no question that 1 foot = exactly 12 inches, therefore these conversion
factor numbers do not limit you to 1 or 2 sig figs. It is your starting value that determines the sig
figs of your answer)
1.
How many meters are there in 25.8 inches?
If a desk is 3.68  10  4 miles wide, how many centimeters is this?
5280 ft
12 in
2.54 cm
4
3. 68  10 miles 


= 59.2238 cm
1 mile
1 ft
1 in
2.
(because starting value has 3 significant figures, calculator answer is rounded to 59.2 )
3. If a person weighs 152 pounds can will he break a chair that is designed to hold only 72 kilograms?
(show conversion)
4. How many milliliters are there in 5.1 2 gallons?
5. Convert 2.00  10 3 liters to pints.
6. 2.3 tons is equal to how many kg?
2000 lbs
1 kg
2.3 tons 

1 ton
2.2 lb
= 2090.9090 rounded to two sig figs = 2100 kg
7. If a grain of rice is 8.620 mm long, and you laid 100,000,000 of them end to end, how many
miles would they stretch? First find how many mm: 8.620 mm  100,000,000 = 8.620  108
(counted numbers, such as the number of rice grains, do not affect sig figs)
Next, start with 8.620  108 and convert to miles
8. An aquarium has a 16 inch width, a 24 inch length, and a 12 inch height . How many liters of water
will it hold? First calculate the volume in in3, then convert in3 to liters.
9. Convert 4.4  10  7 tons to ounces.
10. How many cubic inches are there in 58 pints?
Answers
0.014
0.655
59.2
69.1
75
535.6
1700
2100
4230
19,400
Extra credit (2 points/ correct answer)
13.
Measure somebody’s pulse and find a conversion factor of beats/minute
____________ beats = ____________ minutes
Use this conversion factor to find the number of heartbeats in a life span of 75 years
(start your conversion with what you know – 75 years, then convert this to minutes)
Show your work!
365 days
hrs
min
heart beats
75 years 



=
1 year
days
hrs
min
Heart beats in 75 years  ________________________