Converting Units

Using this virtual manipulative you may:

Solve unit conversion problems

The problem asks you to express the given quantity shown in terms of different units.

  1. Click on Time, Length, Weight, Area, or Volume to choose the type of units to use to convert the value.

    Under each tab is a set of buttons each showing an equivalence between two different units of measurement.

  2. Click on an equivalence that relates units that you're interested in.

    You may need several sets of equivalences to make the desired conversion. Each equivalence may be expressed in two ways in fractional form representing multiplication by 1. For example, since 12 inches and 1 foot are equivalent (button "12 in = 1 ft"), clicking on the button will display two fractions, (12 in / 1 ft) and (1 ft / 12 in), each representing multiplication by 1. Your job is to choose the fraction that will allow cancellation of units.

  3. Drag the fraction you have selected into the dashed box to show multiplication by 1.

    The fractions will disappear, colored lines will display the cancellation, and the result of the conversion will appear. If the selected fraction does not allow any cancellation, you will see an error message. Click Undo to back up and try again.

  4. Continue converting one unit at a time until the given quantity is expressed in terms of the units stated in the problem.

Create your own unit conversion problems

Experiment by posing your own unit conversion problems.

  1. Click on the Create your own radio button and follow the instructions.

    You may enter a number in the black edit box before or after you set the units. To correct the placement or choice of unit, click New and start over. The Undo button only applies to the units cancellation operation.

  2. Click on Time, Length, Weight, Area, or Volume to choose the type of units to use to convert the value.
  3. Click a unit button. A blue draggable unit box will appear.
  4. Drag the unit box to one of the dashed boxes in the problem statement.
  5. Repeat the process until all of the dashed boxes are filled.
  6. Click Begin to begin the problem you posed. The conversion problem will appear in the workspace and is solved just as any of the given problems. If needed, you may see the instructions above, which explain how to solve a unit conversion problem.

  7. Click New to create a new problem.