Converting English Units to Metric Units

Name Date Class

The Work of Scientists ■ Enrich

Converting English Units to Metric Units

In the United States, most people commonly use the English measurement system for most measurements. For example, on the highway, the signs display distances in miles, not kilometers. Scientists, though, normally use SI units of measure. The result is that scientists must be able to convert English units into metric units with ease. To make the conversions, they use conversion factors such as those in the Common Conversions table on this page. Use the conversion factors to convert all English units to metric units in the letter below, written by a tourist visiting New York City.

Common Conversions

English / Metric
1 inch / = / 2.54 centimeters
1 foot / = / 30.48 centimeters
1 mile / = / 1.609 kilometers
1 gallon / = / 3.785 liters
1 pound / = / 0.373 kilograms

For each numbered measurement in the letter, write the metric equivalent in the blank of the same number. Do your calculations on a separate sheet of paper.

Dear Marie,

New York City is about (1) 750 miles from where we live. For most of the trip, we drove at about (2) 55 miles per hour.

My favorite place was the Empire State Building, which is (3) 1454 feet tall. From the observation deck, you can see (4) 50 miles in all directions.

We went to a baseball game. I must have eaten (5) 2 pounds of hot dogs and drunk (6) 2 gallons of soft drink. By the end of the trip, I had gained (7) 4.5 pounds. I am now (8) 195 pounds. This is not so heavy for my height, which is (9) 6 feet tall. Actually, walking under the tall buildings in this city there are times when I feel like I’m only (10) 6 inches tall. Jason

Write your conversion for each measurement on the spaces below.

1. / 6.
2. / 7.
3. / 8.
4. / 9.
5. / 10.