Ms.Sue could you give me an example of a conversion factor and an example of using proportions to convert measurement units
1 foot = 12 inches
5/x = 1/12
Certainly! I'd be happy to provide examples of a conversion factor and using proportions to convert measurement units.
1. Conversion Factor:
A conversion factor is a ratio that relates two different units of measurement. It allows you to convert from one unit to another. Let's take the example of converting inches to centimeters.
The conversion factor for inches to centimeters is 2.54 cm = 1 inch. This means that for every 1 inch, there are 2.54 centimeters. So, if you have a measurement in inches and want to convert it to centimeters, you can use this conversion factor.
For example, let's say you have a measurement of 5 inches, and you want to convert it to centimeters. You can multiply 5 inches by the conversion factor:
5 inches * 2.54 cm / 1 inch = 12.7 cm
So, 5 inches is equivalent to 12.7 centimeters.
2. Using Proportions to Convert Measurement Units:
Proportions are an effective way to convert measurement units. They involve setting up a ratio of two equivalent quantities and using that ratio to solve for an unknown value.
Let's say you want to convert 3 cups to milliliters. Here's the process using proportions:
Step 1: Set up the proportion using the given conversion factor: 1 cup = 236.6 milliliters
1 cup / 236.6 milliliters = 3 cups / x milliliters
Step 2: Cross-multiply and solve for x:
1x = 3 cups * 236.6 milliliters
x = 3 * 236.6 = 709.8 milliliters
So, 3 cups is equivalent to 709.8 milliliters.
Using proportions, you can convert between different units of measurement by setting up ratios and solving for the unknown value.