Free classroom tool
Measurement conversion chart, metric and customary
Type a measurement and watch the decimal point move across the metric chart, step by step, with the relationship that proves it. Customary units get exact fractions and two-column tables. Print blank or filled charts and practice sets with answer keys. Free, no account.
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Metric conversion chart
Type a measurement: the answer shows with the relationship behind it, and the chart shows step by step where the digits and the decimal point go. Length, mass, capacity, area and volume.
- Free
- No account
- Exact, no rounding
Decimal point for decimals, commas for thousands, up to 12 digits.
With the relationship
1 m = 100 cmso 3.5 m = 3.5 × 100 cm = 350 cm
Standard Grade 5 In 5th grade, students convert among different-sized units within one system, like 5 cm = 0.05 m. Moving the decimal point ties in with powers of 10 (5.NBT.A.2). Source: CCSS 5.MD.A.1.
Answer: 3.5 m equals 350 cm
With the chart
| km | hm | dam | m | dm | cm | mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 5 | 0 (0 added) |
Read the answer: 3.5 m = 350 cm.
- ←→ previous or next step
- Space play or pause
Practice generator
A set of conversions, with the answer key
Choose the grade, the measures and the number of problems: the set sticks to the units and decimals of the grade.
- 76.8 mm = to fill in cm
- 284 mg = to fill in g
- 86.89 L = to fill in mL
- 742.1 mm = to fill in cm
- 229 mg = to fill in g
- 4.1 L = to fill in mL
- 1.7 mm = to fill in cm
- 110 g = to fill in mg
- 86.305 L = to fill in mL
- 1.65 m = to fill in mm
Set code: g5.lmc.10.depart
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Customary unit converter
Inches, feet, yards and miles; ounces, pounds and tons; cups, pints, quarts and gallons. The answer shows as a whole number, a fraction or feet and inches, with the two-column table of CCSS 4.MD.A.1.
- Free
- No account
- Exact fractions
Whole numbers or decimals, up to 12 digits.
The relationship
1 ft = 12 inso 5 ft = 5 × 12 in = 60 in
Answer: 5 ft equals 60 in
| ft | in |
|---|---|
| 1 | 12 |
| 2 | 24 |
| 3 | 36 |
| 4 | 48 |
| 5 | 60 |
| 6 | 72 |
| 7 | 84 |
| 8 | 96 |
| 9 | 108 |
| 10 | 120 |
How it works
The chart method in four steps
Write the measurement
Type 3.5 m: the ones digit, 3, goes in the meter column, and the 5 in the decimeter column on its right.
Place the decimal point
The decimal point sits right after the column of the unit you start from: here, after the meter column.
Move it to the new unit
To convert to centimeters, the decimal point moves to right after the centimeter column. Empty columns on the way get a zero: 3.5 m becomes 350 cm.
Read the answer and check it
Drop the zeros that do not count, then check with the relationship: 1 m = 100 cm, so 3.5 m = 3.5 × 100 cm = 350 cm. The chart and the calculation always agree.
Metric units
King Henry Died By Drinking Chocolate Milk
Kilo, hecto, deka, base unit, deci, centi, milli: the same prefixes for meters, grams and liters, each ten times the next.
| Prefix | Symbol | Times the base unit | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| kilo- | k | 1,000 | 1 km = 1,000 m |
| hecto- | h | 100 | 1 hg = 100 g |
| deka- | da | 10 | 1 daL = 10 L |
| base unit | m, g, L | 1 | meter, gram, liter |
| deci- | d | 0.1 | 1 dm = 0.1 m |
| centi- | c | 0.01 | 1 cm = 0.01 m |
| milli- | m | 0.001 | 1 mL = 0.001 L |
Customary units
Customary conversion chart
The relationships students need from 4th grade. The converter above prints them as two-column tables, filled or to complete.
| Measure | Relationships |
|---|---|
| Length | 1 ft = 12 in · 1 yd = 3 ft = 36 in · 1 mi = 5,280 ft = 1,760 yd |
| Weight | 1 lb = 16 oz · 1 ton = 2,000 lb |
| Capacity | 1 c = 8 fl oz · 1 pt = 2 c · 1 qt = 2 pt · 1 gal = 4 qt = 16 c |
Standards
Measurement conversions by grade
The practice generator follows the units and decimals of each grade in the Common Core.
4th grade: from a larger unit to a smaller one
Students learn the relative sizes of km, m, cm; kg, g; L, mL; lb, oz, and express a measurement in a smaller unit (4 ft = 48 in), recording the equivalents in a two-column table. CCSS 4.MD.A.1
5th grade: convert within one system
Students convert among different-sized units within one system, both ways, with decimals (5 cm = 0.05 m) and in multi-step word problems. CCSS 5.MD.A.1
6th grade: ratio reasoning
Students use ratio reasoning to convert units, and see each metric step as a multiplication or a division by 10. CCSS 6.RP.A.3d
7th and 8th grade: area and volume
Square units take two columns per unit and cubic units three: 1 m² = 10,000 cm², 1 m³ = 1,000 L. The chart becomes a quick check for geometry problems.
Teaching in the UK
Metric first, then imperial equivalences
In England, pupils work in metric units and convert between them from Year 4 and Year 5, using decimal notation. In Year 5 they meet approximate equivalences with common imperial units: 1 inch is about 2.5 cm, 1 kg about 2.2 lb, 1 pint about 568 ml. In Year 6 they convert between miles and kilometres (5 miles is about 8 km). The metric chart above works as it is; the customary converter uses US pints and gallons.
FAQ
Conversion chart questions
- How do you use a metric conversion chart?
Write the measurement with its ones digit in the column of its unit, put the decimal point right after that column, then move the decimal point to right after the column of the new unit, adding zeros in empty columns. Each column is ten times the one on its right.
- What does King Henry Died By Drinking Chocolate Milk mean?
It is a mnemonic for the metric prefixes in order: kilo, hecto, deka, base unit, deci, centi, milli. Each step to the right multiplies by 10, each step to the left divides by 10. The chart on this page follows the same order.
- Why does an area unit take two columns?
Because 1 m² = 100 dm²: from one area unit to the next, you multiply by 100, which is two places. For volume, 1 m³ = 1,000 dm³, so each unit takes three columns, and the liter sits under the cubic decimeter.
- How do I convert customary units like feet and inches?
Customary units are not powers of 10, so there is no chart of columns. Multiply by the relationship to go to a smaller unit (5 ft = 5 × 12 in = 60 in) and divide to go to a larger one (40 in = 3 1/3 ft, or 3 ft 4 in). The customary converter shows both forms and prints the two-column tables.
- Can I print a blank conversion chart?
Yes. Print a blank chart for one measure, all five charts on letter paper, or the chart filled with the conversion on screen. The practice generator prints a worksheet and its answer key; a free account prints a different version for every student.
- Does it work for teachers in the UK?
Yes for the metric chart, which is the same everywhere. The customary converter uses US units: a US pint is 16 fl oz (about 473 ml), while a UK imperial pint is 20 fl oz (about 568 ml).
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