C. Conversion Ratios

Each of the three conversion strategies that follow use conversion ratios to represent a given measurement in a different unit. The relationship between two units can be expressed as a conversion ratio, or fraction, that is equal to one.

Conversion Ratio

A ratio equal to 1 that can be used to convert between different units.

 

Conversion Ratios
Written as an equality Written as a fraction equal to 1

Using the Prefix table (found under the page titled, 'The SI System'), you can always set up a ratio equaling one by pairing any two values in the Conversion Factor column because each value in that column is equivalent to 1 base unit.

For example, 100 cL = 0.1 daL because both are equivalent to 1 L.

100 cL = 0,1 daL can be rewritten as «math style=¨font-family:`Times New Roman`¨ xmlns=¨http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML¨»«mfrac»«mrow»«mn»100«/mn»«mo»§#160;«/mo»«mi»cL«/mi»«/mrow»«mrow»«mn»0«/mn»«mo».«/mo»«mn»1«/mn»«mo»§#160;«/mo»«mi»daL«/mi»«/mrow»«/mfrac»«mo»=«/mo»«mn»1«/mn»«/math».

Notice that because these ratios always equal one, the numerator and denominator can be switched, as your needs require. This means that 100 cL = 0.1 daL can be written as «math style=¨font-family:`Times New Roman`¨ xmlns=¨http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML¨»«mfrac»«mrow»«mn»100«/mn»«mo»§#160;«/mo»«mi»cL«/mi»«/mrow»«mrow»«mn»0«/mn»«mo».«/mo»«mn»1«/mn»«mo»§#160;«/mo»«mi»daL«/mi»«/mrow»«/mfrac»«mo»=«/mo»«mn»1«/mn»«/math»or «math style=¨font-family:`Times New Roman`¨ xmlns=¨http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML¨»«mfrac»«mrow»«mn»0«/mn»«mo».«/mo»«mn»1«/mn»«mo»§#160;«/mo»«mi»daL«/mi»«/mrow»«mrow»«mn»100«/mn»«mo»§#160;«/mo»«mi»cL«/mi»«/mrow»«/mfrac»«mo»=«/mo»«mn»1«/mn»«/math».

The following video describes how to build a conversion ratio: