Calculating with Units of Measure
Convert and calculate with units of measure in Grade 10 math using dimensional analysis, unit fractions, and the factor-label method for length, area, volume, and rate problems.
Key Concepts
New Concept You can use unit conversion factors to change one unit of measure to another.
What’s next Next, you'll practice selecting the correct conversion factor to change units for length, area, and rates of speed.
Common Questions
How does dimensional analysis help with unit conversions?
Dimensional analysis uses unit fractions (equal to 1) that cancel unwanted units. For example, to convert 5 feet to inches: 5 ft × (12 in/1 ft) = 60 in. The 'ft' cancels.
How do you convert square and cubic units?
For area, square the conversion factor: 1 ft = 12 in, so 1 ft² = 144 in². For volume, cube it: 1 ft³ = 1728 in³.
How do you convert a rate like 60 mph to feet per second?
Multiply by unit fractions: 60 mi/hr × (5280 ft/1 mi) × (1 hr/3600 s) = 88 ft/s. Chain the unit fractions so unwanted units cancel.