Convert in Either Direction Within a Metric System

Supplied materials

• Paper and a pencil; drawing and spoken explanations are welcome. An adult may read directions and options aloud.
• Supplied worked-case record: A length of 250 cm is 250÷100=2.5 m.
• All quantities and shape descriptions are supplied in the worked example and questions; no purchase or personal information is needed.

Learn the idea

Metric length units have exact scale relationships. Using 1 meter=100 centimeters, a conversion to centimeters multiplies by one hundred and a conversion to meters divides by one hundred. A fractional meter can therefore represent a whole number of centimeters. The measured length remains unchanged.

Read the direction of the requested conversion. Use the supplied exact factor and multiply or divide appropriately. Reverse the conversion to check, keeping the unit label beside each value so direction is explicit.

Choose multiply or divide from the unit direction. Length conversion is not automatically the same factor as area or volume conversion. Write equal-length pairs in a meter/centimeter table.

1. Write equal-length pairs in a meter/centimeter table.
2. Follow the worked example. Point to each number or shape feature and say what it tells you.
3. Read the direction of the requested conversion.
4. Try the question and then the three practice questions. Check your answers and explain any change you make.

Check your reasoning

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Take it further

Convert 425 cm and 3.06 m. Expected: 4.25 m and 306 cm.

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