A 2-column table with 3 rows titled Units of Length. Column 1 is labeled Customary System Units with entries 1 inch, 1 foot, 1 mile. Column 2 is labeled Metric System Units with entries 2.54 centimeters, 0.3048 meters, 1.61 kilometers.

Question

Kayla measures a distance of 50 inches. She needs to find the equivalent number of meters. Which conversion factors should she use? Check all that apply.
StartFraction 2.54 centimeters Over 1 inch EndFraction
StartFraction 1 inch Over 2.54 centimeters EndFraction
StartFraction 1 meter Over 100 centimeters EndFraction
StartFraction 100 centimeters Over 1 meter EndFraction

Answer 1

To convert 50 inches to meters, Kayla needs to use a combination of the conversion factors that relate inches to centimeters and then centimeters to meters. The relevant conversion factors are:

1. StartFraction 2.54 centimeters Over 1 inch EndFraction - This factor helps convert inches to centimeters.
2. StartFraction 1 meter Over 100 centimeters EndFraction - This factor helps convert centimeters to meters.

Therefore, the conversion factors Kayla should use are:

• StartFraction 2.54 centimeters Over 1 inch EndFraction
• StartFraction 1 meter Over 100 centimeters EndFraction

The other two conversion factors (StartFraction 1 inch Over 2.54 centimeters EndFraction and StartFraction 100 centimeters Over 1 meter EndFraction) are not needed for this particular conversion, as they would reverse the direction of conversion.