The metric system is used in a large number of countries as a way of measuring different things. Volume, mass, length and temperature are just a few of the things measured under the metric system. It originally started in France during the late 18th century and has spread to other areas. In the 1960s it was officially labeled the International System of Units. (European cell phone) systems run on the metric system in terms of frequency. Only three countries don’t use the metric system: the United States, Myanmar and Liberia.
The point of the metric system was to give one unit for use in all countries. The confusion of moving from one area to another and crossing language barriers stopped appearing as a problem. The system uses meters such as millimeters and kilometers as a unit of measurement. It also relies on a system where all sizes relate to one another by adjusting the decimal point. 2.1 meters equals 2100 millimeters and so on.
In the United States the metric conversion never completely caught on. Instead we continue to use the same system of inches, feet, yards and other units of measurement. The following charts detail how to convert US units into the metric system by multiplying the US unit by a specific number.
LENGTH
US Unit SI Unit Multiply US Unit By
Inch to Millimeter x25.4
Foot to Meter x.305
Yard to Meter x.914
Mile to Kilometer x1.61
AREA
Square inches to Square Millimeters x645.2
Square feet to Square Meters x.093
Square yard to Square Meters x.836
Acre to Hectares x.405
Square mile to Square Kilometers x2.59
VOLUME
Fluid Ounce to Milliliters x29.57
Gallon to Liters x3.785
Cubic Feet to Cubic Meters x.028
Cubic Yards to Cubic Meters x.765
MASS
Ounces to Grams x28.35
Pounds to Kilograms x.454
Short Tons to Mega-grams x.907
TEMPERATURE
Fahrenheit to Celsius Temperature -32 X 5/9
ILLUMINATION
Foot Candles to Lux x10.76
Foot Lambets to Candela x3.426
FORCE
Pound Force to Newtons x4.45
Pound Force/Square Inch to Kilo Pascals x6.89
Convert to the metric system using some of the following resources:
- Conversion Calculator : offers conversions in weight, length, volume and other areas.
- Metric Conversion Calculator : divides conversion into different areas using charts.
- Metric Conversions : provides conversions based on information imputed by the user.
- Metric Conversion Chart : uses charts to show how different things convert into the metric system.
- Conversion Charts and Tables : offers conversions of length, currency and other areas.
The metric system may seem a little unusual and hard to understand for those who weren’t raised around it. In other countries though it’s a part of life, just as measuring in inches is normal in the United States. Using a conversion chart or table is an easy way to discover how the units relate to each other. Even those who use (global phones) find that they need a conversion to understand how the phone works.
