Glossary
Celsius to Fahrenheit
The formula used to convert a temperature reading from the Celsius scale to the Fahrenheit scale. The formula is °F = (°C × 9/5) + 32.
Example:
A comfortable room temperature of 20°C converts Celsius to Fahrenheit as 68°F.
Centi-
A metric prefix meaning 0.01 (one-hundredth) of the base unit. It indicates a smaller quantity.
Example:
The length of a pencil might be measured in centimeters, such as 15 centimeters.
Conversion Factor
A ratio of two equivalent measurements expressed in different units, used to convert from one unit to another. It essentially represents the value of 1.
Example:
The relationship '1 foot = 12 inches' can be written as a conversion factor of (12 inches / 1 foot) or (1 foot / 12 inches).
Fahrenheit to Celsius
The formula used to convert a temperature reading from the Fahrenheit scale to the Celsius scale. The formula is °C = (°F - 32) × 5/9.
Example:
If the outdoor temperature is 50°F, converting Fahrenheit to Celsius yields 10°C, a much cooler feeling.
Kilo-
A metric prefix meaning 1000 times the base unit. It indicates a larger quantity.
Example:
A marathon runner completes 42.195 kilometers, which is 42,195 meters.
Metric System
A decimal-based system of measurement used worldwide, characterized by prefixes that denote powers of ten. It simplifies conversions by moving the decimal point.
Example:
In the metric system, a scientist might measure the length of a bacterium in micrometers.
Milli-
A metric prefix meaning 0.001 (one-thousandth) of the base unit. It indicates a very small quantity.
Example:
A standard dose of liquid medicine is often measured in milliliters, like 5 milliliters.
US Customary System
A system of measurement primarily used in the United States, which includes units like inches, feet, pounds, and gallons. Conversions often require memorizing specific factors.
Example:
When baking, you might use the US Customary System to measure flour in cups and butter in ounces.
Unit Analysis
Also known as dimensional analysis, this method uses conversion factors as fractions to cancel out unwanted units, ensuring the final answer has the desired units. It's a powerful problem-solving technique.
Example:
To convert miles per hour to feet per second, you'd use unit analysis to systematically multiply by conversion factors like (5280 feet / 1 mile) and (1 hour / 3600 seconds).
Unit Conversion
The process of changing a measurement from one unit to another while maintaining the same value. It's essential for solving real-world problems and interpreting data.
Example:
Converting 2 hours into 120 minutes is a common example of unit conversion.