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6 Unit Conversion Word Problems – Intermediate Algebra

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INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA

CONTENTS

Chapter 1: Algebra Review

1.6 Unit Conversion Word Problems

One application of rational expressions deals with converting units. Units of measure can be converted by
multiplying several fractions together in a process known as dimensional analysis.

The trick is to decide what fractions to multiply. If an expression is multiplied by 1, its value does not change.
The number 1 can be written as a fraction in many different ways, so long as the numerator and denominator
are identical in value. Note that the numerator and denominator need not be identical in appearance, but
rather only identical in value. Below are several fractions, each equal to 1, where the numerator and the de‐
nominator are identical in value. This is why, when doing dimensional analysis, it is very important to use
units in the setup of the problem, so as to ensure that the conversion factor is set up correctly.

Example 1.6.1
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 If 1 pound = 16 ounces, how many pounds are in 435 ounces?

1 lb
435 oz = 435 oz × This operation cancels the oz and leaves the lbs
16 oz

435 lb
= Which reduces to 
16

3
= 27  lb Solution
16

The same process can be used to convert problems with several units in them. Consider the following
example.

Example 1.6.2

A student averaged 45 miles per hour on a trip. What was the student’s speed in feet per second?

45 mi 5280 ft 1 hr
45 mi/h = × × This will cancel the miles and hours
1 mi 3600 s
hr

5280 1
= 45 × ×  ft/s This reduces to
1 3600

= 66 ft/s Solution

Example 1.6.3

Convert 8 ft3 to yd3.

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3
(1 yd)
3 3
8 ft = 8 ft × Cube the parentheses
3
(3 ft)

3
1 yd
3 3 3
= 8  ft × This will cancel the ft  and replace them with yd
3
27  ft

3
1 yd
= 8 × Which reduces to
27

8
3 3
=  yd  or 0.296 yd Solution
27

Example 1.6.4

A room is 10 ft by 12 ft. How many square yards are in the room? The area of the room is 120 ft2 (area
= length × width).

Converting the area yields:

2
(1 yd)
2 2 2 2
120 ft = 120  ft × Cancel ft  and replace with yd
2
(3  ft )

2
120 yd
= This reduces to
9

1 2
= 13  yd Solution
3

The process of dimensional analysis can be used to convert other types of units as well. Once relationships
that represent the same value have been identified, a conversion factor can be determined.

Example 1.6.5

A child is prescribed a dosage of 12 mg of a certain drug per day and is allowed to refill his prescription
Previous: 1.5 Terms and Definitions
twice. If there are 60 tablets in a prescription, and each tablet has 4 mg, how many doses are in the 3 pre‐
scriptions (original + 2 refills)? Next: 1.7 Puzzles for Homework

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60 tablets 4 mg 1 dosage
3 prescriptions = 3 pres. × × × This cancels all unwanted units
1 pres. 12 mg
1 tablet

3 × 60 × 4 × 1 720
=  or   dosages Which reduces to
1 × 1 × 12 12

= 60 daily dosages Solution

Metric and Imperial (U.S.) Conversions

Distance

12 in = 1 ft 10 mm = 1 cm

3 ft = 1 yd 100 cm = 1 m

1760 yds = 1 mi 1000 m = 1 km

5280 ft = 1 mi

Imperial to metric conversions:

1 inch = 2.54 cm

1 ft = 0.3048 m

1 mile = 1.61 km

Area

2 2 2 2
144 in = 1 ft 10, 000 cm = 1 m

2 2
43, 560 ft = 1 acre 10, 000 m = 1 hectare

2 2
640 acres = 1 mi 100 hectares = 1 km

Imperial to metric conversions:

2 2
1 in = 6.45 cm

2 2
1 ft = 0.092903 m

2 2
1 mi = 2.59 km

Volume

3 3
57.75 in = 1 qt 1 cm = 1 ml

4 qt = 1 gal 1000 ml = 1 litre

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Imperial to metric conversions:

3 3
16.39 cm = 1 in

3 3
1 ft = 0.0283168 m

3.79 litres = 1 gal

Mass

437.5 grains = 1 oz 1000 mg = 1 g

16 oz = 1 lb 1000 g = 1 kg

2000 lb = 1 short ton 1000 kg = 1 metric ton

Imperial to metric conversions:

453 g = 1 lb

2.2 lb = 1 kg

Temperature

Fahrenheit to Celsius conversions:

5
∘ ∘
C = ( F − 32)
9

9
∘ ∘
F = ( C + 32)
5

Celsius to Fahrenheit Conversion Scale

°F −40°F −22°F −4°F 14°F 32°F 50°F 68°F 86°F 104°F 122°F 140°F 158°F 176°F 194°F 212°F
°C −40°C −30°C −20°C −10°C 0°C 10°C 20°C 30°C 40°C 50°C 60°C 70°C 80°C 90°C 100°C

Questions

For questions 1 to 18, use dimensional analysis to perform the indicated conversions.

1. 7 miles to yards

2. 234 oz to tons

3. 11.2 mg to grams
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4. 1.35 km to centimetres

5. 9,800,000 mm to miles

6. 4.5 ft2 to square yards

7. 435,000 m2 to square kilometres

8. 8 km2 to square feet

9. 0.0065 km3 to cubic metres

10. 14.62 in3 to square centimetres

11. 5500 cm3 to cubic yards

12. 3.5 mph (miles per hour) to feet per second

13. 185 yd per min. to miles per hour

14. 153 ft/s (feet per second) to miles per hour

15. 248 mph to metres per second

16. 186,000 mph to kilometres per year

17. 7.50 tons/yd2 to pounds per square inch

18. 16 ft/s2 to kilometres per hour squared

For questions 19 to 27, solve each conversion word problem.

19. On a recent trip, Jan travelled 260 miles using 8 gallons of gas. What was the car’s miles per gallon for
this trip? Kilometres per litre?
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20. A certain laser printer can print 12 pages per minute. Determine this printer’s output in pages per day.

21. An average human heart beats 60 times per minute. If the average person lives to the age of 86, how
many times does the average heart beat in a lifetime?

22. Blood sugar levels are measured in milligrams of glucose per decilitre of blood volume. If a person’s
blood sugar level measured 128 mg/dL, what is this in grams per litre?

23. You are buying carpet to cover a room that measures 38 ft by 40 ft. The carpet cost $18 per square yard.
How much will the carpet cost?

24. A cargo container is 50 ft long, 10 ft wide, and 8 ft tall. Find its volume in cubic yards and cubic metres.

25. A local zoning ordinance says that a house’s “footprint” (area of its ground floor) cannot occupy more
than ¼ of the lot it is built on. Suppose you own a -acre lot (1 acre = 43,560 ft2). What is the max‐
1

imum allowed footprint for your house in square feet? In square metres?

26. A car travels 23 km in 15 minutes. How fast is it going in kilometres per hour? In metres per second?

27. The largest single rough diamond ever found, the Cullinan Diamond, weighed 3106 carats. One carat is
equivalent to the mass of 0.20 grams. What is the mass of this diamond in milligrams? Weight in
pounds?

Answer Key 1.6

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