document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=164517>Question 164517</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> I have been having trouble with unit multipliers, and my algebra teacher isn't very good at explaining them. I have missed them on every test. I had a test today, and it was wrong. <BR>\n" );
document.write( "Here is the problem:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Convert 710m. to inches. (Go from m to cm to in) <BR>\n" );
document.write( "On the test I tried something like:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(the dashes represent spaces in between fractions) \r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "-----1000cm.----1m.-----71000cm.----1in.---------71000(2.54)in<BR>\n" );
document.write( "710•_____x______=_________x_________=________________<BR>\n" );
document.write( "-----1m.--1000cm.----1------2.54cm.----------1 \r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "i would just simply like to know:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(in words) how to do a unit multiplier<BR>\n" );
document.write( "and how to do the test question above.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "thank you. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #121219 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=josmiceli><B>josmiceli(19441)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=josmiceli><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=josmiceli><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=121219\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> I can only tell you how I do it. I had a very good teacher in <BR>\n" );
document.write( "high school demonstrate it, and it stuck pretty good in<BR>\n" );
document.write( "college.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "The best way to learn is do do REALLY long coversions.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Convert cm/sec to miles/hr<BR>\n" );
document.write( "OK-I've got to get rid of that cm on top<BR>\n" );
document.write( "I can do it like this:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(cm)(miles/cm)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Stop and think- Why can I do this? The only way I can do it<BR>\n" );
document.write( "and not change what I started out with is if the (cm/mile)=1,<BR>\n" );
document.write( "then (cm)x1 = (cm).<BR>\n" );
document.write( "So, as long as I have calculated the EXACT number of cm in 1 mile<BR>\n" );
document.write( "or the EXACT fraction of a mile in 1 cm, then I am doing (cm)x1 = (cm)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "OK<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(cm)(miles/cm) = miles because the cm on top cancels with the<BR>\n" );
document.write( "one on the bottom.But what if I don't know the conversion (miles/cm)?<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Maybe I should try (meters/cm)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(cm)(meters/cm) = meters. But I want miles. I've got more work to do<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(cm)(meters/cm)(miles/meter) = miles<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Can you see that cm on top and bottom are the same as (cm/cm)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "and meters on top and bottom are the same as (meters/meters)?<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Again, what if I don't know the conversion (miles/meter)?<BR>\n" );
document.write( "What if I only know (feet/meter)? Then I can do:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(cm)(meters/cm)(feet/meter)(miles/feet) = miles<BR>\n" );
document.write( "You can look at it like this:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(cm/cm)(meters/meters)(feet/feet)(miles)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "I'm left with miles which is what I want, but<BR>\n" );
document.write( "it only works if my conversions are EXACTLY correct<BR>\n" );
document.write( "How many miles are in 1 foot?<BR>\n" );
document.write( "A very small fraction of a mile: <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=1%2F5280 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"1%2F5280\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >miles to be exact<BR>\n" );
document.write( "How many feet are in a meter? Around <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=3 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"3\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, but you can look it up.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "If you get the idea of units cancelling on the top<BR>\n" );
document.write( "and bottom, you're OK. Keep practicing long conversions to get it <BR>\n" );
document.write( "right. Remember if somewhere you say (11 inches/1 foot), you'll<BR>\n" );
document.write( "be wrong even if your units are correct </SPAN>\n" );
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