Number · Units, money & time
Chapter 1 · 3
The idea
Converting units (metric, time, area and volume)
Change any measurement into the unit you need: know which way to go and by how much for length, mass, capacity and time, use a conversion you are given, square the factor for area and cube it for volume, turn cm³ into litres, read a scale, and choose a sensible unit in the first place.
A full journey — read it, play with it, work it, then earn real exam marks. Everything stays on the timeline below.
In this lesson — start anywhere
Number · Units, money & time
Converting units (metric, time, area and volume)
Change any measurement into the unit you need: know which way to go and by how much for length, mass, capacity and time, use a conversion you are given, square the factor for area and cube it for volume, turn cm³ into litres, read a scale, and choose a sensible unit in the first place.
Why it works
Same pond, two numbers
Sam is digging a garden pond m wide. The pond liner in the shop comes on a roll cm wide. Is the liner wide enough?You cannot compare with straight away. One counts metres and the other counts centimetres. First put both in the same unit. There are cm in a metre, so the pond is cm wide, and the cm roll is wider.
That is the whole topic in one move: rewrite each measurement in the unit you need, then do the maths. We will follow Sam's pond all the way through this page.
Keep reading — free
The rest of the explanation, plus 5 worked examples you step through move by move.
Start freeTakes a minute — no card.