What is on the metric to imperial quick chart
- Multiply by
- The factor to multiply a value by to convert it. To go the other way, use the reverse row or divide by the factor.
- US vs imperial
- US and UK (imperial) gallons, quarts, pints and fluid ounces are different sizes; an imperial gallon is about 20% larger.
- Exact conversions
- An inch is exactly 2.54 cm and a pound exactly 0.45359237 kg by international agreement; other factors are rounded.
- Temperature
- Temperature needs a formula, not a single factor, because the two scales start at different points.
- Result
- In Excel, the value times the factor, rounded to two decimal places.
Using the conversion chart
Find the unit you've in the left column and the unit you want in the middle, then multiply by the number on the right. For example 15 miles x 1.609344 = 24.1 km, and 5 kg x 2.2046 = 11 lb. Temperature is the exception: subtract 32 from Fahrenheit and multiply by 5/9 for Celsius. Keep in mind that US and British gallons and fluid ounces differ, which matters for recipes and fuel economy figures from the UK. For cooking measures such as cups, tablespoons and oven temperatures, use the kitchen conversion chart.
Quick lookup tables
For the questions that come up again and again, the lookup page has the answers already worked out: a ruler's worth of inches in centimeters, common heights, road and race distances, body and package weights, fuel volumes and everyday temperatures. It's handy on an office wall, in a classroom or by a shipping desk, where package sizes often have to be given in centimeters and kilograms. Paper and envelope sizes are on the paper size chart.
The Excel calculator
Type a value in any row and Excel multiplies it by the factor. The rows can be edited, so you can add units you use often, such as square meters of office space, liters of fuel or box dimensions. For clothes and shoes, conversions aren't simple multiplication; see the clothing size and shoe size charts.
Editing the files
The PDFs print as ready-made charts and are also fillable. The Excel calculator works out results automatically.
Questions
How do I convert inches to centimeters?
Multiply inches by 2.54. For example, 10 inches = 25.4 cm.
How many pounds are in a kilogram?
About 2.2046 pounds. To convert pounds to kilograms, multiply by 0.4536.
How do I convert Fahrenheit to Celsius?
Subtract 32 and multiply by 5/9. For example, 68°F = 20°C.
How many liters are in a gallon?
A US gallon is about 3.785 liters; an imperial (UK) gallon is about 4.546 liters.
How many kilometers is a mile?
One mile is exactly 1.609344 kilometers.
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