Converting customary length units means preserving a length while expressing it with a different-sized unit, using relationships such as 12 inches = 1 foot, 3 feet = 1 yard, and 5,280 feet = 1 mile. Learners determine whether to multiply or divide by the conversion factor, track units in equations or conversion tables, and interpret equivalent whole-number, fraction, or decimal measures; this scope excludes metric conversions and more advanced unit-conversion formulas for area, volume, or rates.
To convert a length, use a conversion fact that shows how the units are related.
For example:
If you change from a larger unit to a smaller unit, multiply because more smaller units fit inside the same length.
Example: Convert yards to feet.
Use the conversion factor:
The word “yards” cancels, leaving feet:
So,
The length did not change; it is just described using smaller units.
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