CONVERSION OF UNITS USING FACTOR- LABEL METHOD OR DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS

                 Many scientific activities and even cultures make use of different units in measuring a specific quantity. These give rise to the necessity of converting those units to a more usable form or more relevant form.

The following are tables showing some conversion factors:

Length Conversion

Metric (SI) to Metric (SI)	English to English	Metric (SI) to English	English to Metric (SI)
1 kilometer = 1000 meter 1 meter        = 100 cm 1 cm              = 10 mm 1mm             = 1000 µm	1 mile = 1760  yard 1 yard = 3 feet 1 foot = 12 inches	1 cm = 0.39 in           1 m = 3.28 ft                   = 1.09 yd.          1 km = 0.62 mi	1 in = 2.54 cm 1 ft. = 30.48 cm 1 yd = 0.91 m 1 mi = 1.61 km

  Mass Conversion

Metric (SI) to Metric (SI)	English to English	Metric (SI) to English	English to Metric (SI)
1 metric ton = 1000 kg 1 kg = 1000 g 1 g = 1000 mg	1 ton = 1000 lbs. 1 lb = 16 ounces	1 metric ton = 1.01 ton        = 2204.62 lbs 1 kg = 2.2 lbs 1 g = 0.035 ounce	1 ton = 0.90 metric ton            = 907.2 kg 1 lb = 0.454 kg 1 ounce = 28.35 g

    

Volume Conversion

Metric (SI) to Metric (SI)	English to English	Metric (SI) to English	English to Metric (SI)
1 m3 = 1000 L 1 L = 1000 mL       = 1000 cm3 1 mL =  1 cm3	1 ft3 = 1728 im3                  = 7.48 gallons 1 in3 = 16.39 mL  1 gallon(gal) = 4 quarts 1 quart(qt) = 2 pint 1 pint = 16 fluid ounce 1 fluid ounce(oz) = 2 tbsp. 1 tbsp. = 3 tsp.	1 m3 = 35.31 ft3                  =  264.17 gal         1 L = 0.26 gal                = 1.06 quart 1 mL = 0.07 tbsp	1 ft3 = 28.31 L 1 in3 = 16.39 mL 1 gal = 3.79 L 1 quart = 0.95 L 1 pint = 0.47 L 1 tbsp. = 14.79 mL

Suppose for example, you have your height measured in feet, let’s say 5 feet. Your application form requires you to write your height in meters. How do you convert your height from feet to meters?

The conversion factor that we need to solve the problem is derived from this relationship:

1 foot = 0.3043 m

From this relationship, we can derive two conversion factors by dividing both sides by either of the two:

                  

The factors are equivalent to 1 since the numerators and denominators are equivalent.

To convert 5 feet to meters, multiply the given to the conversion factor that can cancel out the undesired unit to come up with the meters.

                Factor-Label Method or Dimensional Analysis does not change the value of the given quantity. Since the conversion factor is equal to 1, the process only changes the unit.