Units

Unit is internationally accepted reference standard to measure a physical quantity.

• Physical quantity is the quantity than can be measured.

• Non physical quantity is the quantity that can not be measured.

• A measurement is a quantity that has both number and unit

• The number of units is lesser than number of physical quantity because base/ fundamental units are common units
rest are derived units from base units.

• SI System- SI unit is that it is an abbreviation of the French word Système International. The International System Of
Units (SI) is the metric system that is used universally as a standard for measurements.

• System of units:

1. F.P.S. – ( British System )

2. C.G.S. - ( Metric absolute system )
3. M.K.S. – ( Metric absolute system )
Unit
Unit is internationally accepted reference standard to measure a physical quantity.

System Length Mass Time

F.P.S Foot Pound Second

C.G.S. Centimeter Gram Second

M.K.S. Meter Kilogram Second

Fundamental Quantities in SI
These are the fundamental units and are considered as the building blocks of the system. All the other units are derived from the
SI Base units

Sl. Name of the Quantity SI Unit SI Unit Symbol

No.
1. Length (l) Meter m
2. Mass (M) Kilogram kg
3. Time (T) Second s
4. Electric current (I) Ampere A
5. Thermodynamic temperature (Θ) Kelvin K
6. Amount of substance (N) Mole mol
7. Luminous intensity (J) Candela cd
Fundamental Quantities in SI
Some examples of derived units

Sl. Name of the Quantity SI Unit SI Unit Symbol

No.
1. Volume cubic meter m3

2. Density kilograms per cubic meter kg/m3

3. Speed meter per second m/s

4. Newton kg m/ s2 N

5. Energy Joule (kg m2/s2) J

6. Pressure Pascal (kg/(ms2) Pa

Length
o 1 m = 1000 mm ABBREVIATION
o 1 m = 100 cm
o 1 m = 10 dm o m = meter
o 1 km = 1000 m o cm = centimeter
o 1 mile = 1609.344 m = 5280 ft = 1760 yd o dm = decimeter
o 1 yard = 36 inch = 3 ft = 0.9144 m o mm = millimetre
o 1 ft = 12 inch = 30.5 cm o yd = yard
o 1 inch = 25.4 mm o ft = feet
Area
o 1 m2 = (100)2 cm2 ABBREVIATION

o 1 m2 = (1000)2 mm2 m2 = Sq. meter

cm2 = sq. centimeter
o 1 hec = 104 m2 mm2 = sq. millimeter
km2 = sq. kilometer
o 1 km2 = 106 m2 hec = hectare

o 1 km2 = 100 hec

o 1 km2 = 247.105 acre

o 1 acre = 4046.856 m2
Volume
o 1 m3 = 1000 lit ABBREVIATION

o 1 lit = 1000 ml m3 = cubic meter

cm3 = cubic centimetre
o 1 ml = 0.0352 fl oz fl oz= fluid ounce
lit = liter
o 1 lit = 1000 cm3 bbl = barrel
gal = gallon
o 1 gal (UK) = 4.546 lit

o 1 gal (US) = 3.785 lit

o 1 bbl = 34.97 gal(UK)

o 1 bbl = 42 gal(US)

o 1 bbl = 0.158 m3
Mass

o 1 Ton = 1000 kg ABBREVIATION

o 1 kg = 1000 g
o 1 kg = 1000000 mg g = gram
o 1 0z = 28.349 g kg = kilogram
o 1 pou = 453.592 g mg = milligram
o 1 carat = 0.2g 0z = ozone
Pou = pound
Temperature
o 0 ◦C = 32 ◦F ABBREVIATION
o 0 ◦C = 273.15 k
o ◦C = degree Celsius
o ◦F = degree Fahrenheit
o k = kelvin

NOTE To convert any C to F or vice versa use the following formulae

o ◦F = (1.8 × ◦C) + 32
o °C = (°F - 32) ÷ 1.8
Time
o 1 yr = 365 days ABBREVIATION

o 1 day = 24 hrs o yr = year

o hr = hour
o 1 hr = 60 min o min = minute
o sec = second
o 1 min = 60 sec o ms = millisecond

o 1 sec = 1000 ms
Speed
o SPEED will be based on basics of LENGTH and TIME FORCE

ABBREVIATION

o 1 N = 105 dyn o 1 N = Newton

o 1 kgf = 980665 dyn o 1 kgf = Kilogram force

Angle
ABBREVIATION
1 deg ( ◦ ) = 60 min ( ‘ )
deg = degree
1 deg ( ◦ ) = 3600 sec ( ‘’ )
min = minute
sec = second
1 rad = 57.29 degree ( ◦ )
rad = radian
Length
Length
Unit Conversion
Factor-Label Method of Unit Conversion
Extract Information
o Convert 85km to m:
1km = 1000m 1000m x 85km
(Multiply the original measurement by a conversion factor)

NEW UNIT 85 km= ? 1 km

85km x 1,000m = 85,000m
1km
OLD UNIT ( Conversion Factor )

o Convert 789m to km:

789m x 1km = 0.789km = 7.89x10-1km

1000 m
Unit Conversion
Questionnaire

20mm = ……..cm 0.5cm = ……..mm

450mm = ……..m 400cm = ……..m

Unit Conversion
Questionnaire

4000m = ……..km 10.3cm= ……..mm

3.5 km = ……..m 3.7 m = ……..mm

Unit Conversion- Imperial
Factor-Label Method of Unit Conversion
Extract Information
o Convert 2 mi to ft:
(Multiply the original measurement by a conversion
1 mile = 5280 ft 5280 ft x 2 mi
factor)
2 miles= ? 1 mi
NEW UNIT
2 mi x 5280 ft = 10,560 ft
1mi
OLD UNIT ( Conversion Factor )

o Convert 3.2ft to inches:

3.2ft x 12 inch = 38.4 inches

1ft
Unit Conversion
Questionnaire

5 ft = ……..cm 45 inch = ……..cm

50 inch = ……..m 8 m = ……..inch

Unit Conversion
Questionnaire

10 ft = ……..cm 5 inch = ……..mm

5 km= ……..inch 12 inch = ……..mm

Length
5 mm 138 mm
30 mm 170 mm
Scale
• Scale in design refers to the enlarged or reduced representation of a real, full-size object in a drawing or physical
model while retaining the proportions of the original.

• In architecture, we generally reduce the scale rather than enlarge it.

• A scale drawing or model is taking the original and shrinking it down proportionally.

• If the scale mentioned is 1:50 ( 1 ‘is to‘ 50 ) then;

1. The number on the left of the colon refers to one unit on the page as a representation of real life.
2. The number on the right of the colon refers to how many time larger the real-life measurement is.
3. In this case one millimeter on a page represents 50 millimeters in real- life measurement; which means a single line
unit length is drawn on the page in reality is 50 times longer. ( 1mm= 0.05 m)
4. Henceforth a square area ( Length x width ) is drawn on a page, the real life area is 50 times length and fifty times
width so 250 times larger.
Scale
 Scale
Sl. Length on Length on drawings Real life object Real Life Object
No.
1. 1:50 1 cm 50cm 0.5 Meters

2. 1:100 1 cm 100 cm 1 Meters

3. 1:500 1 cm 500 cm 5 Meters

o The divisions between 1 unit are to be paid attention to. o The divisions between 1 unit are to be paid attention to.

o At 1:2 scale 0-20 is 1cm as per actual scale which means o At 1:50 scale 0-1 is 2cm as per actual scale which means
every division is considered to be 2 mm every 2 division is considered to be 1 mm
Scale 1:50
To make a layout of 1:50

o To make a bathroom layout which is

3.6 x 2.4 m ( 3600 x 2400 mm )

1. On metric scale take out 1:50 scale

2. 1000 mm in real life is equivalent to

2cm on scale ruler
0.5m
Scale 1:100
To make a layout of 1:20

1. On metric scale take out 1:100 scale

2. 1000 mm in real life is equivalent to 10 mm

on scale ruler

To make a layout of 1:20

o To make a bathroom layout which is 3.6 x 2.4 m

( 3600 x 2400 mm )

1. On metric scale take out 1:20 scale

2. 1000 mm in real life is equivalent to 50 mm
on scale ruler
Scale 1:20
Scale Representation
There are three ways to represent a scale on a drawing.

o Human Body – Showing a human body on a drawing immediately gives the reader an indication of the scale. This is
more commonly used in the concept, schematic and design development drawings, and NOT construction or working
drawings.

o Written Scale – Within each drawing title on a drawing page or sheet you can include the scale of that drawing or
detail. This is written as “1:20 on A3” or “1:100 on A1.” This is fine if you know the drawing has been printed to scale
but if for example, an A3 drawing is printed on A4, there is no way of knowing the correct scale. When we know the
scale of the drawing is correct, we can use a scale ruler.

o Scale Bar – These are shown on a drawing and represent a printed scale like the scale on a scale ruler. They
immediately allow the reader to compare the scale within the drawing to a defined scale on the scale bar. The great
thing about scale bars is they adjust automatically and proportionally when a drawing page is shrunk or enlarged.
Scale Bar
We can use a scale bar like a scale ruler when the drawing has been printed to an unusual scale.
Length- Imperial
0 1 inch 2 inch 3 inch
½ inch 1 ½ inch 2 ½ inch 4 inch
3 ½ inch

¼ inch ¾ inch 1 ¼ inch 2 ¼ inch 3 ¼ inch 3 ¾ inch

1 ¾ inch 2 ¾ inch
Length- Imperial
1 2 3
Length- Imperial
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Length- Imperial
Length- Imperial
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Length- Imperial
Length- Inch fraction addition chart
Length- Inch fraction Subtraction chart
Scale
o On an architects scale, there are different marks for the foot and o The inch part of the ruler is just an ordinary 12 inch long
the inch parts of the measurement. ruler that has been shrunk down to the scale you are
using
o On one side of the zero is where you measure the feet, and on the
other side is where the inches can be measured from.
Scale
o We need to count the number of marks on this shrunk o When we measure with an architects scale, we first
12 inch ruler measure the number of feet, then slide the ruler over
o Since in this case they are divided in 12 parts; each and measure the inches.
small mark represents 1” and each number such as
2,4, represent 2ft, 4ft respectively.
Scale
o In case of 1/8” scale there are only 6 divisions to the o In case of 3/4” scale there are only 24 divisions to the
shrunk down 12’’ scale. shrunk down 12’’ scale.

o Hence one mark represents 2” o Hence 2 mark represents 1”

Area Calculation
o The amount of space inside the boundary of a flat ( 2 dimensional object such as a triangle or a circle.)
o In area we use square of Unit of measurement ( EX: Sq. Cm., Sq. m. )

Areas in metric can be expressed as follows:

o 1 m2 = (100)2 cm2
o 1 m2 = (1000)2 mm2
o 1 hec = 104 m2
o 1 km2 = 106 m2
o 1 km2 = 100 hec
o 1 km2 = 247.105 acre
o 1 acre = 4046.856 m2

20 square units
Area calculation
Example
8m
3m
Example
1850 mm
3600 mm
12 m
Example

1500 mm
Unit Conversion of Areas
Area Conversion Multiplying the
o For any conversion from a smaller unit to higher unit we need to multiply the
conversion factor and when its vice versa we divide with the conversion factor.
(LengthX factor (m to area with
width) ft) converted area
o To convert any length we multiply the original measurement by the conversion units
factor. 12m 3.28084
o To convert area the calculations area based upon: Area= Length X Width 12m 3.28084

Hence, the unit is also converted twice - once for length and once for the width. = 144 =10.76 = 1549.44 sft

Convert 144 sqm to sft:

o Multiply the original measurement by a conversion factor.

12 m
o The conversion factor is applicable to both Length as well as width.
o Hence the conversion factor would be multiplied twice and then multiplied
with the total area
Unit Conversion of Areas
Area Conversion Dividing the
Convert 441 sft to sqm:
(LengthX factor (m to area with
o Multiply the original measurement by a conversion factor. width) ft) converted area
o The conversion factor is applicable to both Length as well as width. units
o Hence the conversion factor would be multiplied twice and then multiplied 21’ 3.28084
with the total area
21’ 3.28084
=441 =10.76 = 40.98 sq.m.

(Divide the original measurement by a conversion factor)

441 sft = 40.98 sqm

10.76
21’
Unit Conversion of Areas
Area Conversion Dividing square
How to multiply feet and inches?
(LengthX factor (ft to inch area by
o Convert feet and inches to inches by multiplying feet by 12 and adding the width) inch) sq.unit
number of inches ( 21’ x 12” = 252” (+6”) = 258” conversion
o Hence area= 66564 sq. inches factor.
258” 12
258” 12
=66564 =144 = 462.25 sft
21’ 6”
Area Conversion
Questionnaire

1 ft=12

200sq.mm = ……..sq.cm
1 ft= 12
1 sft= 144 sq.inch

450sq.m = ……..sft
Area Conversion
Questionnaire

3600sq.inch = ……..sq.ft

2100 sm = ……..sft
Area Conversion
Questionnaire