Chart of Conversion Factors

From English to Metric System

and Metric to English System

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U.S. Geological Survey/Conservation Division

USGS: INF-76-16
Chart of Conversion Factors

Preface ' ' Theconversioh factors in the following tables are for conversion of our customary (English) units
of measurement toSI*units,and for convenience, reciprocals are shown for converting SI units back
to the English system. The first table contains rule-of-thumb figures, useful for "getting the feel" of SI
units or mental estimation. The succeeding tables contain factors accurate to 3 or more significant
figures. Please refer to known ^reference volumes for additional accuracy, as well as for factors
dealing yvith other scientific notationiinvolving SI units.
4?
* International System of Units

Approximate Conversions (2)

Multiply A x B To Get D Multiply D x C To Get A

inch (in) 2.5 0.4 centimeter (cm)

foot (ft) 0.305 3.3 meter(m)
yard (yd) 0.91 1.1 meter (m) .
mile (mi) -' 1.61 ' 0.62 kilometer (km)
nautical mile 1.85 0.54 kilometer (km)
square inch (in 2) : 6.45 0.155 square centimeter (cm 2)
square foot (ft2) 0.093 10.8 square meter (m 2)
acre (43560 ft2) 0.405 2.5 hectare (ha) (10,000 m 2)
gallon (US) 3.8 0.26 liter (L)
barrel (42 gal) .... 0.159 6.3 cubic meter (m 3)
ounce (oz) , ( 28.0 ' 0.035 . gram (g)
pound (Ib av) 0.454 2.2 kilogram (kg)
short ton (2,000 Ib) 0.907 1.1 metric ton (t) '>-
pound (mass)/foot (Ib/ft) 1.5 0.67 kilogram/meter
Example (1): Example (2):
Convert 6 inches to centimeters Convert 10 centimeters to inches
6(A) x 2.5(B) = 15 cm (D) 10(D) x 0.4(C) = 4 in (A)
This same format is used throughout this metrication guide.
The above conversion factors are derived from the following factors:
1 inch (in) = 2.54 (exact) centimeters (cm)
1 liter (L) = 1,000 cubic centimeters (cm 3)
1 pound (Ib) =0.45359 kilograms (kg)

Other Conversion Factors

of Units Commonly Used by
Length
the Conservation Division
inch (in) 2.540 0.3937 centimeter (cm)
(Three or More Significant foot (ft) 0.3048 3.281 meter (m)
Figures) yard (yd) 0.9144 1.0936 - meter (m)
rod (16fc ft) 5.0292 0.1988 meter (m)
chain (66 ft) 20.1168 0.0497 meter (m)
mile 1.609 0.621 kilometer (km)
mile (nautical) 1.852 0.540 kilometer (km)
 c
' - -.'»...
Area

square inch (in 2) 6.4516 0.1550 square centimeter (cm2)

square foot (ft2) 0.0929 10.7643 square meter (m 2)
square yard (yd 2) 0.8361 1.196 square meter (m 2)
acre (43560 ft2) 0.40469. 2.471 hectare (ha)
square mile (mi 2) 2.590' 0.386 , square kilometer (km 2)
section (640 acre) or .
square mile (mi 2) 258.9988 0.003861 hectare (ha)
Volume, Capacity
cubic inch (in 3) 1.639 0.610 cubic centimeter (cm 3)
cubic foot (ft3) 0.0283 35.335 cubic meter (m 3)
cubic yard (yd 3) 7.646 .- 0.1308 cubic meter (m 3)
cubic mile (mi 3) ; 4.1682, 0.2399 cubic kilometer (km3)
gallon X231 in 3) 3.785, 0.264 liter (L)
barrel (42' US gal) 0.15899 6.2897 cubic meters (m 3)
acre-foot 1,233.4821, - 0.0008107 cubic meters (m 3)
Mass (Weight)

ounce (av) 28.34952 0.03527 gram (g)

pound 0.4535924- 2.2046 kilogram (kg)
ton (US short) 0.9071847 1.1023 ton (t)*

* 1 metric ton = 1,000 kilograms (kg)

Mass/Length
pound/ft (Ib/ft) ' ' 1.48816 0.67197 kilogram/meter (kg/m)

Mass/Volume (Density, Concentration) ;l

pound/cubic ft (Ib/ft3) 16.01846 0.062428 kilogram/cubic meter (kg/m 3)
pound/gallon (US) 119.8264 0.008345 kilogram /cubic meter (kg/m 3)
pound/gallon (US) 0.1198264' 8.345406' gram'/cubic centimeter;(g/crn 3)

Volume/Time (Flow Rate)

cubic ft/second (ftVs) 28.317 '0.0353 cubic decimeter/sec "(difiVs)*
cubic ft/min (ft3/min) 0.4719 2.H9 ~; cubic decimeter/sec, (dmV's)
US gallon/minute 0.06309 15.850 .cubic .decimeter/sec (dmVs)
barrel/day 0.00184 . 543.478 cubic* decimeter/sec (dmVs)
* 1 cubic decimeter (dm 3) = 1 liter (L), exactly.
Heat, Calorific Value
British thermal unit
(60°F) (Btu) 1055 0.000948 joule (J)
Calorie (20°C) 4.182 0.239 joule (J)
 Heat, Calorific Value-Continued
Brit? ther. unit/lb
(Btu/lb) . * 2.326 - 0.430 kilojoule/kilogram (kJ/kg)
Brit, ther, unit/gal
(Btu/gal) 278.72 0.00359 kilojoule/cubic meter (kJ/m3)
'Brit. ther. unit/cubic
foot (Btu/ft3) 37.259 0.0268 - kilojoule/cubic meter (kJ/m 3)
Gas Oil Ratio
cubic foot/barrel
(ftVbbl) 0.178 . 5.618 cubic meter/cubic meter (mVm 3)
Pressure
pound/square inch (psi) ' 0.07031 14.22 kilogram/square centimeter (kg/cm 2)
pound/square inch (psi) 6.895 0.1450 kilopascal (kPa)*
*1 kilopascal (kPa) = 1 newton per square meter (N/m 2)
Temperature

To convert temperature in °Farenheit to "Celsius, subtract 32 and divide-by -1.8.

To: convert temperature in °Celsius to "Fahrenheit, multiply by 1.8 and add 32.

Footnote Multiplication Factors Prefix SI Symbol

In SI practice, number notation is made by separating digits - ' Y ooo ooo ooo ooo = ioi2 tera T
into groups of three on either side of a decimal point, with a space 1 000 000 000 = IO9 giga G
or half space between groups. American Petroleum Institute 1 000 000 = IO6 mega . M
publications show.conversion factors in this manner, written as a - , 1 000 = IO3 kilo k
number between one and ten with six or less decimal places. The 100 = IO2 hecto* h
number is followed by E (for exponent), a plus or minus symbol, 10 = 10' deka* da
and two digits which indicate t the power of 10 by which the 0.1 = IO-1 deci* d
number must be multiplied to obtain the correct value. For 0.01 = 1C'2 cent!* c
example, 4.046 856 E+, 03 is 4.046 856 x 10 3 or 4 046.856. In ' " 0.001 = IO-3 milli m
writing, SI prefixes should be used to denote order of magnitude, o.ooo' ooi.= io-6 micro jj
as a substitute for writing powers of 10. Following is a chart of SI 0.000 000 001 = IO-9 nano n
prefixes: 0.000 000 000 001 = IO-12 pico P
o.ooo'ooo ooo ooo 001 = io-15 femto f -
0.000 000 000 000 000 001 = IO*18 atto a
*To be avoided where possible.
Notes

6U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1976-211-345/94