Worked Conversion Examples

Real-world conversion problems with full step-by-step solutions. Every example uses the same exact factors that power the M-Convert engine, so the results agree with the calculators.

Cooking Examples

Example: Baking a Cake from a UK Recipe

Problem: A UK recipe calls for 200 g of all-purpose flour, 150 g of butter, and 175 g of caster sugar. A US baker using cups wants to know the equivalent volumes.

Solution:

  1. Flour: 200 g ÷ 125 g/cup = 1.6 cups. Rounded: about 1⅝ cups (1 cup + 10 tbsp).
  2. Butter: 150 g ÷ 227 g/cup = 0.661 cups ≈ ⅔ cup.
  3. Sugar: 175 g ÷ 200 g/cup = 0.875 cups = ¾ cup.

Note: Weighing is more accurate. If you have a scale, use the grams.

Example: Converting Oven Temperature

Problem: A French recipe says "Bake at 180 °C." What is the Fahrenheit equivalent?

Solution: °F = (180 × 9/5) + 32 = 324 + 32 = 356 °F. Rounded to the nearest 25 °F: 350 °F. This is why US recipes often specify 350 °F where French recipes say 180 °C.

Example: Scaling a Recipe

Problem: A recipe for 4 people uses 1 cup of milk. You want to cook for 6 people. How many mL of milk?

Solution: 1.5 × 1 US cup = 1.5 × 236.5882365 mL = 354.882 mL. Rounded: 355 mL.

Travel Examples

Example: Driving Distance in Europe

Problem: A road sign in France says "Paris: 305 km". A US driver wants to know how many miles.

Solution: 305 × 0.621371192237334 = 189.518 miles. Rounded: about 190 miles.

Example: International Speed Limit

Problem: A German autobahn sign says "130" (km/h). What is the speed in mph?

Solution: 130 × 0.621371192237334 = 80.778 mph. Rounded: about 81 mph.

Example: Airline Baggage Allowance

Problem: A European airline allows 23 kg checked baggage. A US traveler wants to know the equivalent in pounds.

Solution: 23 × 2.2046226218487757 = 50.706 pounds. Rounded: about 50.7 lb. Note that many US airlines use 50 lb (22.68 kg) as their standard.

Construction Examples

Example: Concrete Volume for a Patio

Problem: A patio measures 5 m × 4 m and needs a slab 10 cm deep. How much concrete is required?

Solution:

  1. Volume = 5 × 4 × 0.10 = 2.0 cubic meters.
  2. Concrete is typically ordered in cubic yards in the US: 2.0 × 1.30795 = 2.616 cubic yards. Order 2.75 yd³ to allow for spillage.

Example: Lumber Board Feet

Problem: A piece of lumber measures 2 inches thick, 6 inches wide, and 8 feet long. What is its board footage?

Solution: Board feet = (thickness × width × length) ÷ 12, with dimensions in inches and length in feet: (2 × 6 × 8) ÷ 12 = 96 ÷ 12 = 8 board feet.

Everyday Examples

Example: TV Screen Size

Problem: A TV is advertised as "55-inch". What is its diagonal in centimeters?

Solution: 55 × 2.54 = 139.7 cm. The actual width and height depend on the aspect ratio (typically 16:9).

Example: Clothing Size

Problem: A UK shoe size 8 is what US and EU size?

Solution: For men's shoes: UK 8 ≈ US 9 ≈ EU 42. Always confirm with the specific brand's chart, since sizing varies.

Example: Fuel Economy Comparison

Problem: A US car is rated at 30 MPG. A European car is rated at 7 L/100 km. Which is more efficient?

Solution: Convert US MPG to L/100 km: L/100 km = 235.214583 ÷ 30 = 7.8405 L/100 km. Since lower L/100 km is more efficient, the European car (7 L/100 km) is slightly more efficient than the US car (7.84 L/100 km).

Science Examples

Example: Body Temperature in Kelvin

Problem: A patient's temperature is 38.5 °C (fever). What is this in Kelvin?

Solution: K = °C + 273.15 = 38.5 + 273.15 = 311.65 K.

Example: Astronomical Distance

Problem: The nearest star (Proxima Centauri) is 4.24 light-years away. How many kilometers is that?

Solution: 4.24 × 9,460,730,472,580,800 m = 4.011 × 10¹⁶ m = 4.011 × 10¹³ km. Rounded: about 40.1 trillion kilometers.

Example: Blood Glucose

Problem: A glucose reading is 120 mg/dL. What is it in mmol/L?

Solution: 120 ÷ 18.0182 = 6.66 mmol/L. (The divisor 18.0182 is specific to glucose.)

Digital Examples

Example: Download Time

Problem: You have a 100 Mbps internet connection. How long does it take to download a 4 GB file?

Solution:

  1. 4 GB = 4,000,000,000 bytes (SI).
  2. Bytes to bits: 4,000,000,000 × 8 = 32,000,000,000 bits.
  3. Time = 32,000,000,000 ÷ 100,000,000 = 320 seconds = 5 minutes 20 seconds.

Note: real download times are longer due to protocol overhead, server bandwidth limits, and other factors.

Example: Why a 1 TB Drive Shows as 931 GB

Problem: A drive labeled "1 TB" shows as roughly 931 GB in Windows. Why?

Solution: The manufacturer uses decimal SI: 1 TB = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes. Windows displays binary IEC values but with SI labels: 1,000,000,000,000 ÷ 2³⁰ (GiB) = 931.32 GiB, shown as "931 GB".

Example: RAM Capacity

Problem: A "16 GB" RAM stick — how many bytes is that actually?

Solution: RAM is specified in binary Gibibytes even when labeled "GB". So 16 GB (RAM) = 16 × 2³⁰ = 17,179,869,184 bytes.

More Examples

Each converter page on M-Convert includes at least three worked examples specific to that conversion. This page provides cross-cutting examples that touch on multiple categories. For a specific conversion, use the search box or browse the A–Z Index.