Measurement Conversions Teaching Resources

Teaching measurement conversions is about to get easier this school year! Explore units of measurement conversion worksheets, activities and more teacher resources created by math teachers for teachers like you.

This collection of digital and printable math resources is aligned with both TEKS and Common Core math curriculum standards, and each resource has been created specifically to help you build your lesson plans. Whether your students are still learning about the relationships between units of measurement in the US customary system or they're learning to convert between larger and smaller units within the same measurement system, we've got you covered!

Is this your first year teaching students how to convert measurements? Or maybe you're looking for some fresh ideas to make this math concept more fun? Read on for a helpful primer from our teacher team with helpful tips to teach unit conversion!

What Is Unit Conversion in Math? A Kid-Friendly Definition

Whether you call it "unit conversion" or "conversion of units" or "units of measurement conversion," this math skill is crucial for students to learn to prepare them for the real world, where we face these questions every time we bake a cake, measure an item of furniture or read a sign on the highway.

But what is a unit conversion, exactly? How do you explain it to your students?

Here's a handy definition that can help you do just that!

Unit conversion is a math process in which we transform one unit of measurement to another unit of the same quantity.

Unit conversion involves different operations, depending on the units of measurement that are involved.

For example, let's say you have use a ruler to measure how much snow falls in your town during a particular time period. You might mark down the amount of snow in inches each day to track daily snowfall.

But what if you want to know the total amount of snow that fell over a whole month, and you want to calculate that total in feet?

You could add up all of the daily values in inches to determine the total amount of snow. However, you still need to perform a unit conversion to determine what that represents in feet! To find that answer, you'll need to use the division operation.

If a total of 23 inches of snow fell during the month of February, for example, finding the total amount of snowfall would require dividing the total number of inches by 12.

The result would be 1.9 feet of snow.

How to Teach Converting Units of Measurement in the United States Customary System (Imperial System)

The United States uses a system of measurement known as the imperial system or the United States customary system. Learning how to convert units of measurement within this system requires a solid understanding of the basic units themselves and how they relate to one another.

The key to teaching students how to make these conversions lies in teaching them a series of formulas they can rely on for each unit conversion!

Here's a look at some of the more common unit conversion formulas that will come in handy for students both in your classroom and in life!

1. Inches to Feet

One of the most basic unit conversions used in America is the conversion of inches to feet. To do this requires know that there are 12 inches in a foot.

How to Convert Inches to Feet

• Divide the number of inches by 12.
• feet=inches/12

2. Feet to Yards

When we move from measuring with a traditional ruler to the next largest measurement tool, we traditionally use a yardstick. To convert from feet to a yard, students need to know there are 3 feet in a yard.

How to Convert Feet to Yards

• Divide the number of feet by 3.
• yards=feet/3

3. Yards to Miles

If you're measuring distances in the United States, the unit used is traditionally the mile. There are 1,760 yards in a mile.

How to Convert Yards to Miles

• Divide the number of yards by 1,760.
• miles=yards/1,760

4. Square Inches to Square Feet

Many construction materials are sold in square feet, so students should learn that there are 144 square inches in a square foot in order to make a simple unit conversion.

How to Convert Square Inches to Square Feet

• Divide the number of square inches by 144.
• square feet=square inches/144

5. Square Feet to Square Yards

There are 9 square feet in a square yard.

How to Convert Square Feet to Square Yards

• Divide the number of square feet by 9.
• square yards=square feet/9

6. Square Yards to Acres

Are you measuring large sections of land, such as a football field or a plot of land for a house? You'll need to know that there are 4,840 square yards in an acre.

How to Convert Square Yards to Acres

• Divide the number of square yards by 4,840.
• acres=square yards/4,840

7. Fluid Ounces to Cups

Converting liquid measurements comes in handy in many recipes, so teaching your students that there are 8 fluid ounces in a cup can help prepare them for a culinary adventure!

How to Convert Fluid Ounces to Cups

• Divide the number of fluid ounces by 8.
• cups=fluid ounces/8

9. Cups to Pints

Another important liquid measurement to know is the number of cups in a pint — 2. As many liquids are sold in pint form, this can help students easily determine how many pints they need to purchase for a particular recipe.

How to Convert Cups to Pints

• Divide the number of cups by 2.
• pints=cups/2

Pints to Quarts

If you can remember the number of cups in a pint, you may also be able to easily remember the number of pints in a quart. The number is also 2!

How to Convert Pints to Quarts

• Divide the number of pints by 2.
• quarts=pints/2​

Quarts to Gallons

Water and milk are among the liquids typically sold in gallon-sized container in the US, but what if you can only find quarts? The good news is there are 4 quarts in a gallon.

How to Convert Quarts to Gallons

• Divide the number of quarts by 4.
• gallons=quarts/4

Ounces to Pounds

Another common conversion of units involves determining the weight of a person or object. There are 16 ounces in a pound.

How to Convert Ounces to Pounds

• Divide the number of ounces by 16. pounds=ounces/16

Pounds to Tons

Elephants, cars and many other large animals and objects weigh so many pounds that it's easier to measure them in tons. So how many pounds are in a ton? It's a whopping 2,000!

How to Convert Pounds to Tons

• Divide the number of pounds by 2,000.
• tons=pounds/2,000