Unit conversion Worked Solutions — GCSE Maths

Fully worked, step-by-step solutions to GCSE Unit conversion questions. See exactly how to solve problems on metric length, mm to cm, cm to mm, m to cm.

metric lengthmm to cmcm to mmm to cmm to kmmm to m
GCSE Foundation70 questionsStep-by-step solutions
Question 1
1 markeasy
Convert 45 mm45\,\mathrm{mm} into centimetres.

Worked solution

  1. Recall the conversion fact

    1 cm=10 mm1\,\mathrm{cm} = 10\,\mathrm{mm}

    There are 1010 millimetres in every centimetre.

  2. Decide whether to multiply or divide

    45÷1045 \div 10

    Centimetres are the larger unit, so the number of them must be smaller — divide by 1010.

  3. State the answer

    45 mm=4.5 cm45\,\mathrm{mm} = 4.5\,\mathrm{cm}

    Check by going back: 4.5×10=45 mm4.5 \times 10 = 45\,\mathrm{mm}.

Answer
4.5 cm4.5\,\mathrm{cm}
Question 2
1 markeasy
Convert 8.6 cm8.6\,\mathrm{cm} into millimetres.

Worked solution

  1. Recall the conversion fact

    1 cm=10 mm1\,\mathrm{cm} = 10\,\mathrm{mm}

    Each centimetre is worth 1010 millimetres.

  2. Multiply, because millimetres are smaller

    8.6×10=868.6 \times 10 = 86

    Going to a smaller unit makes the number larger.

  3. State the answer

    8.6 cm=86 mm8.6\,\mathrm{cm} = 86\,\mathrm{mm}

    Check by going back: 86÷10=8.6 cm86 \div 10 = 8.6\,\mathrm{cm}.

Answer
86 mm86\,\mathrm{mm}
Question 3
1 markeasy
Convert 0.75 m0.75\,\mathrm{m} into centimetres.

Worked solution

  1. Recall the conversion fact

    1 m=100 cm1\,\mathrm{m} = 100\,\mathrm{cm}

    There are 100100 centimetres in a metre.

  2. Multiply by 100100

    0.75×100=750.75 \times 100 = 75

    Centimetres are smaller than metres, so expect a bigger number.

  3. State the answer

    0.75 m=75 cm0.75\,\mathrm{m} = 75\,\mathrm{cm}

    Three quarters of a metre is 75 cm75\,\mathrm{cm}. Check: 75÷100=0.75 m75 \div 100 = 0.75\,\mathrm{m}.

Answer
75 cm75\,\mathrm{cm}
Question 4
1 markeasy
Convert 6500 m6500\,\mathrm{m} into kilometres.

Worked solution

  1. Recall the conversion fact

    1 km=1000 m1\,\mathrm{km} = 1000\,\mathrm{m}

    A kilometre is 10001000 metres.

  2. Divide by 10001000

    6500÷1000=6.56500 \div 1000 = 6.5

    Kilometres are the larger unit, so the number gets smaller.

  3. State the answer

    6500 m=6.5 km6500\,\mathrm{m} = 6.5\,\mathrm{km}

    Check: 6.5×1000=6500 m6.5 \times 1000 = 6500\,\mathrm{m}.

Answer
6.5 km6.5\,\mathrm{km}
Question 5
1 markeasy
Convert 250 mm250\,\mathrm{mm} into metres.

Worked solution

  1. Recall the conversion fact

    1 m=1000 mm1\,\mathrm{m} = 1000\,\mathrm{mm}

    A metre is 100 cm100\,\mathrm{cm}, and each centimetre is 10 mm10\,\mathrm{mm}, so a metre is 1000 mm1000\,\mathrm{mm}.

  2. Divide by 10001000

    250÷1000=0.25250 \div 1000 = 0.25

    Metres are much larger than millimetres, so the number must shrink.

  3. State the answer

    250 mm=0.25 m250\,\mathrm{mm} = 0.25\,\mathrm{m}

    A quarter of a metre. Check: 0.25×1000=250 mm0.25 \times 1000 = 250\,\mathrm{mm}.

Answer
0.25 m0.25\,\mathrm{m}

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