Writing measurments to convert
by fingeo on 08/11/03 at 16:22:39

I want to convert feet and inches to metric.  How would you write in numbers three feet six and three eighths inches to be converted to centimeters and milimeters?    I can't find a table that shows how to write fractions of an inch as numbers  .. or is there such a thing?  Thanks fingeo.

Re: Writing measurments to convert
by Robert Fogt on 08/12/03 at 00:33:46

I hope to someday soon have an automated method for doing it, but until then you'll need to do it by hand.

First you'll have to convert all of the measurements into the same unit, and decimal.  For example, into inches.

5' 6 3/8"

5 feet * 12 = 60 inches
6 inches = 6 inches
3/8 inches = 3 / 8 = 0.375 inches

Then add them all together
60 + 6 + 0.375 = 66.375 inches

You can then use the length conversion page to convert inches into centimeters or millimeters.

Re: Writing measurments to convert
by George Brinkerhoff on 08/12/03 at 04:46:16

Thanks for the partial clarification, BUT ... when I tried to duplicate your instructions, I couldn't do the fraction part.  In the first column I selected inches and typed in 3/8 and in the second column, I selected inches also; however, when I hit the Convert button, the 3/8 became a whole 38 and I got 38 inches.  How did you get 3/8's inch to become a decimal?  Sorry, but I haven't had to deal in fractions since I was in high school, some 55 years ago!!  I have no idea how to convert 1/16 or 18/64, etc.  Maybe I should ask this questin now and not wait, but when I do convert to metric, will I get centimeters and millimeters, ex. 150 centimeters 25 millimeters, or a rounded off centimeter reading?  Boy, you can sure tell I'm a Newbie!!  Thanks....

Re: Writing measurments to convert
by Robert Fogt on 08/12/03 at 06:11:03

The converter cant work with fractions as of right now. I meant for those steps to be done with a calculator.

Use division in place of the /

For example,
3/8 is "3 divided by 8" which is 0.375

Fractions and division are the same thing, just a different way of expressing it.

I hope to add that feature to the conversions someday. It would be nice for the conversions to allow fractions instead of doing it by hand.

The only good news in all this, if you can call it good news, is that only us Americans have to deal with it. Nearly every other country deals only with decimal. It is just the U.S. that uses fractions and mixes the units together.

Re: Writing measurments to convert
by Robert Fogt on 08/12/03 at 06:15:54

Also, to finish answering your last question...

When you convert to metric, you'll only end up with one unit, such as meters, or centimeters, or millimeters. Not a mix of more than one.

66.375 inch = 168.5925 centimeter
or
66.375 inch = 1.685925 meter

So you would use either 168.5925 centimeter or 1.685925 meter, you wouldn't call it "1 meter and 68.5925 centimeters"

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