Lesson 3: The Customary System: Conversions & Operations

Property

The primary customary units of length are the inch, foot, yard, and mile.

Examples

• To convert 5 feet to inches: $5 \text{ ft} \times 12 \frac{\text{in}}{\text{ft}} = 60 \text{ in}$
• To convert 21 feet to yards: $21 \text{ ft} \div 3 \frac{\text{ft}}{\text{yd}} = 7 \text{ yd}$
• To convert 2 miles to feet: $2 \text{ mi} \times 5,280 \frac{\text{ft}}{\text{mi}} = 10,560 \text{ ft}$

Explanation

Length in the customary system is measured using inches, feet, yards, and miles. To convert from a larger unit to a smaller unit, you multiply by the appropriate conversion factor. For example, to change feet to inches, you multiply by 12. To convert from a smaller unit to a larger unit, you divide.

Property

The customary system uses specific units to measure capacity, which is the amount a container can hold.

Property

The customary system uses ounces, pounds, and tons to measure weight.