292 Essential Skills for Health Careers Success
will likely fi nd yourself converting English measurements to metric mea-
surements more often than converting metric to English. Appendix A in
the back of this textbook contains conversion information and calculations.
Consult the metric conversion chart in Appendix A for converting val-
ues in the English system to the metric system. Find the English measure-
ment that you wish to convert in the left-hand column. Then, multiply by
the number in the middle column to convert to the related metric system
value.
Example: 145 pounds = _____ kilograms
140 pounds × 0.45 = 65.25 kilograms
You can also convert from the metric system to the English system. To
do so, divide the metric value by the number given in the middle column
of the chart. The quotient is the related English system value.
Example: 100 grams = _____ ounces
100 grams ÷ 28.0 = 3.6 ounces
Check Your Understanding
1. Calculate your weight, height, and body measurements
(waist, hips, and chest) by converting the English measure-
ments to metric units.
2. Convert the mileage on your car to kilometers.
3. On a recent trip to Canada, you fi lled your gas tank with
40 liters of gasoline. How many gallons of gasoline did you
put in your tank?
4. Convert 100 kilometers per hour into miles per hour.
Metric Temperature Measurement
The Celsius temperature scale (°C) is a metric scale used to measure
temperature throughout the healthcare world. The Celsius scale is in gen-
eral use wherever metric units are accepted, and it is used in scientifi c work
everywhere. Many countries have adopted the Celsius scale, but the United
States has not. The Fahrenheit temperature scale (°F) is the non-metric
Examining Food Labels
Look at the food labels of 10 products you have in your home. How many
labels use only the metric system? How many use only the English sys-
tem? How many represent measurements using both the English and
metric systems? Select two labels from each system and convert them to
the opposite system. Show your work.
Extend Your Knowledge
Celsius temperature
scale (°C)
metric temperature scale;
defi nes the freezing point of
water as 0° and the boiling
point of water as 100°
Fahrenheit temperature
scale (°F)
the temperature scale com-
monly used in the United
States; the freezing point of
water is 32° and the boiling
point is 212°
Think It Through
Why do you think the
United States has not
converted from the
English system of mea-
surement to the metric
system?