Convert a speed of 209 cm/s to units of inches per minute. Also, show the unit analysis by dragging components into the unit‑factor slots.

Question

Show the steps of how you got the answer.

Answer 1

Let the units help you. You are trying to get to inches/min or "inches in the numerator" and "minutes in the denominator". You start with cm/s so you need a conversion factor that converts cm (the current numerator) into inches (the desired numerator) and also you need to convert seconds (the current denominator) into min (the desired denominator). You know there are 2.54 cm in 1 inch and that there are 60 seconds in 1 minute. You need to arrange those conversions so that the units cancel out appropriately to give you the in/min that is being asked for.

Notice that the way I set it up has cm on the top canceling with cm on the bottom and sec on the bottom canceling with sec on the top resulting in in/min

The correct answer based on 3 significant figures would actually be 4940 in/min

Answer 2

Hi Kyrah,

In order to convert cm/s to in/min, we need the following equations:

1 in = 2.54 cm

1 min = 60 s

Using these equations, we can now convert the given speed:

209 cm/s * 60 s/min = 12540 cm/min

12540 cm/min * 1 in / 2.54 cm = ? in/min