How do you conert 6 mi 551 yd into meters? - Answers

Well, given how messed up the foot-pound system is(*), it takes a bit of low-level algebra. You have to know the various conversion factors involved. The site www.onlineconversion.com is a great place to find out how to change just about any unit into any other unit of the same type, so using some of their data: 1 mile = 5280 feet 1 yard = 3 feet 1 meter = 3.28 feet Since you want to end up in meters and their conversion factor for meters involves feet, the most straightforward thing to do is to start by converting the U.S. distances into feet: (6 miles) * (5280 feet) / (1 mile) = 31680 feet (551 yards) * (3 feet) / (1 yard) = 1653 feet (31680 feet) + (1653 feet) = 33333 feet [interesting total ... is this a problem from a math book or something similar?] and finally (33333 feet) * (1 meter) / (3.28 feet) = 10162.5 meters. To show how easy the metric system is vs. the above mathematical swamp, all you need to do is move the decimal to know that the amount shown is also 10.1625 km, or 1016250 cm, or 10162500 mm, or ... well, you get the (decimal) point. (*)[rant] WHY the U.S. holds out alone against the rest of the world in insisting on counting by 3's, 12's, 8's, etc. is beyond me. All I know is it wastes billions of dollars every year and causes all sorts of arithmetic errors.[/rant]