Convert 15.9 mm to its equivalent in km.
The correct answer and explanation is :
Conversion of 15.9 mm to km
We need to convert 15.9 millimeters (mm) to kilometers (km).
Step-by-Step Conversion
- Understanding Metric Prefixes
- 1 kilometer (km) = 1,000 meters (m)
- 1 meter (m) = 1,000 millimeters (mm)
- Conversion Process
- Convert millimeters to meters:
[
15.9 \text{ mm} \times \frac{1 \text{ m}}{1,000 \text{ mm}} = 0.0159 \text{ m}
] - Convert meters to kilometers:
[
0.0159 \text{ m} \times \frac{1 \text{ km}}{1,000 \text{ m}} = 0.0000159 \text{ km}
]
Thus, 15.9 mm = 0.0000159 km.
Explanation (300 Words)
The metric system is based on powers of ten, making unit conversions simple. To convert 15.9 mm to km, we use the fact that each step in the metric system is a factor of 1,000.
First, we recognize that millimeters (mm) are much smaller than kilometers (km). There are 1,000 mm in a meter and 1,000 meters in a kilometer. That means there are 1,000,000 mm in a km (since 1,000 × 1,000 = 1,000,000).
To convert 15.9 mm to km, we divide by 1,000 to get meters:
[
15.9 \div 1,000 = 0.0159 \text{ m}
]
Then, we divide again by 1,000 to get kilometers:
[
0.0159 \div 1,000 = 0.0000159 \text{ km}
]
This shows how small 15.9 mm is compared to a kilometer.
Such conversions are useful in science, engineering, and daily life. For example, if a car tire has a tread depth of 15.9 mm, it would be more practical to express it in centimeters (1.59 cm) than in kilometers, since the value in km is extremely small.
Mastering unit conversions helps in measurements across various fields like construction, physics, and medicine.
