A board is 4.6 feet long. How many meters long is the board?
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
To convert 4.6 feet into meters, we use the conversion factor:
1 foot = 0.3048 meters
So,
4.6 feet × 0.3048 meters/foot = 1.40208 meters
Answer: The board is approximately 1.402 meters long.
Explanation
When dealing with measurements, especially in international contexts or scientific settings, it’s essential to be able to convert between different units. In this case, we are converting from feet, which is a unit of length commonly used in the United States, to meters, the standard unit of length in the metric system used by most countries around the world.
The given measurement is 4.6 feet. To convert this to meters, we use the conversion factor that 1 foot is exactly 0.3048 meters. This number is defined precisely and does not change. The conversion process involves multiplying the number of feet by the number of meters in one foot: 4.6 feet×0.3048 meters/foot=1.40208 meters4.6 \text{ feet} \times 0.3048 \text{ meters/foot} = 1.40208 \text{ meters}4.6 feet×0.3048 meters/foot=1.40208 meters
Rounding to three decimal places (which is typical for measurements), we get 1.402 meters. This level of precision is generally acceptable unless extremely accurate measurements are required.
This conversion is important not only for academic purposes but also in real-life applications. For example, when building structures, purchasing materials, or creating international engineering designs, it is crucial to communicate measurements clearly across different systems. If an American engineer communicates in feet, but a European engineer works in meters, conversion is necessary to prevent costly errors.
Learning to convert units also builds a deeper understanding of the relationships between measurement systems. It helps improve number sense and dimensional analysis skills, which are essential in many scientific and technical fields.
In summary, 4.6 feet is equal to approximately 1.402 meters, and converting units is a fundamental skill in both everyday life and professional environments.
