Which of the following is the correct conversion factor for converting kilometers (km) to meters (m)?
a. 1km = 100m
b. 1km = 1000m
c. 1km = 10000m
d * 0.1km = 1000000m
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is b. 1 km = 1000 m.
Kilometers and meters are both units of length in the metric system, which is based on powers of 10. To understand the conversion, it is important to note that the prefix “kilo-” means 1000. So, 1 kilometer is equal to 1000 meters. This relationship is derived from the metric system’s standard units, where the base unit for length is the meter.
The metric system is structured to be simple and consistent. Each unit of measurement increases or decreases by a factor of 10. For example, converting from millimeters (mm) to centimeters (cm) involves moving the decimal place one position, and from meters to kilometers, the decimal moves three positions to the left. This makes conversions straightforward without the need for complicated formulas.
To further clarify, if you have 2 kilometers, that would be equivalent to 2 × 1000 = 2000 meters. Similarly, if you have 0.5 kilometers, you multiply by 1000 to get 0.5 × 1000 = 500 meters.
The other options are incorrect because:
- a. 1 km = 100 m: This is incorrect since the correct conversion is 1000 meters, not 100.
- c. 1 km = 10000 m: This is also incorrect, as the correct conversion is 1000 meters, not 10000.
- d. 0.1 km = 1000000 m: This is incorrect because 0.1 kilometers equals 100 meters, not 1 million meters.
Thus, the correct conversion factor to convert kilometers to meters is 1 km = 1000 m.