Convert 12cm to dm: Basic Unit Conversion Problem

To convert centimeters to decimeters, we'll follow these steps:

• Step 1: Identify the given information, which is that we have 12 centimeters to convert.
• Step 2: Recall the conversion relationship: $1 \text{ dm} = 10 \text{ cm}$.
• Step 3: Perform the conversion by dividing the number of centimeters by 10. Thus, the calculation is $12 \div 10 = 1.2$.

Performing the calculation, we find $12 \text{ cm} = 1.2 \text{ dm}$.

Therefore, the solution to the problem is $1.2 \text{ dm}$.