Convert 5 Centimeters to Millimeters: Basic Metric Conversion

Q: Why do I multiply by 10 instead of divide?

When converting from a larger unit to a smaller unit, you need more of the smaller units! Since millimeters are smaller than centimeters, you multiply to get more of them.

Q: How can I remember which direction to convert?

Think of it this way: milli- means "one thousandth," so millimeters are much smaller than centimeters. You need many more small units to equal the same length!

Q: What if I get confused about multiplying or dividing?

Use unit logic: Does your answer make sense? $ 5\text{ cm} = 0.5\text{ mm} $ would mean 5 centimeters is smaller than 1 millimeter - that's impossible!

Q: Are there other metric conversions like this?

Meters to centimeters: multiply by 100Kilometers to meters: multiply by 1000Grams to milligrams: multiply by 1000

Q: How do I check if my conversion is right?

Reality check: Your answer should be larger when converting to smaller units. Since 50 > 5, converting $ 5\text{ cm} = 50\text{ mm} $ makes sense!

Metric Conversion with Centimeter-Millimeter Units

$5cm=?mm$

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Understand the problem

$5cm=?mm$

Step-by-step solution

To solve this problem, we'll follow these steps:

Step 1: Identify the given information
Step 2: Apply the appropriate conversion factor
Step 3: Perform the calculation

Now, let's work through each step:
Step 1: We are given the measurement $5 \text{ cm}$ that we need to convert to millimeters.
Step 2: We use the conversion factor, $1 \text{ cm} = 10 \text{ mm}$ .
Step 3: We perform the conversion by multiplying the number of centimeters by the conversion factor:

$5 \text{ cm} \times 10 = 50 \text{ mm}$

Therefore, the solution to the problem is $5 \text{ cm} = 50 \text{ mm}$ .

Final Answer

$50$

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Conversion Rule: 1 centimeter equals exactly 10 millimeters
Method: Multiply centimeters by 10: $5 \times 10 = 50$
Check: Count decimal places: cm to mm moves point right ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Dividing by 10 instead of multiplying
Don't divide 5 ÷ 10 = 0.5 mm! This gives a smaller unit when converting to a smaller measurement name. Always multiply by 10 when going from centimeters to millimeters.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

$$ 291cm^2=?m^2 $$

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why do I multiply by 10 instead of divide?

When converting from a larger unit to a smaller unit, you need more of the smaller units! Since millimeters are smaller than centimeters, you multiply to get more of them.

How can I remember which direction to convert?

Think of it this way: milli- means "one thousandth," so millimeters are much smaller than centimeters. You need many more small units to equal the same length!

What if I get confused about multiplying or dividing?

Use unit logic: Does your answer make sense? $5\text{ cm} = 0.5\text{ mm}$ would mean 5 centimeters is smaller than 1 millimeter - that's impossible!

Are there other metric conversions like this?

Meters to centimeters: multiply by 100
Kilometers to meters: multiply by 1000
Grams to milligrams: multiply by 1000

How do I check if my conversion is right?

Reality check: Your answer should be larger when converting to smaller units. Since 50 > 5, converting $5\text{ cm} = 50\text{ mm}$ makes sense!

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