Convert 5cm to Millimeters: Basic Metric Unit Conversion

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

Think of it this way: millimeters are smaller than centimeters, so you need more millimeters to measure the same length. Since 1 cm = 10 mm, multiplying gives you the larger number you expect!

Q: How can I remember the conversion factor?

Remember that "milli" means 1/1000, but for cm to mm, just think: 1 cm = 10 mm. You can also picture a ruler - each centimeter line has 10 tiny millimeter marks!

Q: What if I get confused about which direction to convert?

Always ask: "Am I going to a smaller or larger unit?" Smaller units (mm) need bigger numbers, larger units (cm) need smaller numbers. $ 5 \text{ cm} $ becomes $ 50 \text{ mm} $.

Q: How do I check if 50 mm makes sense?

Convert back! $ 50 \text{ mm} \div 10 = 5 \text{ cm} $ ✓. Also, 50 mm is about 2 inches - does that seem right for 5 cm? Yes!

Q: Is there a shortcut for metric conversions?

cm to mm: multiply by 10 (move decimal right)mm to cm: divide by 10 (move decimal left)Remember: smaller units = bigger numbers!

Metric Conversions 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 measurement of $5 \text{ cm}$ .
Step 2: Use the conversion factor from centimeters to millimeters, which is $1 \text{ cm} = 10 \text{ mm}$ .
Step 3: Multiply the number of centimeters by the conversion factor: $5 \text{ cm} \times 10 \text{ mm/cm} = 50 \text{ mm}$ .

Now, let's work through each step:
Step 1: Our initial measurement is $5 \text{ cm}$ .
Step 2: We know that $1 \text{ cm} = 10 \text{ mm}$ .
Step 3: By multiplying $5 \text{ cm}$ by $10 \text{ mm/cm}$ , we obtain $50 \text{ mm}$ .

Therefore, the solution to the problem is $50 \text{ mm}$ , which matches choice 4.

Final Answer

$50$

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Rule: One centimeter equals exactly 10 millimeters
Technique: Multiply cm by 10: $5 \text{ cm} \times 10 = 50 \text{ mm}$
Check: Millimeters should be larger number than centimeters ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Dividing instead of multiplying by 10
Don't divide 5 by 10 to get 0.5 mm! Since millimeters are smaller units, you need MORE of them to equal the same length. Always multiply by 10 when converting cm to mm.

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?

Think of it this way: millimeters are smaller than centimeters, so you need more millimeters to measure the same length. Since 1 cm = 10 mm, multiplying gives you the larger number you expect!

How can I remember the conversion factor?

Remember that "milli" means 1/1000, but for cm to mm, just think: 1 cm = 10 mm. You can also picture a ruler - each centimeter line has 10 tiny millimeter marks!

What if I get confused about which direction to convert?

Always ask: "Am I going to a smaller or larger unit?" Smaller units (mm) need bigger numbers, larger units (cm) need smaller numbers. $5 \text{ cm}$ becomes $50 \text{ mm}$ .

How do I check if 50 mm makes sense?

Convert back! $50 \text{ mm} \div 10 = 5 \text{ cm}$ ✓. Also, 50 mm is about 2 inches - does that seem right for 5 cm? Yes!

Is there a shortcut for metric conversions?

cm to mm: multiply by 10 (move decimal right)
mm to cm: divide by 10 (move decimal left)
Remember: smaller units = bigger numbers!

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