Customary Capacity Conversion
Customary capacity measures how much liquid a container can hold. Common units include cups, pints, quarts, and gallons. To convert between them, use the relationships given in the problem or the standard capacity connections you know.
Method
- Identify the starting unit and target unit.
Read the expression carefully so you know what unit you have and what unit you need.
- Use the correct conversion factor.
Multiply or divide as needed so the units cancel and the final unit is the one requested.
- Simplify the result.
If the answer can be written with fewer terms or as a simpler number, do that before finishing.
Helpful checks
- Make sure the unit in the answer matches the target unit.
- If converting to a larger unit, the number should usually get smaller.
- If converting to a smaller unit, the number should usually get larger.
Example thinking
If a problem asks you to convert from one customary capacity unit to another, keep track of the units like labels in an equation. The numbers matter, but the units are what guide the conversion.
Final check
After converting, reread the original question to confirm that your simplified answer is in the correct unit and represents the same amount of capacity.