47 cm to Inches and Feet: A Comprehensive Guide for Students
This article provides a thorough explanation of how to convert 47 centimeters (cm) into inches and feet. It will delve beyond a simple calculation, exploring the underlying principles of unit conversion and offering practical examples to solidify understanding. For students, mastering unit conversion is crucial for various subjects, from physics and engineering to everyday life applications.
I. Understanding the Metric and Imperial Systems
Before diving into the conversion, it's essential to understand the two systems of measurement involved: the metric system (International System of Units or SI) and the imperial system (used primarily in the United States).
Metric System: Based on powers of 10, it uses units like meters (m) for length, grams (g) for mass, and liters (l) for volume. Its consistency and ease of conversion make it the preferred system for scientific and international use. Centimeters (cm) are a subunit of the meter, with 100 centimeters equaling one meter (1 m = 100 cm).
Imperial System: Uses units like feet (ft), inches (in), yards (yd), and miles (mi) for length. Its origins are historical, and its lack of consistent relationships between units makes conversions more complex. 12 inches make up one foot (1 ft = 12 in).
The conversion between these systems requires understanding the relationship between their fundamental units. This relationship is a crucial aspect of converting 47 cm to inches and feet.
II. Converting Centimeters to Inches
The fundamental conversion factor between centimeters and inches is approximately:
1 inch ≈ 2.54 centimeters
This means that one inch is roughly equal to 2.54 centimeters. To convert 47 centimeters to inches, we use this conversion factor:
47 cm (1 in / 2.54 cm) ≈ 18.50 in
Notice how we set up the conversion factor as a fraction (1 in / 2.54 cm). This ensures that the "cm" units cancel out, leaving us with the desired unit, "inches." The approximate result is 18.50 inches. The use of "≈" (approximately equal to) acknowledges that the conversion factor is a rounded value. A more precise calculation might yield a slightly different result depending on the number of decimal places used for the conversion factor.
III. Converting Centimeters to Feet
Since we now know that 47 cm is approximately 18.50 inches, we can easily convert this to feet. Remember the relationship:
1 foot = 12 inches
To convert 18.50 inches to feet, we divide by 12:
18.50 in (1 ft / 12 in) ≈ 1.54 ft
Again, the units "in" cancel out, leaving us with the unit "feet." Therefore, 47 centimeters is approximately 1.54 feet.
IV. Combining the Conversions
We can combine the two steps into a single calculation to convert 47 cm directly to feet:
47 cm (1 in / 2.54 cm) (1 ft / 12 in) ≈ 1.54 ft
This demonstrates that the order of conversion doesn't affect the result, as long as the units cancel appropriately.
V. Practical Applications and Examples
Understanding these conversions is crucial in various scenarios:
Construction: Measuring building materials often requires converting between metric and imperial units.
Engineering: Designing and manufacturing require precise measurements, often necessitating conversions.
Everyday Life: Understanding the relative sizes of objects measured in different units can be helpful for comparing and understanding dimensions.
Example 1: Imagine you're buying fabric. The store only sells fabric in yards, but you need a piece 47 cm long. Using the conversions above, you'd know to ask for a piece approximately 1.54 feet or 0.51 yards long (since 3 feet = 1 yard).
Example 2: If you're working on a project that requires a piece of wood 1.7 feet long, you can convert it to centimeters to determine the equivalent length in the metric system: 1.7 ft 12 in/ft 2.54 cm/in ≈ 51.8 cm.
VI. Summary
Converting 47 centimeters to inches and feet involves understanding the relationships between the metric and imperial systems. Using the conversion factor of approximately 2.54 centimeters per inch, we found that 47 cm is approximately 18.50 inches and 1.54 feet. These conversions are fundamental for various applications requiring precise measurements and demonstrate the importance of understanding unit conversion principles.
VII. FAQs
1. Is the conversion factor 2.54 cm/inch exact? While commonly used, it's an approximation. The precise definition is that 1 inch is exactly 2.54 centimeters. The slight differences seen in calculations often arise from rounding during intermediate steps.
2. Why is it important to cancel units during conversions? Cancelling units ensures that you're performing the conversion correctly and arriving at the desired unit. It's a crucial step in dimensional analysis.
3. Can I convert centimeters to feet directly without going through inches? Yes, you can combine the conversion factors in a single step, as shown in Section IV.
4. What if I need a more precise conversion? You should use a calculator or software with more significant figures for the conversion factor (2.54 cm/inch) to obtain a more accurate result.
5. Are there online converters for cm to inches and feet? Yes, many online tools are readily available to perform these conversions quickly and easily. However, understanding the underlying principles is more valuable for long-term understanding.
Note: Conversion is based on the latest values and formulas.
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