Converting between different units of length can often seem confusing and daunting. But fear not, with a few simple steps you can easily convert any value. In this case, we will focus on converting millimeters (mm) to inches (in).
Step 1: Understand the Conversion Factor
The first step in converting units of length is to understand the conversion factor. In this case, we know that 1 inch is equal to 25.4 millimeters. This means that for every 1 inch, there are 25.4 millimeters. We will use this information in our calculations.
Step 2: Write Down the Given Value
In our case, the given value is 45 millimeters. Write this down on a piece of paper.
Step 3: Set up a Proportion
To convert units, we will set up a proportion using the conversion factor we learned in step 1. Our proportion will look like this:
1 inch/25.4 millimeters = x inches/45 millimeters
Step 4: Solve for x
Now we can solve for x by cross-multiplying. Multiply the numerator of the first fraction (1 inch) by the denominator of the second fraction (45 millimeters) and set it equal to the product of the denominator of the first fraction (25.4 millimeters) and the numerator of the second fraction (x inches). This will give you the equation:
1 inch x 45 millimeters = 25.4 millimeters x x inches
Step 5: Simplify and Solve for x
Simplify the equation by multiplying 1 x 45 and 25.4 x x. This will give you 45 = 25.4x. To solve for x, divide both sides by 25.4. This will give you x = 45/25.4 = 1.77165354.
Step 6: Round the Answer
Inches are typically expressed to two decimal places, so we will round our answer to the nearest hundredth. This will give us the final answer of approximately 1.77 inches.
Step 7: Check Your Answer
To ensure that our conversion is correct, we can double check our answer by simply dividing 45 millimeters by 25.4 millimeters. This will give us the answer of 1.77165354, which we rounded to 1.77 inches in step 6.
Congratulations, you have successfully converted 45 millimeters to inches! Now you can confidently help others with converting units of length.