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📏 Length Converter
About Unit Conversion
Unit conversion is the process of expressing a measurement in a different unit while preserving the same quantity. The need for conversion arises because different countries, industries, and scientific disciplines use different measurement systems. The two primary systems in use today are the International System of Units (SI/metric), used by most of the world, and the Imperial/US customary system, primarily used in the United States, Liberia, and Myanmar.
The metric system is based on powers of 10, making conversions between units straightforward — there are 1,000 meters in a kilometer, 1,000 grams in a kilogram, and 1,000 milliliters in a liter. The Imperial system uses less consistent conversion factors — there are 12 inches in a foot, 3 feet in a yard, 5,280 feet in a mile, 16 ounces in a pound, and so on. This inconsistency is why metric is preferred in science, engineering, and international commerce.
Temperature Conversion
Temperature conversion is unique because it involves both multiplication and addition, not just a simple ratio. The three major temperature scales — Celsius, Fahrenheit, and Kelvin — have different zero points and different degree sizes. The formula to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit is F = C × 9/5 + 32. To convert Fahrenheit to Celsius: C = (F - 32) × 5/9. Kelvin is the SI unit for temperature and simply offsets Celsius by 273.15 (K = C + 273.15). Kelvin has no negative values, as 0K represents absolute zero — the lowest theoretically possible temperature.
Digital Storage Units
Digital storage uses binary prefixes based on powers of 2 and decimal prefixes based on powers of 10, which can cause confusion. In the binary system, 1 KiB (kibibyte) equals 1,024 bytes, while in the decimal system, 1 KB (kilobyte) equals 1,000 bytes. Operating systems and storage manufacturers sometimes use different conventions, which is why a "500 GB" hard drive may show slightly less capacity in your operating system. This converter uses the standard decimal definitions (1 KB = 1,000 bytes).