Exercises: Customary units and conversions

A carpenter is building a custom bookshelf and needs a wooden board that is exactly $108$ inches long. Convert this length into feet to help him purchase the correct board at the hardware store. Use the conversion rate $12 \text{ inches} = 1 \text{ foot}$.

During a summer camp, the counselors prepared $4.5$ gallons of lemonade for the afternoon activity. Convert this volume into quarts. Use the conversion rate $4 \text{ quarts} = 1 \text{ gallon}$.

A post office requires the weight of a package to be recorded in pounds. If a customer brings a box that weighs $80$ ounces, what is the weight of the box in pounds? Use the conversion rate $16 \text{ ounces} = 1 \text{ pound}$.

While driving across the border from the United States to Canada, a family sees a sign indicating that their destination is $50$ kilometers away. Convert this distance into miles using the given conversion factor: $1 \text{ kilometer} \approx 0.62 \text{ miles}$.

The local weather forecast in Chicago predicts a high temperature of $77^\circ\text{F}$ for the day. Convert this temperature to degrees Celsius using the formula $C = \frac{5}{9}(F - 32)$.

A recipe for a large batch of pancakes calls for $32$ fluid ounces of milk. The measuring tools in the kitchen only measure in cups. Convert the amount of milk into cups to follow the recipe. Use the conversion rate $8 \text{ fluid ounces} = 1 \text{ cup}$.

A veterinarian in New York is treating a dog that was recently adopted from Europe. The dog's medical records state its weight as $25$ kilograms. Convert the dog's weight into pounds using the given conversion factor: $1 \text{ kilogram} \approx 2.2 \text{ pounds}$.

A tailor is making curtains for a school auditorium and needs $4$ yards of special velvet fabric. The fabric store sells the material by the inch. How many inches of fabric does the tailor need to order? Use the conversion rates $1 \text{ yard} = 3 \text{ feet}$ and $1 \text{ foot} = 12 \text{ inches}$.

A homeowner is installing new wooden baseboards around the perimeter of a rectangular living room. The room measures $14$ feet long and $12$ feet wide. There is one door that is $3$ feet wide where no baseboard is needed. The baseboards are sold by the yard. How many yards of baseboard must the homeowner purchase?

A restaurant chef is preparing a large soup that requires $3.5$ quarts of chicken broth. The supplier only sells the broth in $1$-pint containers. How many pint containers does the chef need to use to get exactly the required amount of broth?

A freight elevator in an office building has a maximum weight capacity of $2.5$ tons. A delivery crew needs to load $30$ identical crates into the elevator. If each crate weighs $160$ pounds, will the total weight exceed the elevator's capacity? Calculate the total weight of the crates in pounds and compare it to the capacity in pounds.

An American baker finds a French recipe for croissants that requires the oven to be preheated to $200^\circ\text{C}$. The baker's oven only displays temperatures in Fahrenheit. Using the formula $F = \frac{9}{5}C + 32$, calculate the exact temperature the baker should set on the oven dial.

While driving in Europe, an American tourist sees a speed limit sign that reads $90 \text{ km/h}$. The rental car's speedometer shows the speed in miles per hour (mph). Using the conversion factor $1 \text{ mile} \approx 1.61 \text{ kilometers}$, calculate the speed limit in mph. Round your answer to the nearest whole number.

A sports team brings a cooler containing $6$ gallons of water to a tournament. During the game, the players drink the water using paper cups that hold exactly $8$ fluid ounces each. Assuming no water is spilled, how many full cups of water can be poured from the cooler?

At a local deli counter, premium roasted turkey is priced at $\$8.40$ per pound. A customer orders exactly $24$ ounces of the turkey. Calculate the total cost of the customer's order.

A map of a national park has a scale where $1 \text{ inch}$ represents $15 \text{ miles}$. On the map, the distance between the visitor center and the main campsite is $4.5 \text{ inches}$. Calculate the actual distance in miles, and then convert that actual distance into feet.

A family is replacing the carpet in their rectangular bedroom. The room's dimensions on the architectural plans are $180$ inches long and $144$ inches wide. The carpet they want to buy is priced at $\$28.50$ per square yard. Calculate the total cost to carpet the room. (Hint: Convert the measurements to yards before finding the area).

A backyard swimming pool holds $2,400$ gallons of water. A garden hose is used to fill the pool, and water flows from the hose at a steady rate of $5$ quarts per minute. How many hours will it take to completely fill the empty pool?

An airline allows a maximum weight of $50$ pounds per checked suitcase before charging an overweight fee. A passenger's empty suitcase weighs $3.5$ kilograms. They pack clothes and items weighing a total of $16.2$ kilograms. Using the conversion factor $1 \text{ kilogram} \approx 2.2 \text{ pounds}$, determine if the packed suitcase is under the $50$-pound limit. If it is under, how many more pounds can be added? If it is over, by how many pounds?

In a science experiment observing animal speeds, a garden snail is recorded moving at a speed of $6$ inches per minute. A small box turtle is recorded moving at a speed of $25$ feet per hour. By converting both speeds to inches per minute, determine which animal is faster and by how many inches per minute.

A catering company is making a large batch of fruit punch. The recipe combines $2$ gallons of orange juice, $3$ quarts of pineapple juice, and $4$ pints of ginger ale. The punch will be served in glasses that hold exactly $12$ fluid ounces each. How many completely full glasses of punch can be served from this batch?

An athlete is running a standard marathon, which has a distance of $26.2$ miles. During the race, the athlete's average stride length (the distance covered in one step) is $32$ inches. Calculate the total number of strides the athlete takes to complete the marathon.

A driver has a car with an empty gas tank that holds exactly $15$ gallons. In the United States, gasoline costs $\$3.40$ per gallon. Right across the border in Canada, gasoline costs $\$1.25$ per liter. Using the conversion factor $1 \text{ gallon} \approx 3.785 \text{ liters}$, determine where it is cheaper to completely fill the tank and by how many US dollars.

A hiker starts climbing a mountain early in the morning when the temperature at the base is $15^\circ\text{C}$. For every $1,000$ feet of elevation gained, the temperature drops by $3.6^\circ\text{F}$. If the hiker climbs $4,000$ feet, what is the expected temperature at that altitude in degrees Fahrenheit? Use the formula $F = \frac{9}{5}C + 32$ to convert the initial temperature first.