Step 1

Which of the following two units is a larger unit of measurement?

cm µm

Evaluation of your response for Step 1

Yes you are right! There are 100 (102) cm in a meter and 1 million (106) µm in a meter. Consequently, cm is a larger unit of measurement than µm.

Evaluation of your response for Step 1

Try again! If you know that it takes 1 million (106) µm to equal 1 meter, but only 100 (102) cm to equal 1 meter, then which unit is larger ? Please, try this step again.

Step 2

Will it take more of the new units of measurements, or fewer to equal the original unit ?

more of the new unit of measurement fewer of the new unit of measurement

Evaluation of your response for Step 2

Yes you are right! It takes a million (106) µm to equal a meter, but only 100 (102) cm are needed to equal a meter. So, we need more µm, or a larger number of µm than cm.

Evaluation of your response for Step 2

Try again! Remember, it takes 1 million (106) µm to equal a meter, but only 100 (102) cm are required to equal 1 meter, so do we obtain a larger number? Please, try this step again.

Step 3

Enter the exponent, when a cm is expressed in terms of a meter.

Evaluation of your response for Step 3

Yes you are right! A cm is 10-2 m. So, -2 is the exponent for this power of 10.

Evaluation of your response for Step 3

Try again! An exponent is the number in the upper right hand corner of a base number, which is 10, in our case. The exponent refers to how many times the base(i.e. 10) is multiplied by itself. If the exponent is negative, then it represents, 1/10n, (i.e., the reciprocal of the number with a positive exponent). Since, a cm is 10-2 m, what is the exponent...?

Step 4

Enter the exponent, when a µm is expressed as a power of ten of a meter.

Evaluation of your response for Step 4

Yes you are right! A µm is 10-6 m. So, -6 is the exponent for this power of 10.

Evaluation of your response for Step 4

Try again! An exponent is the number in the upper right hand corner of a base number, which is ten, in our case. The exponent refers to how many times the base(i.e., 10) is multiplied by itself. If the exponent is negative, then it represents, 1/10n, i.e.,the reciprocal of the number with a positive exponent. Since, a µm is 10-6 m, what then is the exponent...

Step 5

Enter the numerical difference between the exponents (ignore any minus signs). This is the number of places the decimal point moves.

Evaluation of your response for Step 5

Yes, you are right! The difference between the exponents -6 and -2, is 4. Remember you can ignore the negative sign when figuring the difference between the exponents. Also, note that the number of places to move the decimal when converting cm to µm is 4.

Evaluation of your response for Step 5

Try again! To figure the difference between the exponents, subtract the smaller number from the larger number. as, we hinted earlier, ignore the minus signs. So, 6-2 = 4. The number of places to move the decimal when converting cm to µm is 4. Enter the numerical diference now...

Step 6

Would you move the decimal to the left, or the right?

Left Right

Evaluation of your response for Step 6

Yes you are right! If the new units are smaller, there are more of them and the decimal is moved to the right.

Evaluation of your response for Step 6

Try again! Remember that converting a measure to smaller units, results in a bigger number of the new units. So, we have to move the decimal to the right. Similarly, converting to larger units, results in a smaller number of the new units. So, we have to move the decimal to the right...

Step 7

Move the decimal the appropriate number of places and in the appropriate direction to convert 4.3 cm into µm. Enter the converted number below:

Evaluation of your response for Step 7

Yes, you are right! Congratulations! You have successfuuly completed the conversion.

Evaluation of your response for Step 7

Sorry, but you are wrong! Do you want to start this conversion practice over, or start a new one ?

Sorry, but you didn't respond to the question posted earlier. Please, go back.

   Convert: 4.3 cm into µm

SYNOPSIS

1) A cm is a larger unit of measurement than a µm.

2) Conversion from a larger unit to smaller unit, results in a numerically bigger number.
3) When a cm is expressed as a Power of 10 of a meter, the exponent is -2.
4) When a µm is expressed as a Power of 10 of a meter, the exponent is -6.
5) The numerical difference between the exponents is 4.
6) The decimal point moves to the right when the new units are smaller.
7) Hence, 4.3 cm = 43,000.0 µm.
Quit this practice