Measure conversion is the process of transforming a quantity from one unit of measurement to another. This is a fundamental skill used across various fields, including science, engineering, cooking, travel, and everyday life. Whether you're scaling a recipe from metric to imperial units or calculating distances for a road trip, accurate conversions are essential.
This calculator helps you perform conversions for common units of Length, Mass, Volume, and Temperature. It relies on established conversion factors to provide accurate results.
How it Works: The Math Behind Conversions
At its core, measure conversion involves multiplication or division using a specific conversion factor. The general principle is:
Target Value = Original Value × (Target Unit Factor / Original Unit Factor)
For example, to convert meters to feet:
1 meter = 3.28084 feet
So, to convert 5 meters to feet: 5 meters × 3.28084 feet/meter = 16.4042 feet
Our calculator uses a comprehensive set of conversion factors. For temperature, the formulas are slightly different due to non-linear relationships:
Celsius to Fahrenheit:F = (C × 9/5) + 32
Fahrenheit to Celsius:C = (F - 32) × 5/9
Celsius to Kelvin:K = C + 273.15
Kelvin to Celsius:C = K - 273.15
Fahrenheit to Kelvin:K = (F - 32) × 5/9 + 273.15
Kelvin to Fahrenheit:F = (K - 273.15) × 9/5 + 32
Common Use Cases:
Cooking & Baking: Adjusting recipes between metric (grams, liters) and imperial (ounces, cups, gallons) systems.
International Travel: Understanding distances (km vs. miles), temperatures (°C vs. °F), and weights (kg vs. lbs) in different countries.
DIY & Construction: Converting measurements for materials, such as lumber lengths (feet vs. meters) or paint volumes (liters vs. gallons).
Fitness & Health: Tracking weight in pounds or kilograms, and height in feet/inches or centimeters.
Science & Engineering: Performing precise calculations requiring consistent units within a system (e.g., SI units).
This calculator simplifies these conversions, making them quick and accessible. Always double-check your inputs and desired units for the most accurate results.
function convertMeasure() {
var valueToConvert = parseFloat(document.getElementById('valueToConvert').value);
var sourceUnit = document.getElementById('sourceUnit').value;
var targetUnit = document.getElementById('targetUnit').value;
var convertedValueElement = document.getElementById('convertedValue');
var resultElement = document.getElementById('result');
if (isNaN(valueToConvert)) {
convertedValueElement.textContent = 'Invalid input';
resultElement.style.borderColor = '#dc3545';
return;
}
var conversionFactors = {
// Length (based on meters)
'meter': 1,
'kilometer': 1000,
'centimeter': 0.01,
'millimeter': 0.001,
'mile': 1609.34,
'yard': 0.9144,
'foot': 0.3048,
'inch': 0.0254,
// Mass (based on kilograms)
'kilogram': 1,
'gram': 0.001,
'milligram': 0.000001,
'pound': 0.453592,
'ounce': 0.0283495,
'tonne': 1000,
// Volume (based on liters)
'liter': 1,
'milliliter': 0.001,
'gallon': 3.78541, // US Liquid Gallon
'quart': 0.946353, // US Liquid Quart
'pint': 0.473176, // US Liquid Pint
'cup': 0.24, // US Customary Cup (approx) – 1 US cup = 0.236588 Liters
'fluid_ounce': 0.0295735, // US Fluid Ounce
};
var convertedValue = valueToConvert;
// Handle temperature conversions separately
if (sourceUnit === 'celsius' || sourceUnit === 'fahrenheit' || sourceUnit === 'kelvin' ||
targetUnit === 'celsius' || targetUnit === 'fahrenheit' || targetUnit === 'kelvin') {
if (sourceUnit === targetUnit) {
convertedValue = valueToConvert;
} else if (sourceUnit === 'celsius') {
if (targetUnit === 'fahrenheit') convertedValue = (valueToConvert * 9/5) + 32;
else if (targetUnit === 'kelvin') convertedValue = valueToConvert + 273.15;
} else if (sourceUnit === 'fahrenheit') {
if (targetUnit === 'celsius') convertedValue = (valueToConvert – 32) * 5/9;
else if (targetUnit === 'kelvin') convertedValue = (valueToConvert – 32) * 5/9 + 273.15;
} else if (sourceUnit === 'kelvin') {
if (targetUnit === 'celsius') convertedValue = valueToConvert – 273.15;
else if (targetUnit === 'fahrenheit') convertedValue = (valueToConvert – 273.15) * 9/5 + 32;
}
// Ensure temperature results are not excessively long
convertedValue = parseFloat(convertedValue.toFixed(4));
} else {
// Handle other unit conversions
if (sourceUnit === targetUnit) {
convertedValue = valueToConvert;
} else if (conversionFactors.hasOwnProperty(sourceUnit) && conversionFactors.hasOwnProperty(targetUnit)) {
// Convert to base unit (meter, kilogram, liter)
var valueInMeters = valueToConvert * conversionFactors[sourceUnit];
// Convert from base unit to target unit
convertedValue = valueInMeters / conversionFactors[targetUnit];
} else {
convertedValue = 'Conversion not supported';
resultElement.style.borderColor = '#ffc107';
}
}
if (isNaN(convertedValue)) {
convertedValueElement.textContent = 'Calculation error';
resultElement.style.borderColor = '#dc3545';
} else {
convertedValueElement.textContent = convertedValue.toLocaleString(undefined, {maximumFractionDigits: 4});
resultElement.style.borderColor = 'var(–primary-blue)';
}
}