Customary Unit Conversion Worksheets

Inches, feet and yards; ounces and pounds; cups, pints, quarts and gallons. 48 inches = ___ feet, 8 pounds = ___ ounces, 36 quarts = ___ gallons.

Customary units are harder than metric for one reason: the factors are all different and none of them is ten. Twelve inches in a foot, three feet in a yard, sixteen ounces in a pound, four quarts in a gallon. There is no pattern to fall back on, which is why these have to be practised rather than worked out.

Frequently asked questions

Which conversions do these sheets use?

12 inches in a foot, 3 feet in a yard, 36 inches in a yard, 16 ounces in a pound, 2 cups in a pint, 2 pints in a quart, 4 quarts in a gallon, and the combinations of those.

Why is customary harder than metric?

Because every factor is different. Metric is always a power of ten; customary asks a student to remember twelve, three, sixteen, two and four, and to know which applies to which pair of units.

Are ounces of weight or volume?

These sheets use ounces as weight only - 16 ounces in a pound. Fluid ounces are a separate unit that happens to share the name, and mixing the two in one problem set would be a trap rather than a lesson.

What grade is this?

Fourth and fifth grade, usually alongside or just after metric conversions.