If you are doing a calculation involving measurements, you may need to convert from one measurement to another. This is because you have to work with like units to add, subtract, multipy or divide. For example, look at this problem:
\(5\; yards\; - 4\; feet\; = ?\;\)
You cannot subtract 4 feet from 5 yards until you convert the units of measurement so they are the same. To do this, you need the conversion factor, which in this case is 3 because there are 3 feet in every yard. Here is how to solve the problem.
Step 1: Change yards to feet or feet to yards.
\( 1\; yard\; = 3\; feet\; \\ \; 5\; yards\; \div 3= 15\; feet\; \)
Step 2: Subtract.
\(\ \begin{align} 15\; feet\; \\ \underline{- 4\; feet\;} \\ \color{firebrick} {11\; feet\;} \end{align}\)