Stage 5 · Time & measures
Metres and centimetres
Metres × 100, then add the centimetres.
How to do it
Method
Metres × 100, then add the centimetres
3 m 25 cm: 3 × 100 + 25 = 325
Full working
3 × 100 = 300, 300 + 25 = 325
In full
1 m = 100 cm. Metres to centimetres: the metres times 100, plus the centimetres: 3 m 25 cm → 3 × 100 = 300, 300 + 25 = 325 cm. A quicker way is to write the two numbers side by side: 3 and 25 → 325, but the centimetres always take two digits, with a 0 in front if short: 3 m 5 cm → 3 and 05 → 305 cm, not 35. Centimetres to metres goes back the other way: in 325 cm the last two digits, 25, are the centimetres and the 3 in front is the metres → 3 m 25 cm; a whole hundred, 400 cm, is 4 m.
Worked examples
Have a go first, then open each one for the answer and the working.
Example 1
200 cm = ? m
Show the answer and working
Answer: 200 cm = 2 m
200 cm: 1 m = 100 cm, 200 ÷ 100 = 2
Example 2
473 cm = 4 m ? cm
Show the answer and working
Answer: 473 cm = 4 m 73 cm
473 cm: 4 m is 4 × 100 = 400 cm, 473 − 400 = 73
Example 3
491 cm = ? m 91 cm
Show the answer and working
Answer: 491 cm = 4 m 91 cm
491 cm: take off the 91 cm first, 491 − 91 = 400, 400 ÷ 100 = 4
Example 4
6 m 14 cm = ? cm
Show the answer and working
Answer: 6 m 14 cm = 614 cm
6 m 14 cm: 1 m = 100 cm, 6 × 100 = 600, 600 + 14 = 614
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