There are 1,000 grams in one kilogram. Kilo means 1,000—think kilometers and meters. This is part of an example of a system of units, the metric system.

Multiply to convert bigger to smaller units, divide to convert smaller to bigger units!

Using multiplication to convert kilograms to grams. Divide, on the other hand, to convert grams to kilograms. And cancel out the units you don't need along the way.

For example, if you're converting from kilograms to grams, the kilograms should cancel out. Your final answer should ONLY have grams. The reverse is also true. If you convert from grams to kilograms, the grams should cancel out.

Try it!

(Video) Convert Kilograms to Grams

by larryschmidt

This video by larryschmidt goes through a more complicated conversion of units.

Summary

Normally, we've been seeing problems where we had to convert one unit. But what if there are multiple conversions to be done? A simple way to do this is using a conversion table. Let's look at an example and work through it to see how it's done.

Suppose you want to convert 3 kg/L to g/mL. These are unit rates, because the units are a ratio of two other units. Each of these unit rates are an amount of mass per unit of volume.

Start by writing down the known information. 3 kgL

The first conversion we want to make is turning kilograms into grams. Actually we can do the steps in multiple orders, but we'll show you how it works this way.

In the next two boxes, write down this conversion. Make sure kg is in the bottom box so that it can cancel out with the one above.

3 kg1000 gL1 kg

We'll do all the cancellations at the end. Next, we want to convert from L to mL. We write this conversion in the next two boxes. Make sure that L is in the top box so that it can cancel with the one in the bottom.

3 kg1000 g1 LL1 kg1000 mL

We can cancel units. 3 kg1000 g1 LL1 kg1000 mL

Finally, write our answer as a single fraction. 3×1000×11×1000=3gmL