Technical writers often use decimals to express weights, such 4.25 pounds. That same weight, however, can also be expressed in the common units of pounds and ounces: 4.25 pounds is the same as 4 pounds, 4 ounces. Knowing that there are 16 ounces in a pound, you can convert tenths of a pound to ounces with some straightforward arithmetic.
Converting Tenths of a Pound to Ounces Using Multiplication
Convert tenths of a pound (1/10) into decimal form. To do this, divide the number 1 by the number 10. For example, if you're working with two tenths of a pound, the number 2 divided by 10 equals 0.2.
Multiply 16 by 0.2. You do this because there are 16 oz. in a pound and 0.2 is the previously calculated two tenths of a pound in decimal form. When you multiply these two numbers, the pounds units cancel each other out and you're left with ounces.
Perform the calculation using the long-hand method with a pencil and paper. The answer for this example shows us that 3.2 oz. is equal to two tenths of a pound.
Continue to practice until you feel comfortable converting tenths to decimals and multiplying the result by 16 oz.
Use a conversion chart to quickly determine how many tenths of a pound are in an ounce.
Converting Tenths of a Pound to Ounces Using Fractions
Convert tenths of a pound into a fraction. Make one the numerator and 10 the denominator. For this example, use two tenths of a pound again. You should get 2/10. Write this down on your paper.
Reduce the fraction to its lowest or simplest terms. To do this you have to determine how many times the numerator can go into the denominator. Using the 2/10 example, the lowest term is 1/5 because 2 divided by 2 equals 1, and the number 2 can go into 10 five times.
Multiply 1/5 by 16. Because 16 is a whole number, you can also write this as 16/1 if it helps you keep numerators and denominators separate. Multiply numerators with other numerators and denominators by other denominators. For this example 1 multiplied by 16 equals 16 and 5 multiplied by 1 equals 5, with the end result being 16/5.
Divide 16 by 5 to get your final answer of 3.2 oz. Continue practicing converting fractions until you feel comfortable with all of the steps.
Converting Tenths of a Pound to Ounces by Moving Decimals
- Pencil
- Paper
- Calculator
- Conversion chart
Convert one pound to one tenth of a pound by moving the decimal one place to the left. One pound can be written as 1.0 pounds, and moving the decimal place one place to the left gives you 0.10 pound, which is equal to one tenth of a pound.
Convert 16 oz. to one sixteenth of an ounce by moving the decimal one place to the left. Notice that 16 oz. is also 16.0 oz., and moving the decimal place one place to the left gives you 1.6 oz.
Create a conversion chart by listing tenths of a pound on the left side of a piece of paper and the corresponding sixteenths of an ounce on the right. To determine the corresponding ounce, multiply the number on the left by 1.6 oz. For example, 0.20 pounds (two tenths of a pound) multiplied by 1.6 oz. equals 3.2 oz.
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