How To Convert Miles To Kilometers

Converting Miles to Kilometers is quite simple. But not everyone knows how. If you are looking for a formula or vehicle conversion charts, you want to stop right here. This post will give you all the info you need on converting miles to kilometers(mi2km). Below is How To Convert Miles To Kilometers

Many sites on the internet can automatically convert miles to kilometers. However, learning how to do it on your own is a good idea if you ever don’t have an internet connection. The most important thing to remember is that there are 1.6 kilometers in a mile. This means that you can multiply your number of miles by 1.6 to get kilometers.

Method 1Method 1 of 2:Basic Conversions

1. 1Write the number of miles. In this section, you’ll learn how to get kilometers from miles. Start by writing the number of miles you want to convert. If you’re using a calculator, type it in.
   • Let’s follow along with an example. If we want to convert 50 miles into kilometers, we would start by writing it out like this: 50 miles.
2. 2Multiply by 1.6. Your answer will be the number of kilometers in miles. That’s all there is to it!
   • In our example, we can find the answer like this: 50 × 1.6 = 80 kilometers.
   • Don’t forget the “kilometers” label. You can also write “km” for short. If you’re doing this for homework, you may lose points if you leave it off.
   • If you need help multiplying decimals, see WikiHow’s How to Multiply Decimals.
3. 3For precise conversions, multiply by 1.60934. One mile isn’t exactly 1.6 kilometers. It’s actually about 1.609347218694. This is the official U.S. Survey definition. Use as much of this number as you want to get your answer more precise.^[1]
   • If we want to know exactly how far 50 miles is in kilometers, we can just multiply 50 by 1.609347. This gets us 50 × 1.609347 = 80.46735 kilometers — about half a kilometer more.
   • You only need to do this for really precise conversions. Just use 1.6 for basic purposes!
4. 4To get back to miles, divide by 1.6. Getting back to miles is easy. Since dividing is basically the opposite of multiplying, divide by 1.6 to “undo” the multiplication.^[2]
   • In our original example, 80/1.6 = 50 miles — right back where we started.
   • If you used a different decimal than 1.6, divide by it instead. In our alternate example above, we would divide by 1.609347.https://c6287f9b01e9efb4e6f6afca3c76e993.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.htmlAdvertisement

Method 2Method 2 of 2:Using Conversion Factors

1. 1Write the number of miles as a fraction over one. By treating your measurements like fractions, you can convert in a way that makes it easy to get the right answer (and units) every time. Start by writing your number of miles as the top part of a fraction (the numerator). In the bottom part of the fraction (the denominator), write a 1.^[3]
   • Let’s say that we want to figure out how many kilometers are in 5.4 miles. In this case, we would write a fraction like this: 5.4 miles/1.
   • When you’re converting this way, always include the units in the fractions. They will be important later.^[4]
2. 2Write a fraction with the ratio of kilometers to miles. Now, you want to make a fraction that shows how many kilometers are in a mile. This is a lot easier than it sounds — see below for help.
   • We already know that there are about 1.6 kilometers in a mile. We can use this to build our fraction. In the numerator (the top part), we would write “1.6 kilometers” and in the denominator (the bottom part), we would write “1 mile.” This gives us 1.6 kilometers/1 mile.
3. 3Multiply and cancel units that show up both on top and on bottom. Now, just multiply the two fractions. See our article on multiplying fractions if you need help. As you multiply, look for units that show up once in the numerator and once in the denominator. When you find a pair, cross both out.^[5]
   • In our example, we have 5.4 miles/1 × 1.6 kilometers/1 mile. “Mile” appears on top in the first fraction and on the bottom in the second, so we can cross both “miles” out. Multiplying, we get 8.64.
4. 4Use the units that are left for your answer. In the last step, you should have crossed out all of the units except for one. These are the units in your answer.
   • In our example, “kilometers” are the only units not crossed out, so we know our answer is 8.64 kilometers.
5. 5Continue this pattern to build more complicated conversions. Now that you know how to do easy conversions, you can use the same approach for longer ones. Just follow the same steps. Write your starting measurement as a fraction over 1, then write your conversions as fractions so that your units cancel (except for the units you want your answer in) and multiply.^[6]
   • For example, let’s say that you want to know what 5.4 miles is in centimeters. You don’t know the conversion for miles to centimeters, but you do know that there are 1.6 kilometers in a mile, 1,000 meters in a kilometer, and 100 centimeters in a meter. This is all you need to set up your problem:5.4 miles/1 × 1.6 kilometers/1 mile × 1000 meters/1 kilometer × 100 centimeters/1 meter
   • Notice that all of the units cancel except for centimeters (because it only appears once). Multiplying through, your final answer is 864,000 centimeters.

Mile

Definition: A mile (symbol: mi or m) is a unit of length in the imperial and US customary systems of measurement. It is currently defined as 5,280 feet, 1,760 yards, or exactly 1,609.344 meters.

History/origin: The mile is an English unit (predecessor of Imperial units and United States Customary Units) of length. The use of the abbreviation “m” for mile was common before the widespread adoption of the metric system; after the adoption of the metric system, “mi” became the preferred abbreviation in order to avoid confusion between miles and meters. The definition of a mile as 5,280 feet (or 8 furlongs), sometimes referred to as the statute mile, international mile, or land mile, which differs from the Roman mile of 5,000 feet, developed due to the importance of the furlong in England, back in 1593. There also exist a number of units based on, or closely related to, the Roman mile, including the nautical mile (1.852 km exactly), Italian mile (~1.852 km), and the Chinese mile (500m exactly).

Current use: Although most countries have adopted the metric system and use kilometers, rather than miles, to express land distance, the mile is still prevalently used in countries such as the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), Myanmar, and Liberia, as well as some other countries which are either US or UK territories, or have historical ties with either country.

Kilometer

Definition: A kilometer (symbol: km) is a unit of length in the International System of Units (SI). One kilometer is equivalent to 0.6214 miles.

History/origin: The prefix kilo- is a metric prefix indicating one thousand. One kilometer is therefore one thousand meters. The origin of the kilometer is linked to that of the meter, and its current definition as the distance traveled by light in 1/299 792 458 second. This definition is subject to change, but the relationship between the meter and the kilometer will remain constant.

Current use: It is currently the official unit of measurement for expressing distances between geographical places on land in most of the world. However, there still remain a number of countries that primarily use the mile instead of the kilometer including the United States and the United Kingdom (UK). Unlike the United States, the UK has adopted the metric system; while the metric system is widely used in government, commerce, and industry, remnants of the imperial system can still be seen in the UK’s use of miles in its road systems.

Mile to Kilometer Conversion Table

Conclusion

In the United States, the use of miles instead of kilometers is a common occurrence. In fact, many Americans have been using this unit for as long as they can remember. Most people who use miles will never think about changing over to a different unit of measurement even if they receive a metric wake-up call from time-to-time. The good news is that it isn’t hard to convert miles into kilometers or vice versa.