Step by step
The question
Question: change 48 inches into feet.
48 in = ? ft
1 Find the link
1 foot is 12 inches.
1 ft = 12 in
2 Make the unit fraction
We want feet, so feet go on top.
We have inches, so inches go at the bottom.
Top and bottom are the same amount.
So the fraction is 1, and times 1 keeps the size.
1 ft12 in = 1
Careful!
Not upside down.
Then the inches would not cross out.
Careful: not 48 in × 12 in1 ft ✗
3 Multiply
We multiply 48 inches by the fraction.
48 in = 48 in × 1 ft12 in
Inches on top and at the bottom cancel, like numbers.
Cross them out.
Feet are left.
What is left: 48, divided by 12.
= 4812 ft
48 divided by 12 is 4.
So 48 inches is 4 feet.
= 4 ft
4 Check
Does it make sense?
Feet are bigger than inches.
So we need fewer of them.
4 is less than 48.
Yes.
ft bigger than in → fewer: 4 < 48
And back the other way: 4 times 12 = 48.
We get 48 inches again.
So the answer is right!
back: 4 × 12 = 48
Let's look back.
First: find the link.
Then: make the unit fraction.
Then: multiply.
Last: check.
Answer
= 4 ft