How conversions are calculated
Most conversions use a factor through a base unit. Temperature uses the standard Celsius, Fahrenheit and kelvin formulas instead of a simple multiplier. The converter covers common everyday categories: length, mass, temperature, area, volume, speed, pressure, energy, digital data and time.
Example
Converting 10 kilometers to miles gives about 6.21 miles. Converting 20 degrees Celsius to Fahrenheit uses an offset formula and gives 68 degrees Fahrenheit, not a simple multiplier.
Common mistakes
Do not compare MB and MiB as if they are identical. Also remember that temperature, shoe sizes and some industry units are not simple proportional conversions.
Checks before comparing units
- Confirm whether a unit is metric, US customary or binary data before comparing outputs.
- Temperature conversions use offset formulas; other categories use proportional conversion factors.
- Digital data includes decimal units such as MB and binary units such as MiB because both appear in real products.
References
- NIST: SI Units, accessed 2026-05-14.
- NIST SP 1038 conversion factors, accessed 2026-05-14.
Last reviewed: 2026-05-14