Glossary

Metric Units - Prefixes

The SI system uses standard prefixes for all measurements as shown in Table 12.

Prefix Symbol Factor by Which the Unit is Multiplied

mega M 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 . 0
kilo k 1 0 0 0 . 0
hecto h 1 0 0 . 0
deca da 1 0 . 0
1 . 0
deci d 0 . 1
centi c 0 . 0 1
milli m 0 . 0 0 1
micro u 0 . 0 0 0 0 0 1

Table 1 - Metric prefixes.

Working with Fractions

Operations

Operation Steps
Addition 1. Find the common denominator.
2. Convert fractions to equivalent fractions with a
common denominator.
3. Add the numerators.
4. Reduce total to lowest terms.
Subtraction 1. Find the common denominator.
2. Convert fractions to equivalent fractions with a
common denominator.
3. Subtract the numerators.
4. Reduce total to lowest terms.
Multiplication 1. Multiply the numerators.
2. Multiply the denominators.
3. Reduce the answer to lowest terms.
Division 1. Invert the fraction you are dividing by and change
the division symbol to a multiplication symbol.
2. Follow the steps for multiplication.

Table 2 - Fraction operations.

Converting

Fractions to Decimals
Divide the top number (numerator) by the bottom number (denominator).

Decimals to Fractions

Step 1
Put the number over as many zeros as there are numbers to the right of the decimal point, then add the
number 1 to the left of the zeros and remove the decimal point.

Step 2
Cancel until the fraction is in its lowest terms.

Converting Measurements Between Metric

and Imperial Systems
Most Common Metric/Imperial Conversions
The most common factors to be aware of for converting between metric and imperial are listed in Table
14.

Conversion to be Done The Factor to be Multiplied or Divided By

Millimetres (mm) to inches (in.) 25.4
Square metres (m2) to square feet (ft2) 10.764
Cubic metres (m3) to cubic yards (yd3) 1.308
Kilograms (kg) to pounds (lb) 2.205
Litres (L) to gallons (gal) 4.546

Table 3 - Common conversions.

Soft Conversions
A soft conversion is accepted and used to approximate linear (length) measurements. In the carpentry
trade, it is based on rounding 25.4 mm = 1 inch down to 25 mm = 1 inch in order to simplify the math and
make values quick and easy to calculate. Soft conversion equivalents are shown in Table 15.

Metric Measurements Imperial Measurements

25 mm = 1" (inch)
50 mm = 2"
100 mm = 4"
200 mm = 8"
300 mm = 12" (1 foot)
400 mm = 16"
600 mm = 24" (2 feet)
1200 mm = 48" (4 feet)
2400 mm = 96" (8 feet)

Table 4 - Soft conversion equivalents.

Soft conversion is also used when converting from metric building code specified sizes and spacings to
the closest corresponding imperial size or spacing (Figure 41).

Figure 1 - Soft conversion - building code.

Linear Measurement Conversion

Conversion
To Convert From: Math Operation
Factor
inches 25.4
Millimetres to feet Divide by 304.8
yards 914.4
inches Multiply by 39.37
Metres to feet 0.305
Divide by
yards 0.9144
millimetres Multiply by 25.4
Inches to
metres Divide by 39.37
millimetres 304.8
Feet to Multiply by
metres 0.305
millimetres 914.4
Yards to Multiply by
metres 0.9144

Table 5 - Linear (length) conversion.

Area Measurement Conversion

Conversion
To Convert From: Math Operation
Factor
Sq. feet (ft2) 10.764
Sq. metres (m2) to Multiply by
Sq. yards (yd2) 1.196
Sq. feet (ft2) to 10.764
Sq. metres (m2) Divide by
Sq. yards (yd2) to 1.196
Table 6 - Area conversion.
Volume (Capacity) Measurement Conversion

Conversion
To Convert From: Math Operation
Factor
Cubic metres (m3)
Cubic yards (yd3) Multiply by 1.308
to
Pints (pt) 0.568
Litre (L) to Quarts (qt) Divide by 1.137
Gallon (gal) 4.546
Cubic yards (yd3) to Cubic metres (m3) Divide by 1.308
Pints (pt) to 0.568
Quarts (qt) to Litre (L) Multiply by 1.137
Gallon (gal) to 4.546
Table 7 - Volume (capacity) conversion.

Mass (Weight) Measurement Conversion

Conversion
To Convert From: Math Operation
Factor
Pound (lb) Multiply by 2.205
Kilogram (kg) to
Ton Divide by 907.184
Pound (lb) Multiply by 2204.622
Tonne (t) to
Ton Divide by 0.907
Kilogram (kg) 2.205
Pound (lb) to Divide by
Tonne (t) 2204.622
Kilogram (kg) 907.184
Ton to Multiply by
Tonne (t) 0.907

Table 8 - Mass (weight) conversion.

Pythagorean Theorem
The formula for the Pythagorean Theorem is (Figure 42):

Figure 2 - Pythagorean equation.

NOTE

The Pythagorean theorem and equation only work for right angle
triangles (triangles with one 90° angle.)

Perimeter Calculations
Equilateral Shapes
Multiply the number of sides by the length of one side using the following formula:
Perimeter (P) = Number of sides (N) × Length of one side (L)
P = N×L

Rectangular Shapes
The formula for the perimeter of a rectangle is (Figure 43):
Perimeter (P) = [2 × Length (L)] + [2 × Width (W)]
P = (2 L) + (2 W)
or
Perimeter (P) = 2 [Length (L) + Width (W )]
P = 2 (L + W)

Figure 3 - Rectangle.
Parallelograms
The formula for the perimeter of a parallelogram is (Figure 44):
Perimeter (P) = (2 × Side a) + (2 × Side b)
P = (2a) + (2b)
or
Perimeter (P) = 2 (Side a + Side b)
P = 2 (a + b)

Figure 4 - Parallelogram.

Trapezoid
The formula for the perimeter of a trapezoid is (Figure 45):
Perimeter (P) = Side a + Side b + Side c + Side d
P=a+b+c+d

Figure 5 - Trapezoid.

Triangle
The formula for the perimeter of a triangle is (Figure 46):
Perimeter (P) = Side a + Side b + Side c
P=a+b+c

Figure 6 - Triangle.
Circle
The perimeter of a circle is more commonly called its circumference (Figure 47).

The formula for calculating the circumference of a circle is:

Circumference (C) = Pi (π ) × Diameter (d)
C = πd
or
Circumference (C) = 2 × Pi (π ) × Radius (r)
C = 2πr

Figure 7 - Circle terms.

Centreline Perimeter – Foundation Walls

To find the centreline perimeter of the foundation, find the outside perimeter, then deduct four times the
foundation wall thickness.

Area Formulas for Common Shapes

Rectangle
The formula for the area of a rectangle is (Figure 48):
Area (A) = Length (L) × Width (W)
A = L×W

Figure 8 - Area of a rectangle.

Square
The formula for the area of a square is (Figure 49):
Area (A) = Length of one side (L) × Length of one side (L)
A = L2

Figure 9 - Area of a square.

Triangle
The formula for the area of a triangle is (Figure 50):
base (b) × height (h)
Area (A) =
2
b×h
A=
2

Figure 10 - Triangle = one half a rectangle or square.

Parallelogram
The formula for the area of a parallelogram is (Figure 51):
Area (A) = base (b) × height (h)
A = b×h

Figure 11 - Parallelogram dimensions and area.

Trapezoid
The formula for the area of a trapezoid is (Figure 52):
Length 1 (L1) + Length 2 (L2)
Area (A) = × Height (h)
2
( L1 + L 2)
A= ×h
2

Figure 12 - Trapezoid dimensions and area.

Circle
The formula for the area of a circle is (Figure 53):

Area (A) = Pi (π ) × Radius × Radius (r 2 )

A = πr 2

Figure 13 - Circle dimensions and area.

Equilateral Shapes
The formula for the area of an equilateral shape is (Figure 54):
 base (b) × height (h) 
Area (A) = Area of one triangle   × number of sides (n)
 2 
b×h
A= ×n
 2 

Figure 14 - Equilateral shapes.

Irregular and Combined Shapes

To accurately calculate the area of an irregular shape or a shape that is a combination of other shapes,
break complex shapes into common shapes you already know how to determine the area for. Add the
areas of the common shapes together to determine the total area of the combined shape.
Surface Area
The formula for the surface area of an object is (Figure 55):
Area (A) = Top perimeter (P) × height (h) + 2 (Top area)
A = P × h + 2 (Top area)

Figure 15 - Surface area of three-dimensional shapes.

Volume Formulas
General Formula
The general formula for calculating the volumes of common shapes is (Figure 56):
Volume (V) = End area × height (h) or Length (L)

Figure 16 - Formulas for calculating the volumes of common shapes.

Rectangular
The formula for the volume of a rectangular object is:
Volume (V) = Length (L) × Width (W) × height (h)
V = L×W×h

Cube
The formula for the volume of a cube is:
Volume (V) = Length (L) × Length (L) × Length (L)
V = L3
Triangular
The formula for the volume of a triangular object is:
Volume (V) = End area × Length (L)
 base (b) × height (h) 
V=  × Length (L)
 2 

Cylinders
The formula for the volume of a cylinder is:
Volume (V) = End Area × Length (L)
Volume (V) = Area of a circle (π r 2 ) × Length (L)

Pyramids/Cones
The formula for the volume of a pyramid or cone is (Figure 57):
End area × height (h)
Volume (V) =
3

Figure 17 - Pyramid and cone-shaped objects.

Spacings
Rules When Using Set Spacings
Description Rule
Material encloses both ends Add 1 piece
Material encloses neither end Subtract 1 piece
Material encloses only one end No change

Table 9 - Rules for set spacings.