Measurement and Conversions: TEAS Practice Question with Answer & Explanation

Understanding Metric and Imperial Conversions

On the TEAS 7 Math section, you are frequently required to convert measurements between the Imperial system (miles, feet, inches) and the Metric system (kilometers, meters, centimeters). This specific question tests your ability to perform a multi-step conversion: first from miles to meters, and then from meters to kilometers.

Step-by-Step Calculation

To solve this problem accurately, follow these two logical steps:

1. Convert Miles to Meters: The problem states that $1 \text{ mile} = 1,609.34 \text{ meters}$. To find the distance of 10 miles in meters, multiply the number of miles by the conversion factor: $$10 \times 1,609.34 = 16,093.4 \text{ meters}$$

2. Convert Meters to Kilometers: The prefix "kilo-" means 1,000. Therefore, there are 1,000 meters in 1 kilometer ($1 \text{ km} = 1,000 \text{ m}$). To convert from a smaller unit (meters) to a larger unit (kilometers), you must divide: $$16,093.4 \div 1,000 = 16.0934 \text{ kilometers}$$

3. Rounding to the Nearest Hundredth: The question asks for the answer rounded to the nearest hundredth (the second decimal place).

   • Look at the thousandths digit: 3.
   • Since 3 is less than 5, we keep the hundredths digit as it is.
   • Final result: 16.09 kilometers.

Analysis of Incorrect Answers

• B. 160.93 kilometers: This error usually occurs if the student divides by 100 instead of 1,000 when converting meters to kilometers.
• C. 1.61 kilometers: This is the distance of roughly 1 mile, not 10 miles. This indicates a decimal placement error or a failure to multiply by the 10-mile distance.
• D. 16,093.44 kilometers: This represents the distance in meters, not kilometers. Always double-check the units requested in the final answer during the TEAS exam!

Nursing Math Tip

In a clinical setting, unit conversions are high-stakes (like converting milligrams to grams). Always ask yourself: "Does this number make sense?" Since a kilometer is roughly 0.6 miles, it makes sense that 10 miles would be a slightly larger number when expressed in kilometers (16.09). If your answer is 16,000, that should trigger a "red flag" that your units are incorrect.