CONVERT function

The CONVERT function in Excel is used to convert a number from one unit of measurement to another. This is useful for converting units such as length, weight, temperature, volume, speed, and many others.

Syntax

CONVERT(number, from_unit, to_unit)

Parameters

• number: The numeric value to be converted.
• from_unit: The current unit of measurement that the number is in.
• to_unit: The unit of measurement you want to convert the number to.

How It Works

The CONVERT function takes a numeric value (number) and converts it from one unit (from_unit) to another (to_unit). Excel supports a wide range of units for conversion. The function understands both the full name (e.g., “meter”, “mile”, “celsius”) and the abbreviation (e.g., “m”, “mi”, “°C”) for many common units.

Examples

1. Convert Length (Inches to Centimeters): To convert 10 inches to centimeters:

   =CONVERT(10, "in", "cm")
   

   • The result will be 25.4, as 1 inch = 2.54 centimeters.
2. Convert Temperature (Celsius to Fahrenheit): To convert 20 degrees Celsius to Fahrenheit:

   =CONVERT(20, "C", "F")
   

   • The result will be 68, since °F = (°C × 9/5) + 32.
3. Convert Weight (Kilograms to Pounds): To convert 5 kilograms to pounds:

   =CONVERT(5, "kg", "lbm")
   

   • The result will be approximately 11.0231, since 1 kilogram = 2.20462 pounds.
4. Convert Speed (Kilometers per Hour to Miles per Hour): To convert 100 kilometers per hour (km/h) to miles per hour (mph):

   =CONVERT(100, "km/h", "mi/h")
   

   • The result will be approximately 62.1371, since 1 km/h = 0.621371 mph.
5. Convert Volume (Liters to Gallons): To convert 10 liters to US gallons:

   =CONVERT(10, "L", "gal")
   

   • The result will be 2.64172, since 1 liter = 0.264172 gallons.
6. Convert Area (Square Meters to Square Feet): To convert 100 square meters to square feet:

   =CONVERT(100, "m2", "ft2")
   

   • The result will be approximately 1076.39, since 1 m² = 10.7639 ft².

Common Units for Conversion

• Length: "m", "cm", "km", "in", "ft", "yd", "mi"
• Weight: "kg", "g", "lbm", "oz"
• Temperature: "C", "F", "K"
• Volume: "L", "mL", "gal", "pt", "oz"
• Speed: "m/s", "km/h", "mi/h", "ft/s"
• Area: "m2", "ft2", "yd2", "in2"

Important Notes

• The CONVERT function does not support all possible units. For unsupported units, you will get a #N/A error.
• The from_unit and to_unit must be compatible. For example, you cannot convert between temperature and length, or between mass and volume, because they are not directly convertible in a meaningful way.
• The function works with both metric and imperial units, making it useful for various international conversions.

Summary

The CONVERT function in Excel is a versatile tool for converting between different units of measurement. It supports a wide range of units, including length, weight, temperature, volume, speed, and area. By specifying the current unit (from_unit) and the target unit (to_unit), you can easily perform unit conversions in your calculations. This is particularly useful for scientific, engineering, and everyday calculations involving units.