Converting is easy if you follow a routine every time you do it.  It is best to see some problems get done...

It's 8miles from Beaverton to Gladwin.  How many kilometers is that?  (given:1mile=1.6Km)

7 STEPS TO FOLLOW:


write given quantity with its unit		 8mi

set up multiplication fraction
8mi x ____

put the given unit on bottom and the wanted unit on top (we do this so we can cancel out later on)
8mi x    Km
    mi

refer to the given conversion factor (1mi=1.6Km) and put these in next to their units in this fraction, the top value must equal the bottom value
8mi x 1.6Km
  1 mi

cancel out the units (in this problem, we can cancel out the "mi" on top & bottom)
8 x 1.6Km
  1 

multiply across the top, and across the bottom (on the bottom there is only a "1", so that's pretty easy!)
12.8Km
   1

divide (any number over "1" is just that number, so...)		 12.8Km

What if we wanted to convert the other way?
Let's see it done...(even though we already know the answer!)
It is 12.8Km to Gladwin, how many miles is that?  (given 1mile=1.61Km)


write given quantity with its unit		 12.8Km

set up multiplication fraction
12.8Km x ____

put the given unit on bottom and the wanted unit on top (we do this so we can cancel out later on)
12.8Km x     mi
    Km

refer to the given conversion factor (1mi=1.6Km) and put these in next to their units  in this fraction the top value must equal the bottom value
12.8Km x     1mi
  1.6 Km

cancel out the units (in this problem, we can cancel out the "Km" on top & bottom)
12.8 x   1mi
  1.6 

multiply across the top, and across the bottom
12.8mi
   1.6

divide top by bottom		 8mi