As you're working through the physical sciences section of your MCAT you will be faced with unit conversions asking you to multiply or divide numbers by some factor of 10. This can occur in questions such as gram to kilogram or liter to milliliter conversions.
Given the time constraint on the MCAT and lack of calculator, you can't afford to work out these examples the long and tedious way. Instead you want to use the factor of 10 trick which allows you to simply move the decimal (visible or imaginary) to quickly come up with a solution.
Watch the video below for a detailed explanation of this trick along with a few examples showing you how to work it out in record time.
MCAT Math Trick – Multiplying and Dividing Units of 10
(click to watch this video on YouTube or catch the video transcript here)
MCAT Style Questions Solved In This Video:
Unit Conversions Question 1: Convert 3.47 kilograms to grams.
Unit Conversions Question 2: Convert 0.53 grams into kilograms.
This is video 2 in my series on MCAT Math Without A Calculator. Click HERE for the entire series
hi, were do i go to sign up for your math mcat class
I have tried so many times opening your book but it is not coming. plz tell me how to get access to it
Thank you so much!
how to find the value of 67^1/2
Great video!!!
How would i use this trick when multiplying 0.044 ×(2/3)? Im trying to solve a stoichiometric problem without a calculator.
I doubt you are going to be asked this on the MCAT. Show me the question where this came up
How would the decimal trick work when dividing. For example 0.7/25 ?
I’d simplify this one and combine with the other tricks.
0.7 x 10 is 7. We’ll divide the answer by 10
Round 25 down to 21 making the overall answer BIGGER
7/21 = 1/3 since both divide by 7.
1/3 = 0.3
now divide by 10 to complete the decimal trick for 0.03
The answer is GREATER since we rounded so..
<0.03 (calculator says 0.028 which is close enough)
so since we initially rounded down, ending up with a bigger decimal, would the final answer have to be rounded down to compensate?
you are a life saver….Thank you, I take my MCAT in Aug
You’re awesome! 🙂
Thank you. When do you take your MCAT?