Example

Converting 1 Gallon to Ounces Using Chained Conversion Factors

To find how many ounces are in 11 gallon, chain four US customary capacity conversion factors in a single expression. Each factor equals 11, so the value of the measurement is unchanged — only the unit changes at each step.

  1. Start with the given measurement: 1 gallon1 \text{ gallon}.
  2. Write 11 as four successive conversion factors: 1 gal14 qt1 gal2 pt1 qt2 c1 pt8 oz1 c\frac{1 \text{ gal}}{1} \cdot \frac{4 \text{ qt}}{1 \text{ gal}} \cdot \frac{2 \text{ pt}}{1 \text{ qt}} \cdot \frac{2 \text{ c}}{1 \text{ pt}} \cdot \frac{8 \text{ oz}}{1 \text{ c}}
  3. Cancel the common units: "gal" cancels with "gal," "qt" cancels with "qt," "pt" cancels with "pt," and "c" cancels with "c," leaving only ounces.
  4. Multiply the numerators and denominators: 14228 oz11111=128 oz\frac{1 \cdot 4 \cdot 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 8 \text{ oz}}{1 \cdot 1 \cdot 1 \cdot 1 \cdot 1} = 128 \text{ oz}

Therefore 11 gallon =128= 128 ounces. This example extends the chained-conversion-factor technique to US customary volume units, requiring four factors because gallons and ounces are separated by three intermediate units (quarts, pints, and cups).

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Updated 2026-04-21

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