Example

Subtracting Mixed Metric Lengths to Find a Height Difference

To find the difference in height between two people when one measurement is given in meters and the other in centimeters, first convert both values to the same unit, then subtract.

Ryland is 1.61.6 meters tall and his younger brother is 8585 centimeters tall. How much taller is Ryland?

  1. Choose a common unit: Since meters is the larger unit, convert 8585 centimeters to meters by moving the decimal point 22 places to the left (because 11 cm =0.01= 0.01 m): 8585 cm =0.85= 0.85 m.
  2. Subtract like units: 1.60 m0.85 m=0.75 m1.60 \text{ m} - 0.85 \text{ m} = 0.75 \text{ m}

Ryland is 0.750.75 m taller than his brother. The key step is ensuring both measurements share the same metric unit before performing the subtraction — the same principle used with US customary mixed units, but made simpler by the base-ten conversion.

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Updated 2026-04-21

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