unitConversionFactor

R2026b

Conversion factor between units

Syntax

C = unitConversionFactor(unit1,unit2)

C = unitConversionFactor(unit1,unit2,'Force',true)

Description

C = unitConversionFactor(unit1,unit2) returns the conversion factor C between units unit1 and unit2 so that unit1 = C*unit2.

C = unitConversionFactor(unit1,unit2,'Force',true) forces unitConversionFactor to return a conversion factor even if the units are not dimensionally compatible.

Examples

Conversion Factor Between Units

Find the conversion factor between inches and centimeters.

u = symunit;
inch2cm = unitConversionFactor(u.inch,u.cm)

inch2cm =
127/50

Convert the conversion factor to double.

inch2cm = double(inch2cm)

inch2cm =
    2.5400

Find the conversion factor between Newtons and kg m/s². The conversion factor is 1.

convFactor = unitConversionFactor(1*u.N, 1*u.kg*u.m/u.s^2)

convFactor =
1

Convert Between Units

Convert between units quickly by using text input as a shortcut. Convert 3 inch to cm.

3*double(unitConversionFactor("inch","cm"))

ans =
    7.6200

Convert Between Dimensionally Incompatible Units

Convert between dimensionally incompatible units by specifying the argument 'Force' as true.

Convert between Watts and Joules. unitConversionFactor returns the factor 1/[s] because 1 W = 1 J/s.

u = symunit;
convFactor = unitConversionFactor(u.W, u.J, 'Force', true)

convFactor =
1/[s]

If you do not specify 'Force' as true, then unitConversionFactor returns an error.

unitConversionFactor(u.W, u.J)

Error using unitConversionFactor (line 81)
Incompatible units.

Input Arguments

unit — Units

character vector | string | symbolic units

Units, specified as a character vector, string, or symbolic units.

Version History

Introduced in R2017a