POUNDS TO KILOGRAMS - Converting Pounds to Kilograms - To get a ballpark conversion between pounds and kilograms, remember there are about 2 pounds in a 1 kilogram, or the number is twice as much. The other way to look at it is to remember there are about half as many kilograms in a pound.

................................

Pounds to Kilograms

Converting Pounds to Kilograms Conversion Example Problem

Converting Pounds to Kilograms - lb to kg

by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

Pounds (lb) and kilograms (kg) are two important units of mass and weight.

The units are used for body weight, produce weight, and many other measurements.

This worked example problem demonstrates how to convert pounds to kilograms and kilograms to pounds.

Pounds to Kilograms Problem

A man weighs 176 lbs. What is his weight in kilograms?

Start with the conversion factor between pounds and kilograms.

   1 kg = 2.2 lbs

Write this in the form of an equation to solve for kilograms:

weight in kg = weight in lb x (1 kg / 2.2 lb)

The pounds cancel out, leaving kilograms.

In essence this means all you have to do to get a kilogram weight in pounds is divide by 2.2:

x kg = 176 lbs x 1 kg/2.2 lbs
x kg = 80 kg

The 176 lb. man weighs 80 kg.

Kilograms to Pounds Conversion

It's easy to work the conversion the other way, too. If given a value in kilograms, all you need to do is multiply it by 2.2 to get the answer in pounds.

For example, if a melon weighs 0.25 kilograms, its weight in pounds is 0.25 x 2.2 = 0.55 lbs.

Check Your Work

To get a ballpark conversion between pounds and kilograms, remember there are about 2 pounds in a 1 kilogram, or the number is twice as much.

The other way to look at it is to remember there are about half as many kilograms in a pound.  

Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

·   Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville - Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

·   Science educator with experience teaching chemistry, biology, astronomy, and physics at the high school, college, and graduate levels.

·   ThoughtCo and About Education chemistry expert since 2001.

·   Widely-published graphic artist, responsible for printable periodic tables and other illustrations used in science.

Experience

Anne Helmenstine, Ph.D. has covered chemistry for ThoughtCo and About Education since 2001, and other sciences since 2013. She taught chemistry, biology, astronomy, and physics at the high school, college, and graduate levels. She has worked as a research scientist and also abstracting and indexing diverse scientific literature for the Department of Energy.

In addition to her work as a science writer, Dr. Helmenstine currently serves as a scientific consultant, specializing in problems requiring an interdisciplinary approach. Previously, she worked as a research scientist and college professor. 

Education

Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and a B.A. in physics and mathematics with a minor in chemistry from Hastings College. In her doctoral work, Dr. Helmenstine developed ultra-sensitive chemical detection and medical diagnostic tests.

Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.​

ThoughtCo and Dotdash

ThoughtCo is a premier reference site focusing on expert-created education content. We are one of the top-10 information sites in the world as rated by comScore, a leading Internet measurement company. Every month, more than 13 million readers seek answers to their questions on ThoughtCo.

For more than 20 years, Dotdash brands have been helping people find answers, solve problems, and get inspired. We are one of the top-20 largest content publishers on the Internet according to comScore, and reach more than 30% of the U.S. population monthly. Our brands collectively have won more than 20 industry awards in the last year alone, and recently Dotdash was named Publisher of the Year by Digiday, a leading industry publication. https://www.thoughtco.com/pounds-to-kilograms-example-problem-609318