Converting metric measurements to fractions in english

[Michael Almond]

I am currently working on a millwork project that has to
be drawn in metric.(Smithsonian Institutes National Museum
of the American Indian). My spreadsheet has cabinet and
millwork items listed in mm. Ex. I have a column that
reflects a cabinet width as 750MM. I have a column next to
that with the equation in inches. (750/25.4). The value
comes up as 29 8/16" and not 29 1/2". What additional
function do I need so the value equation shows, 29 1/2" or
31 1/4, etc. The values will go down to 1/16" but I need
for it to read 29 1/2" and not 29 8/16.

 

[Bob Umlas]

Use a format of 0 ??/??

Bob Umlas
Excel MVP

 

[Ron Rosenfeld]

I am currently working on a millwork project that has to
be drawn in metric.(Smithsonian Institutes National Museum
of the American Indian). My spreadsheet has cabinet and
millwork items listed in mm. Ex. I have a column that
reflects a cabinet width as 750MM. I have a column next to
that with the equation in inches. (750/25.4). The value
comes up as 29 8/16" and not 29 1/2". What additional
function do I need so the value equation shows, 29 1/2" or
31 1/4, etc. The values will go down to 1/16" but I need
for it to read 29 1/2" and not 29 8/16.

It's actually 29 19/36 for the result.

But to show it as a reduced fraction, with a maximum of 16ths, you need to
round the result of your conversion to the closest 16th, and then use the
format # ??/??

To round to the nearest 16th:

=ROUND(n*16,0)/16


--ron

 

[Pat Norton]

My spreadsheet has cabinet and millwork items listed in mm.

Ex. I have a column that reflects a cabinet width as 750MM.

You have had some helpful answers.

You correctly write 'mm', but then you write 'MM' which is not
correct. Changing between lower and upper case is common and
unimportant in the US system of units. But if you change the case in
the metric system, you change the meaning. For example the lower case
prefix 'm' means 'milli' but the upper case prefix 'M' means 'mega'.

It does not matter if the spreadsheet is for your own calculation. But
if you present to clients or the public, you may wish to use 'mm'
rather than 'MM'.

Symbols for metric units are listed at the official SI website:
http://www.bipm.org/enus/3_SI/base_units.html
(see also the page of 'Prefixes')