HESI A2 math conversions: the household, metric, and temperature facts to learn
Written and reviewed by Rebecca Moore, MSN, RN, CEN · 3 min read · Updated October 2026
Short answer
College study guides for the HESI A2 math section list household measures, measurement conversion, and time, and study sheets add Fahrenheit and Celsius. You get an on-screen calculator, but do not count on a conversion chart, so memorise the conversion facts. Learn the short list below, then practise setting problems up as ratios.
The conversions college study sheets list
The Community College of Rhode Island's HESI conversion sheet is a good model of what to memorise. Volume: 1 teaspoon is 5 mL, 3 teaspoons make 1 tablespoon, 1 fluid ounce is 30 mL, 8 fluid ounces make a cup, 2 cups a pint, 2 pints a quart, and 4 quarts a gallon. Weight: 16 ounces make a pound and 1 kilogram is 2.2 pounds.
Length: 1 inch is 2.5 cm on that sheet, 12 inches make a foot, and 3 feet make a yard. Temperature: F equals 1.8 times C plus 32, and C equals F minus 32, divided by 1.8. Remember too that 1 mL is the same as 1 cubic centimetre, and that metric prefixes move in steps of ten: kilo, hecto, deca, base unit, deci, centi, milli.
Where conversions sit in the math section
South Texas College lists the math section's content as basic arithmetic, fractions, decimals, ratio and proportion, household measures, and general math facts, across 55 items. The Texas State Technical College study guide adds Roman numerals and measurement conversion, and Tarrant County College confirms an on-screen calculator is available.
The calculator helps with arithmetic but not with knowing that a cup is 8 fluid ounces. If you do not have the fact, the calculator cannot rescue the question, which is why conversions are worth memorising early.
Set every conversion up the same way
Write the conversion as a fraction and cancel units. To turn 66 inches into centimetres, multiply 66 inches by 2.5 cm over 1 inch: the inches cancel and you get 165 cm. For several steps, chain the fractions, such as feet to inches to centimetres, checking that each unit cancels before you calculate.
This habit catches the most common mistake, multiplying when you should divide. If the units do not cancel, the set-up is wrong. Military time is simpler: after noon, add 12 to the hour, so 3:15 pm is 1515.
Drill the facts with flashcards, then use them in real questions. Our HESI A2 math practice questions include conversions with worked explanations for every step.
Common questions
Does the HESI A2 give you a conversion chart?
Do not count on one. An on-screen calculator is provided for the math section, but you should go in with the common conversion facts memorised.
Is 1 inch 2.5 or 2.54 cm on the HESI A2?
The exact value is 2.54 cm, and many study sheets round it to 2.5. Look at the answer options: if they are close together, use 2.54; otherwise either will land on the right choice.
Are Roman numerals on the HESI A2?
College study guides, including Texas State Technical College's, list Roman numerals in the math content, so it is worth learning the basic symbols and how they combine.