Convert function won't convert mph to m/s

[JenniferMurphy]

I've used the Convert function many times. For some reason, it fails when I try to convert miles/hour to meters/second:

[TABLE="class: grid, width: 433"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD="align: center"]R/C[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]C[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]D[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]E[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]4[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]mi/hr[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]m/s[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]formula[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]5[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]60[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]#N/A[/TD]
[TD]D5: =CONVERT(C5,"mph","m/sec")[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]6[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]60[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]#N/A[/TD]
[TD]D6: =CONVERT(C6,"mph","m/s")[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

Now what am I doing wrong?

The 60s in Col C are formatted as General. I also tried them as Number, but it still fails.

 

[VBA Geek]

Check your excel version, if, when you enter the function, "mpH" is not available as second argument then your version of excel does not support this argument. If I open Excel 2010 I dont have it for instance, but I do on 2016

just multiply your miles per hour by 0.44704 to get meters per second

 

[footoo]

These conversion units are not available in versions before XL2013

 

[JenniferMurphy]

Check your excel version, if, when you enter the function, "mpH" is not available as second argument then your version of excel does not support this argument. If I open Excel 2010 I don't have it for instance, but I do on 2016

This page says that the units listed are valid for 2016, 2013, 2010, and 2007 (mine).

https://support.office.com/en-us/article/CONVERT-function-d785bef1-808e-4aac-bdcd-666c810f9af2

This example suggests that neither "mph" nor "m/s" are valid for 2007.

[TABLE="class: grid, width: 433"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD="align: center"]R/C[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]C[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]D[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]E[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]4[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]mi/hr[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]m/s[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]formula[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]5[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]60[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]#N/A[/TD]
[TD]D5: =CONVERT(C5,"mph","m/sec")[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]6[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]60[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]#N/A[/TD]
[TD]D6: =CONVERT(C6,"mph","m/s")[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]7[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]60[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]#N/A[/TD]
[TD]D7: =CONVERT(C7,"m/s","m/s")[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]8[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]60[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]#N/A[/TD]
[TD]D8: =CONVERT(C8,"mph","mph")[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

just multiply your miles per hour by 0.44704 to get meters per second

Thanks, I know how to do it manually, but I'd sure like to know why Convert doesn't work as advertised.

 

[welshgasman]

Use the Contact Us link and let them know the page is incorrect.
It does not work in my 2007 either, but "in" and "ft" do, so I would guess they have added to the page over the years, but not amended the references to the various versions.?

 

[footoo]

This page says that the units listed are valid for 2016, 2013, 2010, and 2007 (mine).

https://support.office.com/en-us/article/CONVERT-function-d785bef1-808e-4aac-bdcd-666c810f9af2

This example suggests that neither "mph" nor "m/s" are valid for 2007.

That's strange. Looks like MS have got it wrong.
This link says they are not available until XL2013 :
http://www.excelfunctions.net/Excel-Convert-Function.html

 

[JenniferMurphy]

Use the Contact Us link and let them know the page is incorrect.

I'm tired of correcting the errors and omissions on almost every page of MSFT help.

 

[JenniferMurphy]

That's strange. Looks like MS have got it wrong.

Yeah, what a surprise.

This link says they are not available until XL2013 :
http://www.excelfunctions.net/Excel-Convert-Function.html

Thanks for that link -- soooo much better than the one from M$FT.

 

[Rick Rothstein]

just multiply your miles per hour by 0.44704 to get meters per second

Thanks, I know how to do it manually, but I'd sure like to know why Convert doesn't work as advertised.

If you are insistent on using CONVERT and the direct conversion does not exist, you can construct it proportionally. Since 60 mph is the same as 60miles/1hour and meters per second is the same as 1meter/1second, you could simply do this...

=CONVERT(60,"mi","m")/CONVERT(1,"hr","sec")

 

[JenniferMurphy]

If you are insistent on using CONVERT and the direct conversion does not exist,

I'm not "insistent" on anything other than products working as advertised and, generally, as expected. M$FT frequently falls very short on both measures.

you can construct it proportionally. Since 60 mph is the same as 60miles/1hour and meters per second is the same as 1meter/1second, you could simply do this...

=CONVERT(60,"mi","m")/CONVERT(1,"hr","sec")

Yes, there are many work-arounds. Maybe they should change the name of the company to Workaroundsoft.