What method should be used when converting from U.S. Customary units to metric units?

When converting from U.S. Customary units to metric units, multiplication is often the appropriate method because it reflects the relationship between the two systems. Each U.S. Customary unit corresponds to a specific value in the metric system, and these values are often expressed as conversion factors.

For instance, when converting inches to centimeters, you multiply the number of inches by the conversion factor of 2.54 (since 1 inch equals 2.54 cm). This multiplication process ensures that you accurately represent the quantity being converted in the metric system, capturing the larger or smaller scale inherent in the conversion.

The other methods listed, such as division or using square roots and exponents, do not directly apply to the standard unit conversions between these two systems, making multiplication the correct and most effective method for these conversions.