Both pounds (lbs) and kilograms (kg) are used to measure weight or mass. Pounds are an imperial unit most often used in America, while kilograms are a metric unit commonly used in European countries. Note that 1 pound is equal to 0.454 kilograms and 1 kilogram is equal to 2.2046 pounds. There are multiple ways to easily convert between the two units.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Pounds to Kilograms

  1. 1
    Divide the number of pounds by 2.2046 to use the standard equation. For example, if you want to convert 50 pounds to kilograms, divide 50 by 2.2046, which is equal to 22.67985 kg. To convert 200 pounds to kilograms, divide 200 by 2.2046, which is equal to 90.71940 kg.[1]
  2. 2
    Multiply the number of pounds by 0.454 as an alternative. If you find multiplication easier to do in your head than division, you can use a different conversion factor to convert pounds to kilograms. For instance, to convert 100 pounds to kilograms, multiply 100 by 0.454, which is 45.4 kg.[2]
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  3. 3
    Round your answer to the hundredths place. In most instances, you won’t need to use more than 3 numbers after the decimal point. So, if your answer is 22.67985, round that to 22.68. As another example, round 90.71940 to 90.72.[3]
    • Avoid rounding the number of pounds before you convert them to kilograms.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Kilograms to Pounds

  1. 1
    Multiply the number of kilograms by 2.2046 to use the traditional formula. For instance, to convert 75 kilograms to pounds, multiply 75 by 2.2046, which is 165.345 lbs. To convert 350 kilograms to pounds, multiply 350 by 2.2046, which is 771.61 lbs.[4]
  2. 2
    Divide the number of kilograms by 0.454 if you find that easier. If you prefer, you can use division to convert kilograms to pounds. For example, if you want to convert 25 kilograms to pounds, divide 25 by 0.454, which is 55.066 lbs. Or, divide 500 kilograms by 0.454 to get 1,101.321 lbs.[5]
  3. 3
    Remember that there will be more pounds than kilograms. Because 1 kilogram is equal to 2.2046 pounds, there will always be more pounds than kilograms once you do the conversion. Keep this in mind and recheck your calculations if you ever have more pounds than kilograms.[6]
    • For instance, 30 kilograms is equal to 66.138 pounds and 1,000 kilograms is equal to 2,204.6 pounds. In both examples, there are more pounds than kilograms.
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Worksheet to Convert Pounds to Kilograms

Community Q&A

  • Question
    How many pounds does sixty kilograms equal?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    60 kilograms is equal to 132.277 pounds. You can use the methods above or an online calculator to convert between the units.
  • Question
    74.4 kilograms is how many pounds?
    Donagan
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    One kilogram equals 2.2 pounds.
  • Question
    How do I convert kilograms to pounds?
    Donagan
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Multiply kilograms by 2.2.
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About This Article

Sophia Latorre
Co-authored by:
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Sophia Latorre. Sophia Latorre is a Content Manager on the wikiHow team. Before joining wikiHow, Sophia worked as a technical editor and was published in six International Energy Agency (IEA) Wind Annual Reports. Now, she writes, edits, and reviews articles for the wikiHow Content Team, working to make the content as helpful as possible for readers worldwide. Sophia holds a BA in English from Colorado State University. This article has been viewed 970,229 times.
3 votes - 100%
Co-authors: 29
Updated: January 28, 2023
Views: 970,229
Categories: Conversion Aids
Article SummaryX

To convert pounds to kilograms, you can use the standard equation by dividing the number of pounds by 2.2046 to calculate the kilograms. Use a calculator to make it easy on yourself! Alternatively, you can multiply the number of pounds by 0.45, which will also give you the number of kilograms. No matter which method you use, be sure to round your answer to the hundredths place. For example, if your answer is 22.67985, you should round that to 22.68 kilograms. For tips on converting kilograms back to pounds, read on!

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