| Pounds (lb) | Ounces (oz) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 16 |
| 2 | 32 |
| 3 | 48 |
| 4 | 64 |
| 5 | 80 |
| 6 | 96 |
| 7 | 112 |
| 8 | 128 |
| 9 | 144 |
| 10 | 160 |
| Pounds (lb) | Ounces (oz) |
|---|---|
| 12 | 192 |
| 15 | 240 |
| 20 | 320 |
| 25 | 400 |
| 30 | 480 |
| 40 | 640 |
| 50 | 800 |
| 60 | 960 |
| 75 | 1,200 |
| 100 | 1,600 |
From decimal pounds to pounds and ounces
Digital scales often show decimal pounds, while recipes, birth announcements and US parcel labels use pounds and ounces. To split a decimal, keep the whole number as pounds and multiply only the part after the point by 16. 5.25 lb is 5 lb 4 oz; 9.9 lb is 9 lb 14.4 oz.
Going the other way, divide the ounces by 16 and add them to the pounds. 3 lb 10 oz is 3 + 10/16 = 3.625 lb. Once you have a decimal, any further conversion, to kilograms for example, is a single multiplication.
Postage and parcel services in the US step their prices by the ounce for light items and by the pound for heavier ones, so knowing both readings of a weight helps you see which price band a package falls into.
Common pound fractions
- 1/4 lb = 4 oz
- 1/2 lb = 8 oz
- 3/4 lb = 12 oz
- 1 lb = 16 oz
- 1.5 lb = 24 oz
- 2 lb = 32 oz
Why sixteen
The avoirdupois system grew out of medieval trade, where weights were split by repeated halving: a pound into halves, quarters, eighths and sixteenths. Sixteen ounces suited balance scales and a set of brass weights, even if it makes decimal math harder today. The troy system, kept for gold and silver, follows a different pattern of 12 ounces per pound.
Since 1959 the pound has been exactly 0.45359237 kg, so each ounce is 28.349523125 g. Lbs to kg and oz to g put both units in metric terms.
Fluid ounces are a different unit
A recipe that lists 8 fl oz of milk means a volume, about 237 mL. It is not half a pound, although for water and milk the two come out close.
One pound in other weight units
One pound in every other weight unit on this site
- Milligrams453,592.37 mg
- Grams453.59237 g
- Kilograms0.45359237 kg
- Metric tons0.00045359237 t
- Ounces16 oz
- Stone0.071428571 st
Lbs to oz questions
How many ounces are in a pound?
Sixteen. The avoirdupois pound used for food, parcels and body weight is divided into 16 ounces.
How many ounces is 1.75 lb?
28 oz. Multiply 1.75 by 16.
How do I turn 7.4 lb into pounds and ounces?
Keep the 7 lb and multiply the 0.4 by 16, which gives 6.4 oz. The weight is 7 lb 6.4 oz.
Are there 12 ounces in a pound?
Only in the troy system used for precious metals, where a troy pound has 12 troy ounces. For everyday weights the answer is 16.