Convert American hundredweight to kilograms easily.

Whether you're pricing cattle feed in Iowa or shipping cotton overseas, converting between American hundredweight and kilograms remains a practical skill in global trade. This guide breaks down everything from quick conversions to why this quirky unit still matters in the 21st century.

Unit definitions

What is an American hundredweight (cwt)?

The American hundredweight, abbreviated as cwt, is a traditional unit equal to 100 pounds (45.359237 kg). Farmers might use it to price bushels of wheat, while textile companies could measure raw cotton bales this way. You'll see it in contracts for commodities like steel rebar or livestock auctions.

Symbol: cwt
Common uses: Agriculture, manufacturing, freight
Definition: 1 cwt = 100 lb = 45.359237 kg

What is a kilogram (kg)?

The kilogram is the base unit of mass in the International System of Units (SI), defined by the Planck constant since 2019. From grocery store labels to scientific research, kilograms standardize measurements worldwide. Fun fact: The original kilogram prototype is stored under triple-locked glass in France.

Symbol: kg
Common uses: Global trade, science, everyday measurements
Definition: 1 kg = 2.20462262 pounds

Conversion formula

To convert American hundredweight to kilograms:
Kilograms = Hundredweight × 45.359237

For kilograms to hundredweight:
Hundredweight = Kilograms ÷ 45.359237

Example calculations

1. Converting 5 cwt to kg:
   5 cwt × 45.359237 = 226.796185 kg
   (Rounded to 226.80 kg)
2. Converting 200 kg to cwt:
   200 kg ÷ 45.359237 ≈ 4.4092 cwt
   (That's roughly 4 cwt and 40.9 pounds)

Conversion tables

American hundredweight to kilograms

Kilograms to American hundredweight

From medieval markets to modern farms: A weighty history

The hundredweight's story begins in medieval Europe, where merchants needed standardized measures for wool and grain. England formalized the 112-pound "long hundredweight" in 1340, while American colonists later simplified it to 100 pounds for easier calculations. This split created two versions still used today: the US short hundredweight and UK long hundredweight.

Kilograms entered the scene after the French Revolution, part of the metric system's push for decimal-based measurements. The original kilogram prototype, a platinum cylinder minted in 1799, was replaced in 2019 by a definition based on fundamental physics constants. Despite this hightech update, many US industries cling to hundredweights due to tradition and existing infrastructure.

Interesting facts

1. Paper paradox: In the US paper industry, prices are often listed per hundredweight, making a ton of paper equal to 20 cwt (2000 lbs).
2. Trucker's dilemma: Semi-trailer weight limits (40,000 lbs in the US) convert to 400 cwt, but European drivers think in 18,144 kg equivalents.
3. Farmers' shorthand: Midwestern grain elevators might list prices as "$5.60/cwt" instead of per 45.36 kg.
4. Sporting weight: Olympic weightlifting plates sometimes show both kg and approximate cwt/pound values for international athletes.
5. Space oddity: NASA uses kilograms exclusively, but legacy US aerospace documents occasionally reference hundredweights in material specs.

FAQ