Introduction to Measurement

Developing Standard and Metric

Measuring Skills

Why Learn to Measure?

Valuable skill for a job

Valuable skill for hobbies

Valuable skill for every day life

Measurement Systems

Two types of measurement systems exist.

– Standard (Customary)

- Metric (SI or International System)

Standard (Customary) System

Inches Fractions

2

4

8

16

¼ ¾

The Whole Inch

First Half Second Half

1/8 3/8

5/8 7/8

1/16 3/16

5/16 7/16

9/16 11/16

13/16 15/16

1. Find out how many parts the inches are divided into.

Count the spaces in 1 inch.

This number will be the denominator.

2. Count the number of whole inches.

Write down the number.

3. Count the number of spaces after the last whole inch.

This number will be the numerator.

4. Reduce fraction, if necessary.

Steps in Using the

Standard (Customary) System

Step 1:

Step 2

Step 3:

Find Denominator

Count Whole Inches

Find Numerator

Step 4 Reduce Fraction, If Necessary

Let’s Review

16

7 1

Let’s Practice

What is the distance from the end of the ruler to A?

What is the distance from the end of the ruler to E?

What is the distance from the end of the ruler to D?

What is the distance from the end of the ruler to C?

What is the distance from the end of the ruler to B?

¼ in.

15/16 in.

1 ¾ in.

2 3/8 in.

3 1/16 in.

Metric System

International System of Units (SI)

Millimeters and

Centimeters Decimals

1 mm = 0.1 cm

5 mm = 0.5 cm

10 mm = 1 cm

Steps in Using the

Metric (SI) System

1. Count the number of whole centimeters

(cm). These are the larger lines with numbers

2. Count the number of lines after the whole

number.

The smaller lines are millimeters (mm).

3. Put in correct terms.

Since mm are 1/10th of a cm, if you

measure 7 marks after 1 cm, the measure

is 1.7 cm or 17 mm long.

Let’s Practice

What is the distance from the end of the ruler to A?

What is the distance from the end of the ruler to E?

What is the distance from the end of the ruler to D?

What is the distance from the end of the ruler to C?

What is the distance from the end of the ruler to B?

4 mm = 0.4 cm

19 mm = 1.9 cm

37 mm = 3.7 cm

63 mm = 6.3 cm

73 mm = 7.3 cm

Converting from Standard to Metric

Convert from: To: Multiply by:

mile kilometer (km) 1.609347

inch millimeter (mm) 25.4

inch centimeter (cm) 2.54

foot meter (m) 0.3048

yard meter (m) 0.9144

Converting from Metric to Standard

Convert from: To: Multiply by:

kilometer (km) mile 0.6214

millimeter (mm) inch 0.0394

centimeter (cm) inch 0.3937

meter (m) foot 3.281

meter (m) yard 1.094

Let’s Practice You used a meter stick to measure

your window for new shades. However, the shade packages list the measurements in English units. Luckily your cell phone has a calculator so that you can quickly convert your 81.3 cm by 91.4 cm window opening to English units. What size is your window using English units? Round to the nearest inch.

81.3 x .3937 = 32 in.

91.4 x .3937 = 36 in.

Therefore, the window opening is 32 in. by 36 in.

Image Resources

Microsoft, Inc. (2008). Clip Art. Retrieved October 7, 2008, from

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/clipart/default.aspx