Measurement and Estimation Length / Distance MCOM 520 Ryan Connors

History of Measurement What is measurement?

The English System of Measurement – Length/Distance How do we measure length and distance in the English System? Inch, Foot, Yard, Mile There are 3 feet in a yard, and 5,280 feet in a mile. How many yards are in a mile? The answer is 5,280/3 = 1,760 yards If a football field is 100 yards and there are 1,760 yards in a mile, how many football fields are in a mile? The answer is 1,760/100 = 17.6 football fields

The Metric System of Measurement – Length/Distance Who uses this form of measurement? What are some examples of units of distance in the Metric System? Units of measure in the Metric System are based on one unit of measure Length is based on the meter The meter is around 3 feet

Metric System - Length Millimeter – “milli” means Thousandth So a millimeter is actually 1 meter/1000. Centimeter – “centi” means Hundredth So, a centimeter is actually 1 meter/100. Decimeter – “deci” means Tenth So, a decimeter is actually 1 meter/10 Decameter – “deca” means Ten So a decameter is actually 1 meter X 10 Hectometer – “hecto” means One Hundred So, a hectometer is actually 1 meter X 100 Kilometer - “kilo” means One Thousand So a kilometer is actually 1 meter X 1000 http://school.discoveryeducation.com/clipart/clip/thinkingcapwhoa_color.html

Metric System - Length How many millimeters are in a kilometer? There are 1,000 millimeters in a meter, and a kilometer is 1,000 meters. So, the answer is 1000 X 1000 = 1,000,000 millimeters How many centimeters are in a kilometer? There are 100 centimeters in a meter, and a kilometer is 1,000 meters. So the answer is 100 X 1000 = 100,000 centimeters

Metric Measurement How wide is the tennis ball in centimeters? The answer – the left side of the ball appears to start at 50 centimeters. The right side of the ball seems to end at 57 centimeters. 57-50 = 7 centimeters! Bonus question: Can you figure out how many tennis balls would equal a meter? http://www.phys.selu.edu/rhett/plab194/tennis-1.jpg

Estimation What is estimation? Educated guess – Webster’s dictionary describes an educated guess as “a guess based on knowledge and experience, making it more likely to be correct”

Keyboard Estimation Exercise Take out your paper rulers! Which side is centimeters? Which side is inches?

Keyboard Estimation Exercise Measure the first three keys on the top left hand corner of the main section of keys on your keyboards. (~, 1, 2) in centimeters and inches. Enter the values into the corresponding columns on your worksheets

Keyboard Estimation Exercise Can you estimate the length of your keyboards? Enter the estimated total length of your keyboards in the corresponding columns on your worksheets

Summary The English system of length measurement uses the inch, foot, yard and mile. The Metric system of length is based on the meter. It uses the millimeter, centimeter, decimeter, decameter, hectometer, and the kilometer. We can use estimation to gain knowledge about the size of objects when we have limited resources to measure

Please complete the worksheet for the remainder of the class!

Citations Scientific Method and Measurement. United Learning (1993). Retrieved March 4, 2008, from unitedstreaming: http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com Discovering Math: Measurement (Grades 3-5). Discovery Channel School (2005). Retrieved March 4, 2008, from unitedstreaming: http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/ Worm on ruler image: http://school.discoveryeducation.com/clipart/clip/inchworm.html