MEASUREMENT WHERE DID IT BEGIN? WHY? KATHERINE DANGLE KZD5237

DEFINITION OF MEASUREMENT “Associating numbers with physical qualities” For example- The table is 6 inches high from the ground. Physical Quality Number

WHAT WAS DISCOVERED ABOUT MEASUREMENT? It was discovered that with being able to associate numbers with the physical qualities one was able to compare the quantities by comparing the numbers. Different civilizations began to develop their own ways of measuring and associating numbers with certain qualities. These civilizations marked the basis of the concept of measurement and the discoveries that were made about it

THE EGYPTIANS’ DISCOVERY For weights, the earliest object being weighed were seeds and beans. Measurements were based off of the human body. (Stride length, length of a foot) The Egyptian Cubit Discovered in 3000 BC, the standard royal cubit was used for measurement The length of the arm from the elbow to fingertips Subdivisions were made for measurements smaller than the standard cubit

MORE DISCOVERIES… BABYLONIANS The Babylonian Cubit which was a little longer than the Egyptians’ Subdivisions were based on the number 12 HARRAPAN SYSTEM “Earliest known decimal system of weights and numbers” Knew how to accurately measure their construction

THE GREEKS’ DISCOVERY Their basic unit of length was the size of a finger Derived from the Egyptian and Babylonian units of measurement Was used greatly because of the large trade area in Greece

THE ROMANS’ DISCOVERY Adapted the Greeks’ system of measurement Their basis was the foot divided into 12 inches

WHAT DID PEOPLE THINK BEFORE THERE WAS MEASUREMENT? Before the metric system and all of these discoveries made by different civilizations people did not have much to go off of when measuring an object Like the early Egyptians, many used objects to measure objects (seeds and beans for weights) There was no comparison of objects that truly compared them accurately with numbers Before the discoveries measurement was something that no one really had much knowledge about

THE IMPACT MEASUREMENT LEFT ON SOCIETY Babylonians Their discovery created a problem with basing their measurements on 12 instead of 10 because 10 was the normal numbers to base measurements off of Greeks Discovering the use of measurements greatly improved their trade system and increased the accuracy of trade England, France, and Other Countries Countries found it difficult on deciding as to what number system to use

REFERENCES Images retrieved from Google Images O'Connr, J J, and E F Robertson. "The History of Measurement." Measurement. MacTutor History of Mathematics, Apr Web. 19 Oct