Topic 2 - Measurement

Mathematics is the universal language that transcends borders and cultures, providing a structured and
systematic way to understand and quantify the world around us. One of the most fundamental applications of
mathematics is in the measurement of various physical quantities. In this discussion, we will delve into the
world of mathematical measurement, exploring its significance and applications in measuring time, length,
mass, volume, perimeter, and area.
Time
Time is a concept that has intrigued humanity for millennia. Math plays a critical role in measuring time, and
the standard unit, the second, is defined in terms of atomic vibrations. The use of mathematical principles in
timekeeping has led to the development of accurate and sophisticated time measurement devices, such as
atomic clocks. The ability to measure time with precision has transformed fields ranging from physics to daily
life, with applications in space exploration, telecommunications, and even global positioning systems.
What Is Time?
In math, time can be defined as an ongoing and continuous sequence of events that occur in succession, from
past through the present, and to the future.
Time is used to quantify, measure, or compare the duration of events or the intervals between them, and even,
sequence events.
We measure time in seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years with clocks and calendars.
A day has 24 hours. We use A.M. to tell the time running from midnight to noon and P.M. for the time running
from noon to midnight.
We do not write A.M. or P.M. at 12 o’clock in the afternoon and 12 o’clock at midnight. 12 o’clock at noon is
written as 12 noon and 12 o’clock at midnight is written as 12 midnight.

Measurement of Time Using a Clock

1. Analog Clock or the 12-hour clock
We measure and define what time of the day it is using clocks. A clock in general has 12 numbers written on it,
from 1 to 12. It has an hour hand and a minute hand. Some clocks have a third hand as well. It shows time
in seconds and is the fastest-moving hand. The time is usually based on a 12-hour clock.

The hour hand, the shorter of the two hands, completes 1 rotation (360°) in 12 hours in a normal 12-
hour analog. The minute hand, the longer hand, completes 1 rotation through 360° in 60 minutes.
2. Digital Clock or the 24-hour clock
Generally, we use the 12-hour clock to measure time. But railways, airlines, armed forces, and newspapers use
the 24-hour clock.
On the 24-hour clock, the hours from midnight to the next midnight are marked 0 to 24.
 On a 24-hour clock, we use 4 digits.
 The two digits on the right show the minutes past an hour.
 The two digits on the left show the number of hours.
For example:
12:45 means it is 45 minutes past 12 hours
18:20 means it is 20 minutes past 18 hours
A day starts at midnight. So, the time at midnight is expressed as 00:00 hours.
The day ends at midnight. So, midnight is also expressed as 24:00 hours.

Rules for converting time on a 24-hour clock to time on a 12-hour clock:

We use A.M. if the number of hours is less than 12
For Example:
16:00 hours becomes 4:00 P.M. (16 – 12 = 4)
17:20 hours becomes 5:20 P.M. (17 – 12 = 5)
00:00 hours or 24:00 hours is expressed as 12 midnight.
12:00 hours is expressed as 12 noon.
12:30 is 12:30 P.M.
00:25 hours is 12:25 A.M.

Rules for converting time on a 12-hour clock time to time on a 24-hour clock:
If the time is before 1:00 P.M, we write the same time.
6:20 A.M. is expressed as 06:20 hours
12:25 P.M. is expressed as 12:25 hours
If the time is beyond 1:00 P.M., we add 12 to the number of hours.
4:45 P.M. is expressed as 16:45 hours (4 + 12 = 16)
Conversion:
1 day = 24 hours
1 hour = 60 minutes
1 minute = 60 seconds
1 hour = 3600 seconds

Length
Length measurement is a fundamental aspect of mathematics that has applications in diverse fields, from
construction and engineering to science and art. The use of units such as meters, feet, and inches, and the
principles of geometry, trigonometry, and calculus, enable accurate length measurements. The introduction of
more advanced measurement tools, like lasers and GPS, has greatly enhanced our ability to measure lengths
precisely.
Outside of the mathematics class, context usually guides our choice of vocabulary: the length of a string,
the width of a doorway, the height of a flagpole, the depth of a pool. But in describing rectangles or brick-
shaped objects, the choice of vocabulary seems less clear.
Question: Should we label the two dimensions of a rectangle length and width; or width and height; or
even length and height? Is there a “correct” use of the terms length, width, height, and depth?

Rectangles of various shapes and positions.

The choice of vocabulary here is entirely about clarity and lack of ambiguity. Mathematics does not prescribe
rules about “proper” use of these terms for that context. In mathematics as elsewhere, the purpose of
specialized vocabulary is to serve clear, unambiguous communication. In this case, our natural way of talking
gives us some guidelines.
Length: If you choose to use the word length, it should refer to the longest dimension of the rectangle. Think of
how you would describe the distance along a road: it is the long distance, the length of the road. (The
words along, long, and length are all related.) The distance across the road tells how wide the road is from one
side to the other. That is the width of the road. (The words wide and width are related, too.)
When a rectangle is drawn “slanted” on the page, like this, it is usually clearest to label the long side “length”
and the other side “width,” as if you were labeling a road.

Slanted rectangle.
Height: When a rectangle is drawn with horizontal and vertical sides, the word height makes it clear which
dimension is meant; height labels how high (how tall) the rectangle is. That makes it easy to indicate the other
dimension—how wide the rectangle is from side to side—by using the word width. And if the side-to-side
measurement is greater than the height, calling it the length of the rectangle is also acceptable, as it creates no
confusion.

Rectangles of various orientations.

Notice that in this case, when height is used, the comparative size doesn’t matter. Because height is always
vertical, either measurement, width or height, can be greater.
When the word height is used in conjunction with base, it has a specific meaning that does not necessarily refer
to a vertical measurement.

Three dimensions
When naming the dimensions of a three-dimensional figure, the only rule is make sense and be clear. It will
help to use labels.
When the figure is “level,” height clearly refers to the vertical dimension—how tall the figure is—regardless of
whether that dimension is greatest or least or something in between; length (if you use the word) refers to the
longer of the other two dimensions. But you may also refer to the other dimensions as width and depth (and
these are pretty much interchangeable, depending on what “seems” wide or deep about the figure). See these
examples.

When height would be unclear—for example if the figure is not “level” —people cannot know what
is meant by width, depth, or height without labels, although length is generally still assumed to refer to the
longest measurement on the figure. And, as in two dimensions, terms like “length,” “width,” and “height”
won’t feel natural or be clear for some shapes, like a tennis ball.
What’s in a word?
Length, width, height, and depth are nouns are derived from the adjectives long, wide, high, and deep. They
follow a common English pattern that involves a vowel change (often to a shorter vowel) and the addition of th.
(The lone t in height is modern. Obsolete forms include heighth and highth, and it is still common to hear
people pronounce it that way.)

Wide deep high long broad

Widt dept heigh lengt breadt

h h t h h

What is the Metric System?

The metric system can be defined as a system of measurement that uses the litre, metre, and gram as base units
of metric length (distance), capacity (volume), and weight (mass) respectively.
To measure larger or smaller quantities, we use units derived from the metric units.
 The units to the right of the base are lesser than the base unit. As we move to the right, each unit is ten
times smaller or one-tenth of the unit to its left. So, the word ‘deci’ means one-tenth of the base unit,
‘centi’ is one-tenth of ‘deci’ or one-hundredth of the base unit and ‘milli’ is one-tenth of ‘centi’ or one-
thousandth of the base unit.
 The units to the left of the base unit are larger than the base unit. As we move to the left side, each unit
is 10 times greater than the unit to its right side. So, a ‘deca’ means 10 times of the base unit, ‘hecto’ is
ten times of ‘deca’ or hundred times of the base unit and ‘killo’ is ten times of ‘hecto’ or thousand times
of the base unit.

Kilo Hecto Deca Base Unit Deci Centi Milli

1000 100 10 1 1/10 1/100 1/1000

So, the units for metric length, capacity(volume), and weight (mass) in the metric system are:

Metric Length: Centimeter (cm), Millimeter (mm), Meter (m), Decimeter (dm), and Kilometer (km) are used
to measure how wide or long, or tall an object is.

What is the SI Unit of Metric Length?

In the metric system, the SI unit of length is a meter which is defined as follows:

“The metric length of the path that is travelled by light in a vaccum within 1⁄299792458 seconds”.

Some of the other units also include:

 Kilometres
 Nanometer
 Millimetres
 Centimetres
 Meters
 Decimeters

For understanding how big the metric units are, look at the table below:

Metric Example

Millimetre The thickness of a credit card or a plastic id card is about a millimetre thick
 Centimetre A fingernail is about a centimetre wide

Meter A guitar is a meter long

Kilometre The distance between cities is measured in kilometres

Other Non-SI Metric Length Units

If we take a look at the Imperial and U.S. customary systems, then the basic unit of metric length is the yard.
Some other units include:
 Thou (1⁄1000 of an inch)
 Line (1⁄12 of an inch)
 Inch (25.4 mm)
 Foot (12 inches, 0.3048 m)
Measure of Metric Lengths

10 millimeters (mm) = 1 centimeter (cm)

10 centimeters (cm) = 1 decimeter (dm) = 100 millimeters

100 centimeters (cm) = 1 meter (m) = 1,000 millimeters

1000 meters (m) = 1 kilometer (km)

Examples include measuring the thickness or metric length of cloth, a debit card, or distance between 2 cities.

Kilometer (km) (Kiran) 1000

Hectometer (hm) (Had) 100

Decameter (dam) (Drawn) 10

Meter (m) (Many) 1

Decimeter (dm) (Different) 1/10

Centimeter (cm) (Colourful) 1/100

 Millimeter (mm) (Masks) 1/1000

Converting Larger Units to Smaller Units

 1 centimeter = 10 millimeters
 1 meter = 100 centimeters
 1 meter = 1,000 millimeters
 1 kilometer = 1,000 meters
To Convert bigger units to smaller units we multiply the number of large units by the conversion factor for the
appropriate smaller units.
The Table Given Below Makes Conversion Easy:

If You Have This Do This To Get This

Millimeters (mm) Divide by 10 (mm/10) Centimeter (cm)

Centimeters (cm) Multiply by 10 (cm * 10) Millimeters (mm)

Meters (m) Multiply by 100 (m * 100) Centimeters (cm)

Centimeters (cm) Divide by 100 (cm/100) Meters (m)

Millimeters (mm) Divide by 1000 (mm/1000) Meters (m)

1 km = 1000 m
1 m = 100 cm
1 m = 1000 mm
1 cm = 10 mm

Mass
Measuring mass involves using mathematical concepts related to weight and gravitational force. Units such as
kilograms, pounds, and grams are used to quantify mass. Math helps us design and calibrate scales and
balances for precise measurements. Accurate mass measurements are crucial in industries like chemistry,
physics, and healthcare, ensuring the safety and efficacy of various processes and products.
Weight is the measure of how heavy an object is. Weight is measured in standard customary units.
The mass of an object is the amount of material it contains. Mass is measured in standard metric units.
For everyday purposes, when you're on the surface of the earth, the difference is not important. But if you
measure something on another planet, its mass will be the same as it is on earth—but its weight will be
different. (Weight depends on gravity, and gravity is different on other planets! This is why when you're
floating in space, you're weightless. You still have mass, though,)

Metric Units
The gram and kilogram are two units used to measure mass in the metric system.
From the gram, we get the rest of the metric units using the standard metric prefixes.

Milligram(mg) 0.0010.001 gram

or 1100011000 grams

Centigram(cg) 0.010.01 gram or 11001100 grams

Decigram (dg) 0.10.1 gram or 110110 grams

Gram(g) 1,0001,000 milligrams

Dekagram (dag) 1010 grams

Hectogram (hg) 100100 grams

Kilogram (kg) 1,0001,000 grams

Metric ton(t) 1,0001,000 kilograms

U.S. Customary Units

The system for measuring weight (not mass) in the customary system is based on ounce, pound, and ton. The
basic unit of weight is a pound(lb).
1 pound (lb) = 16 ounces (oz)
1 ton (T) = 2,000 pounds

Volume
Volume, the amount of space occupied by an object or substance, can be measured using mathematical
principles. Units like liters, gallons, and cubic meters are employed. Geometry and calculus play a vital role in
determining the volume of complex shapes. Applications range from determining the volume of a liquid in a
container to calculating the volume of irregularly shaped objects in fields like architecture and engineering.
Every three-dimensional object occupies some space. This space is measured in terms of its volume.
Volume is defined as the space occupied within the boundaries of an object in three-dimensional space. It is
also known as the capacity of the object.
Finding the volume of an object can help us to determine the amount required to fill that object, like the amount
of water needed to fill a bottle, an aquarium or a water tank.

Volume of 3-Dimensional Shapes:

Since different three-dimensional objects have different shapes, their volumes are also variable. Let us look at
some three-dimensional shapes and learn how to calculate their volume(V).
Sphere
The simplest and most common type of three-dimensional shape is a sphere. Some examples of spheres that we
see in daily life includes balls, globes, decorative lights, oranges, etc. The simplest measurement that can be
made on a sphere is its radius. The volume of the sphere is calculated using its radius.
Volume of a Sphere = 43πr3, where r is the radius of the sphere.

Cube
The next simple and common three-dimensional shape is the cube. It is identified by the unique property that
each side of the cube is of the same length. Some everyday examples of objects in the shape of a cube are dice,
Rubik’s cubes, sugar cubes, gift boxes, etc. The volume of a cube is calculated using the length of its side.
Volume of a Cube = a3, where a is the length of each side of the cube.

Cuboid
Cuboid shape is also referred to as the rectangular prism. In a cuboid, the length of the sides will vary. The
following notation is used to represent the sides of a cuboid.
 Length = l
 Breadth = b
 Height = h
All these dimensions are used to calculate the volume of a cuboid. Common examples of cuboids are books,
shoe boxes, bricks, mattresses, etc.
Volume of a Cuboid = l x b x h

Cylinder
A cylinder is also a three-dimensional shape with circular bases and a height separating the two bases.
Everyday objects that are cylindrical include water bottles, buckets, candles, cans, etc. The volume of a
cylinder is calculated by measuring the radius of the base and the height.
Volume of a Cylinder = πr2h, where r is the radius of the base, and h is the height of the cylinder.

Cone
A cone is a three-dimensional shape that we commonly see around us. An ice-cream cone, a party hat, a funnel,
or a Christmas tree, all of these are examples of a cone. A cone is a distinctive three-dimensional geometric
figure that has a flat surface and a curved surface, pointed towards the top.
Volume of a Cone = 13πr2h, where r is the radius of the base of the cone, and h is the height of the cone from
the base to the top.

Volume Measurement
Volume is calculated for three-dimensional objects and hence is represented in cubic units or another format of
writing cubic unit; as this is commonly used (unit)³ such as cubic centimeters, cubic inch, cubic foot, cubic
meter, etc If the length or radius is measured in centimeters, then the volume is measured in cubic centimeters
(cm3). If the measurements are in meters, the volume is measured in cubic meters (m3).
When we measure the volume of liquids (for example, to find the volume of water that a cylindrical bottle can
hold), we have to change the values in cm3 or m3 into liters. The volume can be converted from liters to
centimeters using the following formula.
1 l = 1000 cm3
1 l = 1000 ml
1000 cm3 = 1000 ml
So, 1 cm3 = 1 ml

Summary of How to Compute Volume of 3D Object

Perimeter
Perimeter refers to the distance around the boundary of a two-dimensional shape. Geometry provides
the mathematical tools necessary to calculate perimeters. This concept is widely used in various fields,
from landscaping and architecture to sports field design. Precise perimeters ensure efficient use of space
and resources.
What is a Perimeter?
In geometry, the perimeter of a shape is defined as the total length of its boundary. The perimeter
of a shape is determined by adding the length of all the sides and edges enclosing the shape. It is
measured in linear units of measurement like centimeters, meters, inches, or feet.
Let’s try to calculate the perimeter of the following shape:
Perimeter of a shape = Sum of all its sides,
Therefore,
Perimeter of the given shape = 6 cm + 5 cm + 5 cm + 4 cm + 3 cm = 23 cm.

How to Find Perimeter

Perimeter of a Regular Shape
We know that the length of each side of a regular polygon is the same.
Therefore,
Perimeter of regular polygon = sum of all its sides = number of sides ✕ length of one side.
For example, look at the given regular pentagon.

The perimeter of the given regular pentagon can be calculated as follows:

Number of sides = 5
Length of one side = 4 cm

Therefore, Perimeter = number of sides ✕ length of one side

= 5 ✕ 4 = 20 cm
The given table summarizes the formulas to find the perimeter of some regular polygons:
Perimeter of An Irregular Shape
Since the sides of an irregular polygon may not all be the same in length, we use the general formula to
find the perimeter of an irregular shape.

Therefore,
Perimeter of irregular polygon = sum of all sides

Area
Area is the measure of the extent of a two-dimensional surface. Mathematical techniques like
integration, geometric formulas, and trigonometry are essential for area measurement. Whether
calculating the area of a room for flooring installation, a piece of land for real estate purposes, or
determining the surface area of complex shapes in physics, mathematics is indispensable.
Definition of Area
Area is defined as the total space taken up by a flat (2-D) surface or shape of an object.
The space enclosed by the boundary of a plane figure is called its area. The area of a figure is the
number of unit squares that cover the surface of a closed figure. Area is measured in square units like
cm² and m². Area of a shape is a two dimensional quantity.
The term “area” refers to the space inside the boundary or perimeter of a closed shape. The geometry of
such a shape contains at least three sides joined together to form a boundary. Symbolic representation of
 such space in mathematics refers to the “area” formula. To represent and draw real-life objects,
designers and architects use different shapes such as circle, triangle, quadrilateral, and polygon.

The invention of the wheel was the prime step of translating objects into geometric shapes. In the early
days, the interpretation of “area” using a formula for geometric shapes evolved from the experiments
conducted by Archimedes.

What is the formula of Calculating Area?

We can calculate the area of a shape using a grid. The area of any shape is the number of square units that can
fit into it. The grid is made of many squares and each square has sides 1 unit by 1 unit, i.e., the area of each
square is 1 square unit. Each square is known as a unit square.
Take a pencil and draw a square on a piece of paper. It is a 2-D figure. The space the shape takes up on the
paper is called its Area.
Now, imagine your square is made up of smaller unit squares. The area of a figure is counted as the number of
unit squares required to cover the overall surface area of that particular 2-D shape. Square cms, square feet,
square inches, square meters, etc., are some of the common units of area measurement.
The easiest method to interpret the area of geometric shapes is using “unit squares”. A unit square is a square
with each of its side length measuring 1 unit. Using this as a basis, the area of a polygon is the number of
unit squares within a shape.
To find out the area of the square figures drawn below, draw unit squares of 1-centimeter sides. Thus, the shape
will be measured in ��2, also known as square centimeters.