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

The Whole Inch

First Half
Second Half

1
3
5
7
/8
/8
/8
/8

2
4
8

/16

/16

/16

/16

/16

/16

11

/16

13

/16

15

16

Steps in Using the

Standard (Customary) System
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.

Lets Review

Count Step
Whole
2 Inches

3
Find Step
Numerator
7
Find Step
Denominator
16 1

Reduce Fraction,
Step 4 If Necessary

Lets Practice

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

What is the distance from the end of the ruler to B?
What is the distance from the end of the ruler to C?
What is the distance from the end of the ruler to D?
What is the distance from the end of the ruler to E?

in.
15/16 in.
1 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.

Lets Practice

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

What is the distance from the end of the ruler to B?
What is the distance from the end of the ruler to C?
What is the distance from the end of the ruler to D?
What is the distance from the end of the ruler to E?

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:
mile
inch
inch
foot
yard

To:
kilometer (km)
millimeter (mm)
centimeter (cm)
meter (m)
meter (m)

Multiply by:
1.609347
25.4
2.54
0.3048
0.9144

Converting from Metric to Standard

Convert from:
kilometer (km)
millimeter (mm)
centimeter (cm)
meter (m)
meter (m)

To:
mile
inch
inch
foot
yard

Multiply by:
0.6214
0.0394
0.3937
3.281
1.094

Lets 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