Quantify It!
Introduction to Measurement Scales
Measurement Methods
• What are some ways to
measure distance?
• What are some
potential problems?
Adapted from http://www.ebibleteacher.com/images/cubit.jpg
Standards (SI)
• Meter
• Kilogram
• Second
http://museum.nist.gov/object.asp?ObjID=37
http://museum.nist.gov/object.asp?ObjID=22
These units are called standards because
they were approved by international treaty.
Measure or Estimate?
• We estimate quantities in situations requiring
a quick, approximate answer.
• We measure quantities when an exact answer
is necessary.
http://rockyjohnson.blogspot.com/2007/04/framing-house.html
http://www.unlawyer.net/photos/?a=supermarket-shopping&i=194
Estimating Distances
• However, we don't estimate distances by
rounding!
• In order to estimate distances, we must
understand length scales.
• Length scales are standardized in English and
Metric units.
Miles, Kilometers
http://reference.aol.com/atlas
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7491948/
Meters
http://gizmodo.com/5037271/water-cube-olympic-pool-not-responsible-for-michael-phelpss-aquaman-superpowers
Yards
http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/11/13/2328256
Feet
http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/phi/ballpark/seating_pricing.jsp
http://kissoflife.wordpress.com/tag/beijing-olympics/
Inches, Centimeters, Millimeters
• Inches, Centimeters
http://www.okoffice.com.au/product.asp?pID=36273&cID=1420
• Millimeters
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/
File:Mechanical_pencil_lead_spilling_
out_051907.jpg
Reading a Ruler
A metric ruler is divided into centimeters and
millimeters. There are 10 mm in 1 cm.
An English ruler marked in 8ths. Every mark is
1/8th of an inch.
An English ruler marked in 16ths. Every mark is
1/16th of an inch.
http://www.onlineconversion.com/faq_05.htm
Reading a Ruler
The center mark between numbers is 1/2.
The red lines on these rulers are marked at
1/2, and 1.
The next smallest marks on a ruler are 1/4ths.
The red marks on these rulers are at
1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and 1. (1/2 is the same as 2/4)
The next smallest marks on a ruler are 1/8ths.
The red marks on these rulers are at
1/8, 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 5/8, 3/4, 7/8, and 1.
The red marks on this ruler are at
1/16, 1/8, 3/16, 1/4, 5/16, 3/8, 7/16, 1/2, 9/16,
5/8, 11/16, 3/4, 13/16, 7/8, 15/16, and 1.
When marking down a distance from a ruler, mark the whole
inch, followed by a space, then the fraction of an inch.
http://www.onlineconversion.com/faq_05.htm
In your notebook, estimate:
• Length of whiteboard (in meters)
• Height of your desk chair (in feet)
• Length of the calculator (in inches)
• Width of whiteboard ledge (in mm)
Check the answers!
Length of whiteboard (in meters):
Height of your desk chair (in feet):
Length of the calculator (in inches):
Width of whiteboard ledge (in mm):
Units and Abbreviations
1 inch = 1 in = 1”
1 foot = 1 ft = 1’
1 yard = 1 yd
1 mile = 1 mi
1 millimeter = 1 mm
1 centimeter = 1 cm
1 meter = 1 m
1 kilometer = 1 km
1 ft = 12 in
1 yd = 3 ft
1 mi = 5280 ft
1 cm = 10 mm
1 m = 100 cm
1 km= 1000 m