HOW BIG
A Lesson in
Measurements
of all Kinds
What do YOU Think??

Which is heavier, a pound of
feathers or a pound of gold?

A pound of gold and a pound
of feathers both weigh 16 oz.
Therefore, there weight is
equal, but the feathers take
up more space, so they have
a larger mass.
What are the different ways to tell
if you are gaining or losing
weight?
 Use the scale: compare daily or
weekly.
 Even though we don’t usually
deal with gold or feathers in
health care, we are often
responsible for accurate weights
and measures as part of our daily
practice.

Examples in Health
Care

Work with a partner and list
examples of the following
measurements (volume, mass &
length) used in the health care
field.

Measure urine, blood loss, IV solution
infused
Length/weight of newborn
Patient weight
Length of crutches
Length of laceration

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Math Related
Examples &
Definitions

Give me examples of where
you would hear these terms:
Gallon? Ounce? Liter? Yard?
Kilometer?
Gallon of milk, ounce of baby formula,
liter of Pepsi,
yard on a football field, kilometer of travel
on a road

What does volume mean?
Measure of the interior of a threedimensional figure,
always expressed in cubic units.
Mass

What does mass mean?
The amount of matter in an object,
usually expressed
in pounds (lbs) or kilograms (kg).

Is mass the same as
weight?
No, mass is the amount of space an
object takes up
and weight refers to the gravitational
force exerted by
the earth. Weight is directly proportional
to mass.

What tools would you use to
measure mass and weight?
Scale, graduate container, etc.

What kind of units would you
use to measure mass,
volume or length?
Pound, cubic meters, centimeters,
millimeters, etc.
Circles in Health Care
As a review, what are the parts of a
circle?
Radius – the distance from the center of a
circle to any point on that circle.
Diameter – a line segment with endpoints on
the circle that pass through the center of the
circle (2 times the radius).
Circumference – the distance around a
circle.
Which of these measurements might we use
in health care?
Circumference – an example would be
measuring a calf for TED hose sizing.
Converting Length

A newborn is 19.5 inches long.
What is her length in
centimeters?
How many cm are in an inch? 2.54 cm=1 in.
Cross multiply the following:
Known
Unknown
 2.54 cm =
__x____
1 in
19.5 in
 1x = 49.53
(Multiply cross products)
1
1
(Divide by 1 to isolate the variable)
 x = 49.53 cm (Solve for “x”)

What is her length in meters?
How many centimeters in one meter? 100
cm=1 m
 Known
Unknown
100 cm = 49.53 cm
1m
x
 100x = 49.53
100
100
 X = 0.4953 m (rounded = .5 m = ½ m)
Converting Volume

Most adults have 6000 ml of
blood in their body. How
many ounces is that?
How many ml are in an oz? How many
cc in an oz?
30 ml/1 oz
30 cc / 1 oz
 Do ml = cc?
Known
Unknown
 30 ml
= 6000 ml
1 oz
x oz
 30x
=
6000
30
30
 x =200 oz
Now, how many quarts
is that?
How many oz in a qt? 1 qt = 32 oz. So….
Known
Unknown
 1 qt =
x
32 oz
200 oz
 32x =
200
32
32
 x = 6.25 qt
Converting Mass
John weights 190 lbs. What is his weight in kg?
How many lbs in a kilogram?
 1 kg = 2.2 lbs
Known
Unknown
 1 kg
=
x kg
2.2 lbs
190 lb
 2.2x
=
190
2.2
2.2
 x = 86.4 kg
Jobs in health care will require you to be proficient
in measurement and conversion. Today we will
learn the tools of measurement and the units
involved in the medical field.

Doing the Measuring
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Today we have set up several stations
which you will need to work your way
through.
With your assigned group, take your
packet and work through each of the
stations.
Measure the object and work through the
problems on your worksheet.
Use the charts included in the packets to
find your answers.
Attached to the worksheet you will also find
a short quiz.
Please turn in the entire packet when
completed.