It’s all about Measurement! Developing Measurement Concepts and Skills

What is Measurement? The count of how many units are needed to fill, cover, or match the attribute of an object (such as length, width, volume, weight, area) being measured. For example, to measure weight, which is a pull of gravity or a force, the weight of the object might first be applied to a spring. Then the comparison is made by finding out how many units of weight produce the same effect on the spring.

Units… just what are they? A unit is a constant amount that is used to give value to the attribute. Most people think of using rulers when they speak about measuring. Rulers, scales, protractors, or clocks are devices that make the filling or covering process easier. Units can be anything, as long as they are a consistent size and used in a consistent manner.

Units can be any of these, as long as you are consistent… Attribute: Width Units: straws, toothpicks, pencils How many units of width cover the height of the box? Attribute: Area Units: squares of paper, tiles, squares of wood Attribute: Volume Units: Cups of beans, candy, water, or rice Note: These Units shown here are informal. Formal units or common standard units, would be devices such as rulers, protractors, or weights.

To Measure Something… One must 1.Decide on the attribute to be measured –The length, the height, or the weight, etc. 2.Select a unit that has that attribute –inches, feet, pounds, etc. 3.Compare the units by filling, covering, matching, or some other method, with the attribute of the object being measured

English or Standard Metric There are two types of measurement systems:

English System InchesFractions ¼ ¾ The Whole Inch First Half Second Half 1 / 8 3 / 8 5 / 8 7 / 8 1 / 16 3 / 16 5 / 16 7 / 16 9 / / / / 16

1. Find out how many parts the inches are divided into Count the spaces in 1 inch Denominator 2. Count the number of whole inches Write down the number 3. Count the number of spaces after the last whole inch Numerator 4. Reduce fraction, if necessary

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Find Denominator Count whole inches Find Numerator Step 4Reduce fraction, if necessary

Reading a Ruler Parts of the Pie

½ Divisions 1 part of 2 = 1/2 2 parts of 2 = 2/2=1

½ Inch Divisions ½1 ½2 ½3 ½4 ½5 ½

¼ Divisions 2 parts of 4 = 2/4 = 1/2 1 part of 4 = 1/4 3 parts of 4 = 3/4

¼ Inch Divisions ¼ 2/4 (½) 3/42 ¼ 3 ½ 4-3/4

1/8 Divisions 1 part of 8 = 1/8 2 parts of 8 = 2/8 = 1/4 3 parts of 8 = 3/8 4 parts of 8 = 4/8 = 1/2 5 parts of 8 = 5/8 6 parts of 8 = 6/8 = 3/4 7 parts of 8 = 7/8

1/8 Inch Divisions 1/8 2/8 1/4 3/8 4/8 1/2 5/8 6/8 3/4 7/8

1/16 Inch Divisions 2/16 1/8 4/16 1/4 6/16 3/8 8/16 1/2 10/16 5/8 12/16 3/4 1/163/165/167/169/1611/1613/1615/16 14/16 7/8 16/16

The End