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

These units are called standards because they were approved by international treaty.

http://museum.nist.gov/object.asp?ObjID=37 http://museum.nist.gov/object.asp?ObjID=22

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

• Millimeters

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http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/

File:Mechanical_pencil_lead_spilling_out_051907.jpg

Reading a RulerA 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 RulerThe 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