{"id":140,"date":"2023-01-06T17:47:30","date_gmt":"2023-01-06T22:47:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/chapter\/measuring\/"},"modified":"2025-01-22T13:24:02","modified_gmt":"2025-01-22T18:24:02","slug":"measuring","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/chapter\/measuring\/","title":{"raw":"Topic C: Measuring","rendered":"Topic C: Measuring"},"content":{"raw":"<h1>Measuring Distance and Length<\/h1>\nThe metre is the base unit for this purpose. In Topic C, all the prefixes were combined with the base unit <em>metre<\/em>. But for everyday purposes, we use only kilo, centi, and milli with metre.\n<table class=\"grid\" style=\"border-collapse: collapse;width: 100%\" border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 20%\" scope=\"col\">Use...<\/th>\n<th style=\"width: 80%\" scope=\"col\">To Measure...<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">kilometres<\/th>\n<td><strong>long distances<\/strong>, such as road distances, length of rivers, to measure car speed per hour, highway signs.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">metres<\/th>\n<td><strong>medium lengths<\/strong>, such as room size, track and field events, size of building lots, rope, extension cords, fabric, carpeting.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">centimetres<\/th>\n<td>common, <strong>smaller things<\/strong> such as a person's height, waist measurement, size of furniture, length of pants, width of wax paper, shoelaces, skis.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">millimetres<\/th>\n<td><strong>very small things<\/strong> such as postage stamps, size of precise tools, length of screws and nails, fine sewing measurements, thickness of plywood and glass.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Exercise 1<\/p>\n\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n\nGet a metre stick or tape measure. If you have problems, your instructor will assist you in reading the measuring tool that you use and will check your work.\n<ol type=\"a\">\n \t<li>Find the centimetre markings on the metre stick or tape measure. Remember that one centimetre is one hundredth of a metre, so there are 100 centimetres in each metre.<\/li>\n \t<li>Using the centimetre markings, measure the following:\n<ol type=\"i\">\n \t<li>your desk or table top, in both directions<\/li>\n \t<li>the distance from the floor to your desk top (its height)<\/li>\n \t<li>the cover of this book<\/li>\n \t<li>the covers of two different-sized books<\/li>\n \t<li>the thickness of a fat dictionary<\/li>\n \t<li>the height of your chair seat from the floor<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nYour hand span is a handy measurement to know because you can use it as a measuring tool to make quick measurements of smaller objects. Knowing the length of your pace is also useful for quick measurements of room size, etc.<\/li>\n \t<li>You will need a flexible tape measure for these measurements to be taken in centimetres.\n<ol type=\"i\">\n \t<li>your height<\/li>\n \t<li>your foot length<\/li>\n \t<li>your smile<\/li>\n \t<li>ear to ear<\/li>\n \t<li>around your head<\/li>\n \t<li>the length of your arm<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Exercise 2<\/p>\n\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n\nThe answers to questions a are listed below. Your instructor will check your other measurements and assist you as needed.\n<ol type=\"a\">\n \t<li>Look carefully at the measuring tool you have been using.\u00a0 Find the millimetre markings if they have been written on the tape or stick.\u00a0 You may have to look at a shorter ruler to find the millimetres marked.\n<ol type=\"i\">\n \t<li>A millimetre is one thousandth of a metre.<\/li>\n \t<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\">\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span> \u00a0millimetres equal one metre.<\/li>\n \t<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\">\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span> \u00a0millimetres equal one centimetre.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n \t<li>Now measure these items in your classroom, first in centimetres and then in millimetres:\n<ol type=\"i\">\n \t<li>the length of a pen<\/li>\n \t<li>the length of a pencil<\/li>\n \t<li>the length of an eraser<\/li>\n \t<li>the length of two different pieces of chalk<\/li>\n \t<li>the length of your longest fingernail<\/li>\n \t<li>the width of the fingernail on your small finger<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n \t<li>Measure the longest (or widest) part of each picture in cm and in mm.\n<img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-137 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2023\/01\/image232-e1673046030475.jpeg\" alt=\"Pictures of a butterfly, magnifying glass, lightbulb, trophy, and hammer.\" width=\"1254\" height=\"1168\"><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<strong>Answers to Exercise 2<\/strong>\n<ol type=\"a\">\n \t<li>\n<ol type=\"i\">\n \t<li>A millimetre is one thousandth of a metre.<\/li>\n \t<li>1000 millimetres equal one metre.<\/li>\n \t<li>10 millimetres equal one centimetre.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n&nbsp;\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Exercise 3<\/p>\n\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n\nMake the following measurements. Choose the most convenient unit (metres, centimetres, or millimetres) for each question. Draw a sketch of the shapes. Record your results carefully because you will use them at the end of the Unit Two.\n<ol type=\"a\">\n \t<li>Measure the length and width of your classroom.<\/li>\n \t<li>Measure the length and width of the desk or table top that you use.<\/li>\n \t<li>Estimate the length and width of the hallway outside your classroom.\u00a0 Make this estimate by counting the number of paces you must take.\u00a0 Your instructor will demonstrate how to do this if you are not sure of the method.<\/li>\n \t<li>Measure the length and width of the top of a rectangular eraser.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h1>Measuring Mass<\/h1>\nMass measures the weight of something. The unit for mass to which prefixes are attached is the gram \u2013 a very small mass. We use the kilogram (1<span style=\"margin-left: 0.25em\">000<\/span> g) for many everyday purposes. In fact, SI uses the kilogram as the official base unit because it is the most used, most practical amount.\n\nLet's look at the use of the common measurements for mass.\n<table class=\"grid\" style=\"border-collapse: collapse;width: 100%\" border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 20%\" scope=\"col\">Use...<\/th>\n<th style=\"width: 80%\" scope=\"col\">To Measure<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">tonne (t)<\/th>\n<td><strong>Very large amounts<\/strong> such as trucks and farm crops; loads on trucks, trains, and ships; coal; factory production.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">kilogram<\/th>\n<td><strong>Common amounts<\/strong> such as our body mass, meat and vegetables, packaged foods, packaged household.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">gram<\/th>\n<td><strong>Small amounts of mass<\/strong> such as breakfast cereals, light packaged food, newborn babies, ingredients in some recipes. The amount of certain nutrients that we should eat. Bulk and delicatessen foods may be priced per 100 g.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">milligram<\/th>\n<td>Extremely small amounts of mass such as in medicines (3 mg of pain-reliever in every tablet!); the vitamins and minerals in foods (check the nutrient information on a package); the recommended dose of daily vitamins.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nThe <strong>t<\/strong><strong>o<\/strong><strong>n<\/strong><strong>ne<\/strong>, symbol <strong>t<\/strong>, has not been mentioned before. Notice that the name does not use a prefix or a base unit.\n<ul>\n \t<li>1 tonne = 1<span style=\"margin-left: 0.25em\">000<\/span> kg<\/li>\n \t<li>1 tonne = \u00a01<span style=\"margin-left: 0.25em\">000<\/span><span style=\"margin-left: 0.25em\">000 g (Can you imagine the mass of one million raisins?)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Exercise 4<\/p>\n\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n\nUse a scale marked in kilograms at a supermarket, at home, or in class for b. to e.\n<ol type=\"a\">\n \t<li>Find your own mass in kg.<\/li>\n \t<li>Find the mass of a large turkey.<\/li>\n \t<li>Find the mass of 4 L of milk.<\/li>\n \t<li>Find the mass of 12 carrots.<\/li>\n \t<li>Find the mass of any vegetables and fruit you buy in the next week.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h1>Measuring Capacity (Volume)<\/h1>\nThe base unit for capacity is the litre. Capacity measures how much fluid a container will hold. The fluid might be liquids such as milk, water, and blood or it might be a gas such as air or oxygen. The litre and the millilitre are the everyday measurements for capacity.\n<table class=\"grid\" style=\"border-collapse: collapse;width: 100%\" border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 20%\" scope=\"col\">Use...<\/th>\n<th style=\"width: 80%\" scope=\"col\">To Measure<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">litre<\/th>\n<td><b>Common large amounts<\/b> of liquids such as milk, gasoline, paint, household cleaners, bottled drinks (pop, juice, etc.), large cans of food; car engines may be described by the litres of air displaced in the cylinders (for example, a 1.5 L engine in a small car). The capacities of buckets, cookware and ice cream are given in litres.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">millilitre<\/th>\n<td>Liquids in <strong>smaller containers<\/strong> less than one litre such as food, soft drinks, and wine. Spices and flavouring for cooking (one teaspoon 5 mL). Measuring cups\nare often 250 mL or 500 mL.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nLook at your home and around the grocery store to find items measured in litres and items measured in millilitres.\n\nLook at measuring spoons to help you get a feeling for small amounts measured in millilitres.\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Exercise 5<\/p>\n\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n\nWrite the measurement (prefix and unit) which would be most practical to measure these objects in real life. Answer every part of each question.\n<ol type=\"a\">\n \t<li>Example:\n<ol type=\"i\">\n \t<li>bread: mass\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"> grams (g)<\/span>; length\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"> centimetres (cm)<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li>apples: mass\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span> ; distance around\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li>wine: mass\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span> ; height\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span> ; capacity\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span>.<\/li>\n \t<li>cheese: mass\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span>; height\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-138 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2025\/01\/image236.jpeg\" alt=\"bread, cheese, bottles of wine, apples\" width=\"1241\" height=\"899\"><\/li>\n \t<li>\n<ol type=\"i\">\n \t<li>person mass\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span> ; height\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span> ; lung capacity\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span>.<\/li>\n \t<li>building: height\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span> ; width\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span>.<\/li>\n \t<li>train: length\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span> ; mass\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span> ; distance the train travels per hour\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span>.<\/li>\n \t<li>logs: length\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span> ; mass\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span> ; distance across the cut end of one log\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-139\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2025\/01\/image237.jpeg\" alt=\"a person, a building, a train and logs\" width=\"1078\" height=\"701\"><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<strong>Answers to Exercise 5<\/strong>\n<ol type=\"a\">\n \t<li>\n<ol class=\"twocolumn\" type=\"i\">\n \t<li>bread: grams, centimetres<\/li>\n \t<li>apples: kilograms, centimetres<\/li>\n \t<li>wine: kilogram, centimetre, litre<\/li>\n \t<li>cheese: kilograms, cm or mm<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n \t<li>\n<ol class=\"twocolumn\" type=\"i\">\n \t<li>person: kilograms, centimetres, litres<\/li>\n \t<li>building: metres, metres<\/li>\n \t<li>train: metres, tonnes, kilometres<\/li>\n \t<li>logs: metres, kg or tonnes, cm<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","rendered":"<h1>Measuring Distance and Length<\/h1>\n<p>The metre is the base unit for this purpose. In Topic C, all the prefixes were combined with the base unit <em>metre<\/em>. But for everyday purposes, we use only kilo, centi, and milli with metre.<\/p>\n<table class=\"grid\" style=\"border-collapse: collapse;width: 100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 20%\" scope=\"col\">Use&#8230;<\/th>\n<th style=\"width: 80%\" scope=\"col\">To Measure&#8230;<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">kilometres<\/th>\n<td><strong>long distances<\/strong>, such as road distances, length of rivers, to measure car speed per hour, highway signs.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">metres<\/th>\n<td><strong>medium lengths<\/strong>, such as room size, track and field events, size of building lots, rope, extension cords, fabric, carpeting.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">centimetres<\/th>\n<td>common, <strong>smaller things<\/strong> such as a person&#8217;s height, waist measurement, size of furniture, length of pants, width of wax paper, shoelaces, skis.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">millimetres<\/th>\n<td><strong>very small things<\/strong> such as postage stamps, size of precise tools, length of screws and nails, fine sewing measurements, thickness of plywood and glass.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Exercise 1<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p>Get a metre stick or tape measure. If you have problems, your instructor will assist you in reading the measuring tool that you use and will check your work.<\/p>\n<ol type=\"a\">\n<li>Find the centimetre markings on the metre stick or tape measure. Remember that one centimetre is one hundredth of a metre, so there are 100 centimetres in each metre.<\/li>\n<li>Using the centimetre markings, measure the following:\n<ol type=\"i\">\n<li>your desk or table top, in both directions<\/li>\n<li>the distance from the floor to your desk top (its height)<\/li>\n<li>the cover of this book<\/li>\n<li>the covers of two different-sized books<\/li>\n<li>the thickness of a fat dictionary<\/li>\n<li>the height of your chair seat from the floor<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Your hand span is a handy measurement to know because you can use it as a measuring tool to make quick measurements of smaller objects. Knowing the length of your pace is also useful for quick measurements of room size, etc.<\/li>\n<li>You will need a flexible tape measure for these measurements to be taken in centimetres.\n<ol type=\"i\">\n<li>your height<\/li>\n<li>your foot length<\/li>\n<li>your smile<\/li>\n<li>ear to ear<\/li>\n<li>around your head<\/li>\n<li>the length of your arm<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Exercise 2<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p>The answers to questions a are listed below. Your instructor will check your other measurements and assist you as needed.<\/p>\n<ol type=\"a\">\n<li>Look carefully at the measuring tool you have been using.\u00a0 Find the millimetre markings if they have been written on the tape or stick.\u00a0 You may have to look at a shorter ruler to find the millimetres marked.\n<ol type=\"i\">\n<li>A millimetre is one thousandth of a metre.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\">\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span> \u00a0millimetres equal one metre.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\">\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span> \u00a0millimetres equal one centimetre.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li>Now measure these items in your classroom, first in centimetres and then in millimetres:\n<ol type=\"i\">\n<li>the length of a pen<\/li>\n<li>the length of a pencil<\/li>\n<li>the length of an eraser<\/li>\n<li>the length of two different pieces of chalk<\/li>\n<li>the length of your longest fingernail<\/li>\n<li>the width of the fingernail on your small finger<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li>Measure the longest (or widest) part of each picture in cm and in mm.<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-137 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2023\/01\/image232-e1673046030475.jpeg\" alt=\"Pictures of a butterfly, magnifying glass, lightbulb, trophy, and hammer.\" width=\"1254\" height=\"1168\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2023\/01\/image232-e1673046030475.jpeg 1254w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2023\/01\/image232-e1673046030475-300x279.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2023\/01\/image232-e1673046030475-1024x954.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2023\/01\/image232-e1673046030475-768x715.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2023\/01\/image232-e1673046030475-65x61.jpeg 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2023\/01\/image232-e1673046030475-225x210.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2023\/01\/image232-e1673046030475-350x326.jpeg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1254px) 100vw, 1254px\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><strong>Answers to Exercise 2<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol type=\"a\">\n<li>\n<ol type=\"i\">\n<li>A millimetre is one thousandth of a metre.<\/li>\n<li>1000 millimetres equal one metre.<\/li>\n<li>10 millimetres equal one centimetre.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Exercise 3<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p>Make the following measurements. Choose the most convenient unit (metres, centimetres, or millimetres) for each question. Draw a sketch of the shapes. Record your results carefully because you will use them at the end of the Unit Two.<\/p>\n<ol type=\"a\">\n<li>Measure the length and width of your classroom.<\/li>\n<li>Measure the length and width of the desk or table top that you use.<\/li>\n<li>Estimate the length and width of the hallway outside your classroom.\u00a0 Make this estimate by counting the number of paces you must take.\u00a0 Your instructor will demonstrate how to do this if you are not sure of the method.<\/li>\n<li>Measure the length and width of the top of a rectangular eraser.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h1>Measuring Mass<\/h1>\n<p>Mass measures the weight of something. The unit for mass to which prefixes are attached is the gram \u2013 a very small mass. We use the kilogram (1<span style=\"margin-left: 0.25em\">000<\/span> g) for many everyday purposes. In fact, SI uses the kilogram as the official base unit because it is the most used, most practical amount.<\/p>\n<p>Let&#8217;s look at the use of the common measurements for mass.<\/p>\n<table class=\"grid\" style=\"border-collapse: collapse;width: 100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 20%\" scope=\"col\">Use&#8230;<\/th>\n<th style=\"width: 80%\" scope=\"col\">To Measure<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">tonne (t)<\/th>\n<td><strong>Very large amounts<\/strong> such as trucks and farm crops; loads on trucks, trains, and ships; coal; factory production.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">kilogram<\/th>\n<td><strong>Common amounts<\/strong> such as our body mass, meat and vegetables, packaged foods, packaged household.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">gram<\/th>\n<td><strong>Small amounts of mass<\/strong> such as breakfast cereals, light packaged food, newborn babies, ingredients in some recipes. The amount of certain nutrients that we should eat. Bulk and delicatessen foods may be priced per 100 g.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">milligram<\/th>\n<td>Extremely small amounts of mass such as in medicines (3 mg of pain-reliever in every tablet!); the vitamins and minerals in foods (check the nutrient information on a package); the recommended dose of daily vitamins.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>The <strong>t<\/strong><strong>o<\/strong><strong>n<\/strong><strong>ne<\/strong>, symbol <strong>t<\/strong>, has not been mentioned before. Notice that the name does not use a prefix or a base unit.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>1 tonne = 1<span style=\"margin-left: 0.25em\">000<\/span> kg<\/li>\n<li>1 tonne = \u00a01<span style=\"margin-left: 0.25em\">000<\/span><span style=\"margin-left: 0.25em\">000 g (Can you imagine the mass of one million raisins?)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Exercise 4<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p>Use a scale marked in kilograms at a supermarket, at home, or in class for b. to e.<\/p>\n<ol type=\"a\">\n<li>Find your own mass in kg.<\/li>\n<li>Find the mass of a large turkey.<\/li>\n<li>Find the mass of 4 L of milk.<\/li>\n<li>Find the mass of 12 carrots.<\/li>\n<li>Find the mass of any vegetables and fruit you buy in the next week.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h1>Measuring Capacity (Volume)<\/h1>\n<p>The base unit for capacity is the litre. Capacity measures how much fluid a container will hold. The fluid might be liquids such as milk, water, and blood or it might be a gas such as air or oxygen. The litre and the millilitre are the everyday measurements for capacity.<\/p>\n<table class=\"grid\" style=\"border-collapse: collapse;width: 100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 20%\" scope=\"col\">Use&#8230;<\/th>\n<th style=\"width: 80%\" scope=\"col\">To Measure<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">litre<\/th>\n<td><b>Common large amounts<\/b> of liquids such as milk, gasoline, paint, household cleaners, bottled drinks (pop, juice, etc.), large cans of food; car engines may be described by the litres of air displaced in the cylinders (for example, a 1.5 L engine in a small car). The capacities of buckets, cookware and ice cream are given in litres.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">millilitre<\/th>\n<td>Liquids in <strong>smaller containers<\/strong> less than one litre such as food, soft drinks, and wine. Spices and flavouring for cooking (one teaspoon 5 mL). Measuring cups<br \/>\nare often 250 mL or 500 mL.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Look at your home and around the grocery store to find items measured in litres and items measured in millilitres.<\/p>\n<p>Look at measuring spoons to help you get a feeling for small amounts measured in millilitres.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Exercise 5<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p>Write the measurement (prefix and unit) which would be most practical to measure these objects in real life. Answer every part of each question.<\/p>\n<ol type=\"a\">\n<li>Example:\n<ol type=\"i\">\n<li>bread: mass\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"> grams (g)<\/span>; length\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"> centimetres (cm)<\/span><\/li>\n<li>apples: mass\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span> ; distance around\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li>wine: mass\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span> ; height\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span> ; capacity\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span>.<\/li>\n<li>cheese: mass\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span>; height\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-138 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2025\/01\/image236.jpeg\" alt=\"bread, cheese, bottles of wine, apples\" width=\"1241\" height=\"899\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2025\/01\/image236.jpeg 1241w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2025\/01\/image236-300x217.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2025\/01\/image236-1024x742.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2025\/01\/image236-768x556.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2025\/01\/image236-65x47.jpeg 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2025\/01\/image236-225x163.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2025\/01\/image236-350x254.jpeg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1241px) 100vw, 1241px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>\n<ol type=\"i\">\n<li>person mass\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span> ; height\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span> ; lung capacity\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span>.<\/li>\n<li>building: height\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span> ; width\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span>.<\/li>\n<li>train: length\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span> ; mass\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span> ; distance the train travels per hour\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span>.<\/li>\n<li>logs: length\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span> ; mass\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span> ; distance across the cut end of one log\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\" aria-label=\"blank\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-139\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2025\/01\/image237.jpeg\" alt=\"a person, a building, a train and logs\" width=\"1078\" height=\"701\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2025\/01\/image237.jpeg 1078w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2025\/01\/image237-300x195.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2025\/01\/image237-1024x666.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2025\/01\/image237-768x499.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2025\/01\/image237-65x42.jpeg 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2025\/01\/image237-225x146.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2382\/2025\/01\/image237-350x228.jpeg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1078px) 100vw, 1078px\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><strong>Answers to Exercise 5<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol type=\"a\">\n<li>\n<ol class=\"twocolumn\" type=\"i\">\n<li>bread: grams, centimetres<\/li>\n<li>apples: kilograms, centimetres<\/li>\n<li>wine: kilogram, centimetre, litre<\/li>\n<li>cheese: kilograms, cm or mm<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<ol class=\"twocolumn\" type=\"i\">\n<li>person: kilograms, centimetres, litres<\/li>\n<li>building: metres, metres<\/li>\n<li>train: metres, tonnes, kilometres<\/li>\n<li>logs: metres, kg or tonnes, cm<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":999,"menu_order":9,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-140","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":127,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/140","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/999"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/140\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":141,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/140\/revisions\/141"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/127"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/140\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=140"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=140"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=140"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}