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Measuring Length with Metrics

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Measuring Length with Metrics

Help the lighthouse crew measure equipment and plan repairs. Choose a suitable metric unit for each measurement. Remember: 100 of the smaller unit make 1 of the larger unit.

Choose a sensible unit

1.Layla is checking a small compass. Which unit is best for measuring its length?

centimetres (cm)
metres (m)

2.Cooper measures the height of the lighthouse door. Which unit is most suitable?

centimetres (cm)
metres (m)

3.Complete each measurement with cm or m: (a) A key is about 6 __ long. (b) A bench is about 1 __ long. (c) A large ship can be about 30 __ long.

Read and compare lengths

4.A ruler starts at 0 cm. The end of a shell lines up with the 7 cm mark. How long is the shell?

5.The crew has two spare boards: one is 85 cm long and one is 1 m long. Which board is longer?

85 cm board
1 m board

6.Put these rope lengths in order from shortest to longest: 45 cm, 1 m, 75 cm, 1 m 20 cm.

7.A measuring tape shows that the lighthouse flagpole is 3 m tall. How many centimetres is that?

8.Chloe measures a piece of rope as 28 cm. Cooper’s piece is 5 cm shorter. How long is Cooper’s piece? Show your subtraction.

9.The crew needs 1 m of rope to tie a safety marker. They have 65 cm. How many more centimetres of rope do they need?

10.A ruler’s zero end is chipped, so Layla begins measuring at the 2 cm mark. The rope ends at 11 cm. What is the rope’s length, and what did Layla need to do?