Understanding measures

What is measurement and why is it important?

• It’s a way to guess physical properties based on feeling

• It means comparing things without using numbers

• It is the process of quantifying physical properties like size or weight using numbers

What are units of measurement?

• Names of physical properties like tall, heavy, and light

• Pre-determined quantities used as references to express measurements

• Random numbers assigned to objects to identify them

Why can’t we use things like hot dogs or donuts as units of measurement?

• Because they are not tasty enough

• Because no one agrees to use food as measurement

• Because they are inconsistent in size and not standardized

What does it mean for a unit to be “standardized”?

• It matches an official amount that can be measured the same way every time

• It’s a unit that can change based on country

• It’s a unit used only in science experiments

What organization defines and maintains standard units of measurement?

• The United Nations

• The Bureau of Weights and Measures

• The International Math League

What is the official name of the metric system?

• The Metric Order of Math

• The International System of Units (S.I.)

• The Global Metric Authority

Why is the metric system easier to use for conversions?

• Because it uses symbols instead of numbers

• Because it uses powers of 10 like our number system

• Because it only has two units to remember

What is the base unit of length in the metric system?

• Meter

• Foot

• Yard

What are three common metric prefixes for units of length, and what do they represent?

• Inch, Foot, Mile

• Kilo, hecto, deca

• Deci, centi, mili

Which metric units of length are most commonly used?

• Decameter, hectometer, megameter, terameter

• Yard, inch, mile

• Millimeter, centimeter, meter, kilometer (and nanometer for tiny things)