Measurement of Length

We will discuss here about the methods of measurement of length of a substance. In a dress material shop we must have seen salesmen using a long metal bar to measure the cloth. This is called meter stick. The length of that stick is one meter (m). If we notice carefully, we will find that there are many small marks engraved on it. There are 100 such marks graduated equally in the meter stick. The length between two graduations is one centimeter (cm). It means 100 centimeters make one meter.


Centimeter (cm) is the most common unit of length to measure any part of a geometric figure we draw in our book. There are several other units, used to measure lengths of different articles.

Some of the lengths of different articles are mentioned below:

Article

Unit

Relative value

1. Thickness of a metal sheet, ply-board, glass plate, etc.,

Millimeter (mm)

1/10 centimeter

2. Pen, pencil, smaller pieces of cloths, etc.

Centimeter (cm)

1/100 meter

3. Longer pieces of cloths, football or cricket grounds, running tracks, etc.

Meter (m)

100 centimeter

4. Roads, rail tracks, etc.

Kilometer (km)

1000 meter

The above mentioned units are known as Metric units. Another system of units is also used where the unit of length is inch. 12 inches make a foot, 3 feet make a yard and 1760 yards make a mile.

The scale we have in our geometry box is marked with two types of units at its two edges. One edge is marked in centimeter and another is marked in inch. Both centimeter and the inch units are further divided into 10 equal divisions.







Fifth Grade

From Measurement of Length to HOME PAGE

New! Comments

Have your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below.