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Class 6 Science — Measuring length

Say why standard units are needed, convert between kilometre, metre, centimetre and millimetre, and read a scale the right way.

Name: ________________________

Before you start

Slide along this 15-centimetre scale. Between each pair of big marks there is 1 cm, and each of those is cut into 10 parts of 1 mm.

0123456789101112131415

The smallest length this scale can measure is 1 mm, which is one-tenth of one of these steps.

  1. 1.A cloth is 3 m long. How many centimetres is that? Answer with a number.

  2. 2.A road is 7 km long. How many metres is that? Answer with a number.

  3. 3.A 15-cm scale is drawn out below. Which mark sits at 7 cm?

    Mark the line with an X.

    0123456789101112131415

  4. 4.Put the steps for measuring a curved line with a thread back into order.

    • Measure the thread against a metre scale
    • Mark where the curve begins and ends on the thread
    • Straighten the thread out
    • Lay a thread along the curved line

  5. 5.You want to measure the girth of a tree trunk. Which is the right instrument?

    • a) A rigid metre scale
    • b) A pair of dividers
    • c) A flexible measuring tape
    • d) A 15-cm plastic scale

  6. 6.Five children measure one table with their handspans and get five different numbers. What does the chapter say is going on?

    • a) The table changes length through the day
    • b) Their handspans are different sizes, so the unit itself differs
    • c) Some of them counted carelessly
    • d) A handspan cannot be used to measure anything

  7. 7.What is the SI unit of length? Give the word, not the symbol.

  8. 8.Sort each unit by whether it is a standard unit or one taken from the body.

    Groups: Standard unit · Unit taken from the body

    • Centimetre
    • Angula
    • Kilometre
    • Metre
    • Handspan

Answer key — Class 6 Science — Measuring length

  1. 1. 300
  2. 2. 7000
  3. 3. 7
  4. 4. 1. Lay a thread along the curved line 2. Mark where the curve begins and ends on the thread 3. Straighten the thread out 4. Measure the thread against a metre scale
  5. 5. c) A flexible measuring tape
  6. 6. b) Their handspans are different sizes, so the unit itself differs
  7. 7. metre
  8. 8. Centimetre → Standard unit; Kilometre → Standard unit; Metre → Standard unit; Handspan → Unit taken from the body; Angula → Unit taken from the body