Measuring Lengths — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. A pencil is 6 paper clips long. The pencil measures 6 paper clips.
Paper clips are a nonstandard unit used to measure length. The pencil is 6 paper clips long.
2. We can measure how long something is. This is called its length.
Length is the measurement of how long something is from one end to the other.
3. If an eraser is 3 cubes long, it measures 3 cubes.
The eraser measures 3 cubes because that is how many cubes fit along its length.
4. A book is 5 paper clips long. The book measures 5 paper clips.
The book is 5 paper clips long, so it measures 5 paper clips.
5. You can use paper clips to measure how long a crayon is.
Paper clips are a common nonstandard unit used to measure the length of small objects like crayons.
6. A desk is 8 hands wide. It measures 8 hands.
Hands are a nonstandard unit of measurement. The desk is 8 hands wide.
7. A marker is 4 cubes long. It measures 4 cubes.
The marker is 4 cubes long, so its measurement is 4 cubes.
8. Paper clips, cubes, and hands are all units of measurement.
Units of measurement are the objects or standards we use to describe how long something is.
Part B: True or False
Read each sentence. Circle True or False.
1. A paper clip is a nonstandard unit of measurement.
True False
True. A paper clip is a nonstandard unit because it is not an official measuring tool like inches or centimeters.
2. You can measure the length of a pencil using cubes.
True False
True. Cubes can be lined up along a pencil to measure its length as a nonstandard unit.
3. A crayon that is 5 cubes long is shorter than one that is 3 cubes long.
True False
False. 5 cubes is longer than 3 cubes, so a 5-cube crayon is longer, not shorter.
4. You can use your hands to measure the width of a table.
True False
True. Hands are a nonstandard unit that can be used to measure width by placing them side by side.
5. If a ribbon is 7 paper clips long, it is longer than one that is 4 paper clips long.
True False
True. 7 paper clips is more than 4 paper clips, so the 7-paper-clip ribbon is longer.