Measuring Length — Answer Key
Part A: Sort the Words
Sort each word or number into the correct category box.
1. Sort each object by whether it is shorter or taller than a door.
Shorter Than a Door
lampchairbackpack Taller Than a Door
treeflagpoletelephone pole A door is about 7 feet tall. Lamps, chairs, and backpacks are all shorter than that, while trees, flagpoles, and telephone poles reach much higher than the top of a door.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. A glue stick is about 4 inches tall.
A glue stick is small enough to hold in your hand, so it is measured in inches. Four inches is about the length of four paper clips stacked end to end.
2. A door is about 7 feet tall.
A door has to be taller than a grown-up. Seven feet is the right unit because inches would be too small and yards would be too big for this size.
3. The longer you walk, the more distance you cover.
Distance is the amount of space between two points. Every step you take adds more distance between where you started and where you end up.
4. A quarter coin is about 2 centimeters wide.
A quarter is a small, flat coin, so centimeters are the right unit. Measuring something that tiny in feet or yards would not make sense.
5. One foot equals 12 inches.
A ruler is one foot long and it has 12 inch marks on it. That is why we always say 1 foot = 12 inches when we convert between the two.
Part C: True or False?
Read each statement. Circle True or False.
1. A basketball hoop is about 10 feet high.
True False
True. In real basketball games, the rim is set at exactly 10 feet off the floor. That is why players have to jump so high to dunk.
2. A paper clip is longer than a jump rope.
True False
False. A paper clip is only about an inch long, while a jump rope stretches several feet. The jump rope is much longer than the paper clip.
3. Centimeters are smaller than inches.
True False
True. One inch is about 2.5 centimeters, so it takes more than two centimeters to equal a single inch. That makes centimeters the smaller unit.
4. A giraffe is shorter than a cat.
True False
False. A giraffe can grow up to 18 feet tall, while a cat is only about 1 foot tall at the shoulder. The giraffe is much taller than any cat.