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Questions and Answers
What is the exact length of one inch in centimeters?
2.54 cm
How many inches are there in one foot?
12 inches
What is the symbol used for foot?
ft
Convert 3 feet to meters.
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In the FPS system, what units are used for length, mass, and time?
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Which system has largely replaced the FPS system?
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How many feet are there in one yard?
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What units are used to measure altitude in the aviation industry?
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What does 'FPS' stand for in the context of units of measurement?
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What unit of measurement is commonly used for road signs in the UK?
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Study Notes
Length
- Length is a measure of distance between two points.
- It is difficult to measure the length of objects that cannot be moved or placed side by side.
- To overcome this, a third object, such as the palm of a hand, can be used as a reference point.
Need for a Standard Scale
- In the past, people used body parts, such as outstretched palms, feet, arms, or cubits, to measure length.
- King Henry I used a standard scale to measure length.
Importance of Measurement in Everyday Life
- Measurements are often necessary in everyday life, such as measuring the length of cloth for a shirt.
- Estimates are useful, but not exact and can sometimes be wrong.
Submultiples of Metre
- The metre is not a convenient unit for small lengths, such as the length of a pencil.
- Submultiples of the metre, such as centimetre (cm) and millimetre (mm), are used to express smaller lengths.
- 1 centimetre is equal to one hundredth of a metre.
- 1 millimetre is equal to one thousandth of a metre.
- 10 millimetres = 1 centimetre.
- 100 centimetres = 1 metre.
- 1000 millimetres = 1 metre.
Measurement
- There are four basic quantities: length, time, mass, and temperature.
- Each basic quantity has a corresponding measuring tool: tape, clock, balance, and thermometer.
Measurement of Length
- Two rods can be compared by placing them side by side to determine which one is longer.
Standard Unit
- A standard unit is a unit that is accepted by the majority of people as a basic unit of measurement.
- The Standard International (SI) system of units is a set of units used to measure basic physical quantities.
- The SI system is used globally to ensure consistency in measurements.
Standard Units of Length
- The fundamental unit of length in the SI system is the metre (m).
- The metre is defined as the length between two fine marks on a metal bar made of platinum-iridium alloy.
Multiples of Metre
- The metre is not a convenient unit for expressing long lengths.
- Kilometres (km) are used to express longer lengths.
- 1 kilometre is equal to 1000 metres.
Inch (in) and Foot (ft) as Units of Length
- The foot and inch were used as units of length in the UK and globally.
- The foot is used as a base unit in the FPS system.
- The FPS system has been largely replaced by the SI system.
- 1 inch is equal to 2.54 cm.
- 1 foot is equal to 0.3048 metres.
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Description
Learn about measuring length, including the challenges of measuring immovable objects and the importance of standard scales. Discover how people used body parts to measure length in the past.
