Measuring length (age 7+) · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Picking the right tool to measure length

Mathematics · Measurement · ages 7-8
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. A pencil spans from the 2 cm mark to the 16 cm mark of a ruler. How long is it in centimetres?

    Answer: ______________

  2. Which tool measures the length of a book?

    • A ruler
    • A bathroom scale
    • A measuring jug
    • A clock

  3. Which tool should you use to measure the length of a pencil?

    • Tape measure
    • Short ruler
    • Metre stick

  4. A measuring tape can measure things longer than a 12-inch ruler.

    Circle one:   True   False

  5. A strip is 9 inches long. A second strip is 5 inches longer than the first. How long is the second strip in inches?

    Answer: ______________

  6. A book's width lines up from 0 to 6 on an inch ruler. How many inches wide is the book?

    012345678910book

    Answer: ______________

  7. What is the first step when measuring with a ruler?

    • Start at the 5 cm mark
    • Guess the length first
    • Line up the zero mark with one end of the object
    • Measure twice and keep both answers

  8. Leo lines up the end of a stick with the 3 cm mark and reads 12 cm at the other end. He says the stick is 12 cm long. Is Leo right?

    Circle one:   True   False

  9. Mia starts measuring a table at the 2-inch mark and reads 14 at the other end. She says the table is 14 inches long. What is wrong?

    • Nothing, 14 inches is correct
    • She started at 2, not 0, so the table is really 12 inches long
    • The table cannot be measured with a ruler

  10. A ribbon runs from the 4 cm mark to the 27 cm mark of a tape. How long is it in centimetres?

    Answer: ______________

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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Picking the right tool to measure length W1-mt_e4x3l2JeLI-s1

  1. 14 · 16 - 2 = 14 cm.
  2. A ruler · A book is centimetres long, and a ruler measures short lengths.
  3. Short ruler · A pencil is small, so a short ruler is the right size tool.
  4. True · Measuring tapes stretch out much farther than a short ruler can.
  5. 14 · 9 + 5 = 14 inches.
  6. 6 · Read straight across from 0 to where the book ends: 6 inches.
  7. Line up the zero mark with one end of the object · Measuring counts from zero, so zero must sit exactly at one end.
  8. False · Leo is wrong. He skipped the first 3 cm, so the stick is 12 - 3 = 9 cm.
  9. She started at 2, not 0, so the table is really 12 inches long · Since she started at 2 instead of 0, the true length is 14 minus 2, or 12 inches.
  10. 23 · 27 - 4 = 23 cm.
Worksheet · LightMySky