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Elementary Archive

Browse Elementary Terms & Units of Measurement
Stars indicate particularly interesting answers or good places to begin browsing.

Selected answers to common questions:
    Equivalent measurements: tsp, oz, pt, lb.
    Measuring with Two Containers.
    Metric Measurements.
    Meters Squared or Square Meters?
    Unit conversions, unit cancellation.

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Equations from Word Problems, and Units [05/19/2003]

In 2 1/4 hours the temperature dropped 13 1/9 degrees. How many degrees did the temperature drop per hour? How do I convert this from words into an equation?

Inches, Feet, Yards, Miles, and Unit Fractions [01/29/2002]

I need to know if you multiply or divide in changing feet to inches, feet to yards, miles to yards, feet to miles, yards to miles, yards to feet.

Measurement: Precision vs. Accuracy [01/07/2003]

Using a metric ruler student A measured the length of an object to the nearest tenth (0.1) of a centimeter, while student D measured its length to the nearest centimeter. Which measurement is more accurate?

Meters Squared vs. Square Meters [11/18/2001]

Is 12 m^2 better read as 12 square meters or 12 meters squared?

Millimeters, Inches, Feet, Miles [07/10/2003]

The conversions given for millimeters to inches is 25.4, and for feet to miles is 5280. Are these numbers exact?

Rounding 389.512 to Three Significant Digits [05/24/2003]

On the one hand, 390 is the closest multiple of 10 to 389.512; on the other hand, it is the closest whole number to 389.512.

The Abbreviation for Pound [2/14/1996]

I was wondering why the abbreviation of pound is lb.

Abbreviation of Ounce [04/27/2002]

Why is the abbreviation for ounce oz.?

Adding and Subtracting Measurements [08/13/1998]

How do you add and subtract measurements like 4'7" + 2'10" and 11'6" - 2'8"?

Area Larger Than Perimeter? [04/15/2002]

Can the area of a shape be larger than the perimeter?

Bits (Money) [02/26/2001]

In the cheer: Two bits, four bits, six bits, a dollar; All for (school), Stand up and holler! what are bits?

Capitalizing Unit Abbreviations [09/15/2003]

Why do we use a lowercase m to abbreviate meters, but an uppercase L to abbreviate liters?

Centimeters in a Hand [02/27/2002]

You measure horses in "hands." I need to know how many centimeters are in 1 hand.

Choosing Appropriate Units [10/09/2003]

How do you choose appropriate units for a measurement?

Coin Specifications [09/24/2001]

Approximately how many nickels does it take to make a pound? How many dimes? Pennies?

Comparing Metric Measurements [09/22/2005]

Which is heavier, 900g or 1 kg? How do I compare metric measurements?

Converting Bits to Megabytes [02/12/2001]

The human brain will store 100 trillion bits in its lifetime. How many million megabytes can your brain store?

Converting Inches to Miles [11/21/1997]

I know that 12 inches = one foot and 5,280 feet = one mile, but how do I convert 22 inches to miles?

Converting Meters to Feet [6/5/1996]

How many feet are there in one meter? How many feet and inches is 1.84m?

Converting Metric Measurements [05/26/1998]

How do you convert metric measurements? For example, how many kilometers are in a meter?

Converting Metric Weights for Cooking [12/16/2003]

I'm trying to do a project for school and it's a recipe for baking cookies. In the recipe it calls for 500 grams of flour, 250 grams of butter and so forth. I don't understand how to convert the measurements, so I don't know how much to use. Can you please help?

Converting Micrograms to Milligrams [08/10/1999]

How many micrograms are there in a milligram?

Converting Millimeters to Inches [08/10/1999]

How many millimeters are there in an inch?

Converting Ounces to Ounces [06/03/2002]

I am a cocktail waitress here in Vegas and was trying to figure out the total weight of my tray if, say, a mug of beer holds 25 ounces.

Converting Units [3/23/1996]

I wonder if there is a way of doing math without converting?

Cooking Measurements [10/24/2001]

How many teaspoons are in 1 tablespoon? 2 tablespoons = cup? 4 tablespoons = cup?

Currency Exchange Rates [01/02/1999]

Do you know how much half a crown, a crown, and a shilling are worth in American money?

Does 2k4 Mean 2004 or 2400? [01/10/2004]

On internet communities it is common to reduce figures using 'k' as a shortcut; for example 2k is used instead of 2000. I was under the impression that a number after the k (such as 2k4) meant 2400, and that to get 2004 in this system you'd need to write 2k004. But I've also seen 2k4 used for 2004. Which is correct? Does 2k4 mean 2004 or 2400?

European 7 [8/15/1996]

Why is the numeral seven sometimes written with a line through it in Europe?

Examples of Units of Measure [04/15/2001]

What are some physical things that are about 1 cm, 1 meter, 1 ft^2, 1 cm^2, 1 m^2, 1 ft^3, 1 yd^2, 1 ml, 1 g, or 1 kg?

Feet and Miles [02/28/2001]

I need some help on problems like 10,560 ft. = ? miles.

Feet per Mile [12/08/1998]

What is the history behind the fact that there are 5,280 feet in a mile?

Finding Fractions on a Ruler [08/16/1999]

How can I find measurements like 7/8" or 5/16" on a ruler?

Fractions in the SI System? [11/07/2001]

When using metric can 4 cm and 5 mm be written as 4 1/2 mm?

Grams, Milliliters, Centimeters, Meters... [7/10/1996]

Would you measure an egg in g or ml? How many cm are in a m? If it is 35 degrees C, what season is it? ...

History of the Mile [08/25/2002]

Why are there 5,280 feet in a mile?

The Importance of Units in Math Calculations and Answers [10/13/2005]

I don't understand why we use units, or what units are really all about. Can you explain it to me?

Inches and Feet in Decimal Form [7/16/1996]

How do I convert fractions of inches and feet into a decimal expression of the length in feet?

Information on the Metric System [10/22/1995]

Do you have suggestions for places I can find information on the metric system?

Is K a Roman numeral? [07/19/1998]

A car ad shows 40K miles. Is this equal to a thousand?

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