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Middle School Archive

Browse Middle School 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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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.

Find Depth of Water in a Tank [08/02/2003]

A rectangular tank measures 4m long, 2m wide and 4.8m high. Initially it is half full of water. Find the depth of water in the tank after 4000 litres of water have been added to it.

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

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

Finding Miles Per Hour [03/06/2002]

If a wheel is making 64.2 revolutions per minute, how many miles per hour is it going?

Fractions and Measurement [04/11/1997]

Are there names for very small fractions of an inch?

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

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

From Degrees to Radians [09/22/1998]

What are radians? How do you convert degrees to radians?

Gallons and Cubic Inches [09/04/2001]

I know that 1 gallon is 231 cubic inches, based on the old English "wine gallon" unit. Why was the number 231 used?

Grad as a Measure of an Angle [03/20/2002]

I would like to know about the origins, use in the past, and whether (and how) the grad is used now.

Grad System and Units of Measurement [08/11/1998]

How does the grad system for measurement compare to the degree system? Is the grad coordinate system consistent with metric measurement?

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? ...

Greater/Less Than Signs [04/09/1997]

I always get my greater and less than signs mixed up. Which is which?

Helicopters Over a Traffic Jam [09/23/1998]

A helicopter flies over a traffic jam at a speed of 180 km/h...

Historical Dozen [03/19/2002]

Why do we ship products in quantities of 12?

History of the Mile [08/25/2002]

Why are there 5,280 feet in a mile?

Horsepower [05/20/2002]

How is horsepower calculated?

How Fast is a Knot? [12/21/1995]

Ships travel in knots (which is a speed). How fast is a knot?

How Long is a Meter? a Second? [09/06/2001]

How is the length of a meter currently determined?

How Many Liters in a Gallon? [06/29/2002]

I can't figure out how to convert liters to gallons. Can you help me?

How to Calculate Greatest Possible Error [04/12/2004]

I'm an 8th grade student working on greatest possible error and it just doesn't seem to make any sense. I know that GPE is half of the smallest unit of measure, but I don't understand how to decide what the smallest unit of measure is.

How to Measure Angles [04/19/1998]

How do you measure angles? What are degrees and radians?

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?

Invention of the Metric System [02/13/1997]

Who invented the metric system?

Length of a Light-Year [1/31/1996]

How far is a light year in miles or kilometers?

Light Year [08/09/1997]

How long (in miles) is a light year?

Light Years [11/19/1997]

How many miles is a light year?

Linear and Board Feet [01/04/1999]

Can you explain the terms linear foot and board foot as they are used in the lumber industry?

Linear Footage [04/20/2002]

There is a fence I want to buy, but the ad says '4 foot tall, 50 linear feet. What is a linear foot compared to a regular foot?

Linear Foot [7/1/1996]

How much is a linear foot?

Liquid Quart vs. Solid Quart [04/27/2001]

Why does a liquid quart consist of 57.75 cubic inches, whereas a solid quart consists of 67.2 cubic inches?

Liters to Quarts [05/20/1999]

How do you convert liters to quarts and quarts to liters?

Maps and Square Feet [05/24/1999]

If 1 inch = 50 feet, what is the area of a location that is 10000 square feet?

Mass and Weight [08/16/1997]

Why are mass and weight both measured with the same unit? If weight is different on the moon and mass is not, what is the difference?

Mass versus Weight [09/09/99]

Do mass and weight refer to the same thing on earth? Is mass equal to weight?

Mass vs. Weight [01/22/1999]

Can you give me a definition of mass and how it differs from weight?

Measuring by Degrees [06/16/2002]

Why is it that angles and temperature are both measured in degrees?

Measuring Rainfall (acres/inches) [6/10/1995]

How many gallons of water are there when 1" of rain falls on 1 acre?

Megagram, Short Ton, Long Ton [03/12/2002]

How does a megagram compare to a a short ton or a long ton?

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