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Precision measurement
Adapted from Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers: Explorations, by Tom Bassarear (Houghton Miin) For this problem set, youll need a ruler or rulers so you can measure in both inches and centimeters.

1. (a)

Measure the dimensions of the rectangles above to the nearest inch. (b) Find the areas of the rectangles using those measurements. Measure the dimensions of the rectangles again, but this time use fractions of an inch. Measure them as precisely as you can. (b) Find the areas using those measurements, and write them as mixed numbers (such as 3 1 square inches, or 4 83 square inches). 5 Measure the dimensions of the rectangles one last time, using centimeters (and partial centimeters). Measure them as precisely as you can. (b) Find the areas using those measurements, and write them as decimals. To convert square centimeters to square inches, multiply the area in square centimeters by 0.155. For example, 8 cm2 is about 8 0.155 in2 , which is 1.24 in2 . Convert your answers for problem 3 to square inches. For each rectangle, compare the three values for the area. Which do you think is closest to the actual area in each case? Why?
c EDC 2001

2. (a)

3. (a)

4.

5.

One centimeter is about 0.3937 inches. Imagine a square one centimeter on each side. This is about 0.3937 inches on each side. The area of the square, in square inches, is 0.3937 0.3937, or about 0.155.

Problems with a Point: May 23, 2001

Precision measurement: Answers

Answers
1. (a) Rectangle A: about 1 in. by 2 in. Rectangle B: 3 in. by 1 in. (b) A: about 2 in2 ; B: about 3 in2
Teachers Note: Rectangle As length is just under 1.5 inches. Some students may double round, considering this to be 1.5 inches and rounding that to 2 in. Teachers Note: If students are using a ruler that has marks for sixteenths of an inch but not thirty-seconds, you have a good opportunity to discuss the merits of estimating better than the marks given. Rectangle Bs length should appear to be about 7 halfway between 1 16 and 1 1 2 8 (that is, 1 16 ). You might ask students why they choose one of those over the other, then ask what fraction is halfway between 7 8 1 16 and 1 16 . Do they feel comfortable saying that the measurement is closer to that halfway length than either of the marked lengths?

1 2. (a) A: about 1 1 in. by 2 16 in.; B: about 2 1 in. by 1 15 2 2 32 3 (b) A: about 3 32 in2 ; B: about 3 43 in2 (or about 3 3 in2 64 4 if students use 1 1 rather than 1 15 ) 2 32

3. (a) A: about 3.8 cm by 5.2 cm; B: about 6.4 cm by 3.7 cm (b) A: about 19.76 cm2 ; B: about 23.68 cm2 4. 5. A: about 3.06 in2 ; B: about 3.67 in2 Answers will vary. The areas in problem 1 are lowest. They are probably the least accurate because the dimension measurements werent very precise. The other two are fairly close to each other (although theres a signicant dierence if students use 1 1 for rectangle B in prob2 lem 2). The centimeter measurements probably were most accurate, so those areas are probably closest. However, if students did use 1 15 for rectangle B in problem 2, they 32 may feel the two areas are too close to each other to tell.

Problems with a Point: May 23, 2001

c EDC 2001