Measurement is a basic skill which forms an essential part of our day to day activities

irrespective of what we do. Every measurement requires a specific scale which is call unit. A unit is a
measure, a device or a scale in terms of which we make physical measurement. It should be relevant
to the quantity being measured, be convenient and also well-defined so that it is understood by
everybody in an ambiguous ay. We have in numerable devices to make such measurement. The
need of measurement and measuring devices dates back to antiquity. When the humans became
civilized, started cultivating and living in communities they realized that one cannot do everything
and they need to be interdependent. This paved the way for trade and then a need of measure was
felt. Various ways of measurements were adopted. A system of measurement has evolved since
then.

Objects can be measured in various ways. Ancient people measured objects using different
body parts. This is called non-standard measurements. Each person’s body part differed from
another person’s body part (Yukti Agarwal, 2013). These led to conflicts and confusions because
these were arbitrary, non-uniform and les to results which were not reproducible. The results of the
measurement vary from person to person because size of the unit is different for different person.
This created problems in trade between different countries and in day to day transactions. In order
to overcome this limitations of body parts as units, and to bring uniformity in the measurement
system, the need for exact measurement was felt. For this, a standard of measurements had to be
developed which is acceptable to everybody. Currently we follow an international system of units,
called SI units. This system is based on seven base units which correspond to seven base physical
quantities namely length, mass, time, temperature, amount of substances, light intensity and electric
current.

There are two types of measurement: direct measurement and indirect measurement.
Direct measurement gives us a very clear and quantifiable value. But some quantities are not easily
measured. Estimated and precise measurements both have their place, they are connected. Precise
measurements require us to use tools specifically designed for measurement, such as ruler, scales,
measuring cups, and clocks. Manually measuring something always involve uncertainty because it is
based on judgment. The science of learning is demonstrating that the ability to make accurate
estimates is closely tied to the ability to understand and solve problems. Estimation is not an act of
wild speculation but a highly sophisticated and valuable skill. The process of estimation depends on
experience and on the ability to use mathematical concepts. It depends of the idea of approximation
and on the willingness to deal with uncertainty. Estimation may exploit perception. It must be
guided by mathematical concepts to achieve reasonable approximation.

Everyone, even people without formal mathematical training, possess a basic capacity to
estimate. Early in life, babies are already able to discriminate between different-sized sets of objects
at six months of age. But it’s also the case that there are pronounced individual differences in the
ability to estimate (Annie Murphy Paul, 2011).

Measurement gives us a way to communicate with one another and interact with our
surroundings. But it only works of those you are communicating with understand the system of
measurement you are using. It involves two parameter: the amount present and the unit within a
system of measurement. Without both the parameters the information is virtually worthless. To
produce accurate measurements and communicate the ideas to others, one must understand
several mathematical concepts, particularly the fundamental idea of a standard unit.
The objective of this laboratory exercise is to acquaint the students with mensuration skills using
ruled tools, body measurements and estimation by having them

1. estimate the lengths and volumes of objects and spaces;

2. identify the parts quantity to construct a given tangible product output; and

3. identify their body measurements and proportions that can come in handy in mensuration.