Step-by-step Maths Level 5: Reading scales and choosing units
Part of the Step-by-step Maths Level 5 metric length, mass and capacity chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Reading scales and choosing units
Look at the labels first. Then count the small marks from the nearest label below the arrow. Each small mark is the step shown.
Choose a unit that gives a sensible number: a door is about 2 m tall, a pencil about 15 cm long.
Key ideas
- Read the labels, then count the small steps.
- Each small step is the step the question gives.
- Choose the unit that fits the size of the thing.
Method. Start at the labelled number, count the small steps, then add.
- Find the labelled number below the arrow. Labels show the bigger steps.25 g
- Count the small steps of 5 from 25. Each small step adds 5.1 steps of 5 = 5 g more
- Add to find the reading. Add the steps to the labelled number.25 + 5 = 30
- Write the reading with the unit. Give the unit of the scale.30 g
Check. Check: 30 is 6 steps of 5 from zero.
Watch out. Count each small mark. Do not count the labels as steps.
Method. Start at the labelled number, count the small steps, then add.
- Find the labelled number below the arrow. Labels show the bigger steps.0 kg
- Count the small steps of 2 from 0. Each small step adds 2.2 steps of 2 = 4 kg more
- Add to find the reading. Add the steps to the labelled number.0 + 4 = 4
- Write the reading with the unit. Give the unit of the scale.4 kg
Check. Check: 4 is 2 steps of 2 from zero.
Watch out. Count each small mark. Do not count the labels as steps.
Method. Start at the labelled number, count the small steps, then add.
- Find the labelled number below the arrow. Labels show the bigger steps.0 ml
- Count the small steps of 10 from 0. Each small step adds 10.3 steps of 10 = 30 ml more
- Add to find the reading. Add the steps to the labelled number.0 + 30 = 30
- Write the reading with the unit. Give the unit of the scale.30 ml
Check. Check: 30 is 3 steps of 10 from zero.
Watch out. Count each small mark. Do not count the labels as steps.
Watch out
Watch out. Count the small marks, not the labels. Check the step size the question gives you.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Use a real ruler or measuring jug. Ask: “How many small steps from the label to the mark?”
Exercise 8D Practice: reading scales and choosing units
Non-calculatorMethod. Choose a unit that matches the size of the thing being measured.
- Think about the size of the thing. Towns are many kilometres apart.
- Choose the unit that gives a sensible number. A sensible unit gives a small whole number, not a huge one.kilometres
Check. Check: the number of units is a sensible size for the thing.
Watch out. Use cm for small lengths, m for rooms and doors, and km for distances between towns.
Method. Choose a unit that matches the size of the thing being measured.
- Think about the size of the thing. A glass holds a few hundred millilitres.
- Choose the unit that gives a sensible number. A sensible unit gives a small whole number, not a huge one.millilitres
Check. Check: the number of units is a sensible size for the thing.
Watch out. Use cm for small lengths, m for rooms and doors, and km for distances between towns.
Method. Start at the labelled number, count the small steps, then add.
- Find the labelled number below the arrow. Labels show the bigger steps.25 g
- Count the small steps of 5 from 25. Each small step adds 5.1 steps of 5 = 5 g more
- Add to find the reading. Add the steps to the labelled number.25 + 5 = 30
- Write the reading with the unit. Give the unit of the scale.30 g
Check. Check: 30 is 6 steps of 5 from zero.
Watch out. Count each small mark. Do not count the labels as steps.
Method. Start at the labelled number, count the small steps, then add.
- Find the labelled number below the arrow. Labels show the bigger steps.0 ml
- Count the small steps of 10 from 0. Each small step adds 10.3 steps of 10 = 30 ml more
- Add to find the reading. Add the steps to the labelled number.0 + 30 = 30
- Write the reading with the unit. Give the unit of the scale.30 ml
Check. Check: 30 is 3 steps of 10 from zero.
Watch out. Count each small mark. Do not count the labels as steps.
Method. Start at the labelled number, count the small steps, then add.
- Find the labelled number below the arrow. Labels show the bigger steps.0 ml
- Count the small steps of 10 from 0. Each small step adds 10.4 steps of 10 = 40 ml more
- Add to find the reading. Add the steps to the labelled number.0 + 40 = 40
- Write the reading with the unit. Give the unit of the scale.40 ml
Check. Check: 40 is 4 steps of 10 from zero.
Watch out. Count each small mark. Do not count the labels as steps.
Method. Start at the labelled number, count the small steps, then add.
- Find the labelled number below the arrow. Labels show the bigger steps.0 ml
- Count the small steps of 10 from 0. Each small step adds 10.1 steps of 10 = 10 ml more
- Add to find the reading. Add the steps to the labelled number.0 + 10 = 10
- Write the reading with the unit. Give the unit of the scale.10 ml
Check. Check: 10 is 1 steps of 10 from zero.
Watch out. Count each small mark. Do not count the labels as steps.
Method. Start at the labelled number, count the small steps, then add.
- Find the labelled number below the arrow. Labels show the bigger steps.10 kg
- Count the small steps of 2 from 10. Each small step adds 2.1 steps of 2 = 2 kg more
- Add to find the reading. Add the steps to the labelled number.10 + 2 = 12
- Write the reading with the unit. Give the unit of the scale.12 kg
Check. Check: 12 is 6 steps of 2 from zero.
Watch out. Count each small mark. Do not count the labels as steps.
Method. Choose a unit that matches the size of the thing being measured.
- Think about the size of the thing. A bag of flour is about one kilogram.
- Choose the unit that gives a sensible number. A sensible unit gives a small whole number, not a huge one.kilograms
Check. Check: the number of units is a sensible size for the thing.
Watch out. Use cm for small lengths, m for rooms and doors, and km for distances between towns.
Method. Start at the labelled number, count the small steps, then add.
- Find the labelled number below the arrow. Labels show the bigger steps.25 g
- Count the small steps of 5 from 25. Each small step adds 5.2 steps of 5 = 10 g more
- Add to find the reading. Add the steps to the labelled number.25 + 10 = 35
- Write the reading with the unit. Give the unit of the scale.35 g
Check. Check: 35 is 7 steps of 5 from zero.
Watch out. Count each small mark. Do not count the labels as steps.
Method. Start at the labelled number, count the small steps, then add.
- Find the labelled number below the arrow. Labels show the bigger steps.50 ml
- Count the small steps of 10 from 50. Each small step adds 10.3 steps of 10 = 30 ml more
- Add to find the reading. Add the steps to the labelled number.50 + 30 = 80
- Write the reading with the unit. Give the unit of the scale.80 ml
Check. Check: 80 is 8 steps of 10 from zero.
Watch out. Count each small mark. Do not count the labels as steps.
Method. Start at the labelled number, count the small steps, then add.
- Find the labelled number below the arrow. Labels show the bigger steps.50 ml
- Count the small steps of 10 from 50. Each small step adds 10.4 steps of 10 = 40 ml more
- Add to find the reading. Add the steps to the labelled number.50 + 40 = 90
- Write the reading with the unit. Give the unit of the scale.90 ml
Check. Check: 90 is 9 steps of 10 from zero.
Watch out. Count each small mark. Do not count the labels as steps.
Method. Start at the labelled number, count the small steps, then add.
- Find the labelled number below the arrow. Labels show the bigger steps.0 kg
- Count the small steps of 2 from 0. Each small step adds 2.1 steps of 2 = 2 kg more
- Add to find the reading. Add the steps to the labelled number.0 + 2 = 2
- Write the reading with the unit. Give the unit of the scale.2 kg
Check. Check: 2 is 1 steps of 2 from zero.
Watch out. Count each small mark. Do not count the labels as steps.
Method. Start at the labelled number, count the small steps, then add.
- Find the labelled number below the arrow. Labels show the bigger steps.0 kg
- Count the small steps of 2 from 0. Each small step adds 2.4 steps of 2 = 8 kg more
- Add to find the reading. Add the steps to the labelled number.0 + 8 = 8
- Write the reading with the unit. Give the unit of the scale.8 kg
Check. Check: 8 is 4 steps of 2 from zero.
Watch out. Count each small mark. Do not count the labels as steps.
Method. Start at the labelled number, count the small steps, then add.
- Find the labelled number below the arrow. Labels show the bigger steps.0 kg
- Count the small steps of 2 from 0. Each small step adds 2.3 steps of 2 = 6 kg more
- Add to find the reading. Add the steps to the labelled number.0 + 6 = 6
- Write the reading with the unit. Give the unit of the scale.6 kg
Check. Check: 6 is 3 steps of 2 from zero.
Watch out. Count each small mark. Do not count the labels as steps.
Method. Start at the labelled number, count the small steps, then add.
- Find the labelled number below the arrow. Labels show the bigger steps.0 g
- Count the small steps of 5 from 0. Each small step adds 5.1 steps of 5 = 5 g more
- Add to find the reading. Add the steps to the labelled number.0 + 5 = 5
- Write the reading with the unit. Give the unit of the scale.5 g
Check. Check: 5 is 1 steps of 5 from zero.
Watch out. Count each small mark. Do not count the labels as steps.
Method. Choose a unit that matches the size of the thing being measured.
- Think about the size of the thing. A pencil is about 15 cm long.
- Choose the unit that gives a sensible number. A sensible unit gives a small whole number, not a huge one.centimetres
Check. Check: the number of units is a sensible size for the thing.
Watch out. Use cm for small lengths, m for rooms and doors, and km for distances between towns.