4 Length, mass and capacity

4.2 Units of area, volume For capacity, the litre () is used.

and capacity A measuring jug has a capacity of about 1 litre
For arca, square centimetres (cm) are used.

This square bas an area of

Tem
Icm
1cm

For snaller areas, square millimetres (mm)

e used.
The millilitre (ml) is used for smaller capacities
Since 1 cm10mm 1000 ml= 1t
then I cm 10mm x 10mm 100mm A teaspoon has a capacity of about 5 millititres
For larger areas, square metres (m) or square
kilometres (km) are used.
A square metre is about the size of halfa door.

Note also that Imi =Icm

Exercise 4C
1 Write down three things that have
a an area of less than Im
b a capacity of less than 1t
c a volume of less than I m.

2 Which unit would you use to measure

a the area of your town, village or city
b the capacity of a bottle of water
C the area of this ink stain:

d the volume of your classroom

e the capacity of a bucket
Im = 100cm x 100 cm =10000cm

For volume, we use centimetres cubed (cm).

1cm' is a cube with side lengths of I cm.

I cm

1 cm
1 CIn the area of the piece of paper you are
writing on?
For smaller volumes we use millimetres 3 Copy and complete:
cubed (mm). a 3200ml = Dt

I cm' = 10mm x 10mm x 10mm= 1000 mm b 10ml=em

For larger volumes, we use metres cubed (m) or
even kilometres cubed (km').
Im' = 100cm X 100cmX 100cm
= 1000000 cm
C 23- m l
4 A bottle of medicine contains 250 ml. How
many litres of medicine are there in seven of
these bottles?

63
 4
Length, mass and
are
nsible
sene

capacity Which ofthe

f o l l o w i n g

5 a estimates? man
in 1s
or 4 grown
height
5A bucket contains 3.4 litres of waler. I 201ml iThe

about 2m
are egg 1S abourt Tkg
are poured out, how many litres of waler The
mass
oi an
kilometre
in the bucket? a
ii to run

time
6 Copy and ili The
complete: 1 hour.
a ily
is about iCm
a 5m=Dem length of
The about 50 md
etres
b iv walks
l
2.3km= m v
Alison

0.7m=em p e rs e c o n d .

the
C1assroom door 1
d 9.25km' m =

The a r e a
of
vi
e 420000 cm=m about 2m botile holds abou
f
7000000 mm= m vii A
soft
drink

estimate
for each par

good sens
4.3 Estimation b
Write a
did n o t
think was
nsible
which you
8m How
The ability to make a good guess or estimate 10r paint
covers
about
TTany
S1Ze of something is very important in mathematics. i 6 A litre of bought
to cover a rectano
ngular
neips you check whether an answer is sensible or nol
should be
litres

wall
by 25
m

a 12 m
Exercise 4D 3m?
17m by
1 a Estimate the lengths of these lines: b

accurate values
es
and
Approximate

b Check your answers with your ruler.

How accurate were you?

2 Estimate in metric units
a the width of your classroom
b the height of your classroom door
the length of the blackboard or whiteboard
in your classroom
d the distance from your school to
your home
e the distance from your seat to the
principal's office drawn above.
the width of a blade of grass Look at the flowers
how many flowers you thi
a Without counting, say
g the width of a pencil point
there are.
h the height of your school. How many are there?
b Now count them.
3 Estimate the mass of
number of flowers. You used
a a pencil b a large grapetru In a, you estimated the
mind but you did not count
C yourself d a bucket of water your eyes and your
a simall car a mosquito In b you counted and founc
e exact or accurate

your exercise answer.

book
Sometimes it is importaet o find the accu te number
4 Compare your answers to Questio:
with a friend. Atother times the appre mate number is 00d enougt
Ask your teacher about any you care

agree on.

64