Problem Solving with Measures

Remembering Key Facts

You need to remember some key facts in order to answer problem solving questions in measures. Let's recap some of the key facts:

Conversion of units

Remember that:
- 1,000 g = 1 kg
- 1,000 m = 1 km
- 1,000 ml = 1 l

Units of length

Remember that:
- 10 mm = 1 cm
- 100 cm = 1 m
- 1,000 m = 1 km

Problem Solving Questions in Measures

Let's have a look at some examples of problem solving questions involving measures before you can have a go at your own.

Question 1

When Year 6 measure the length of different ropes they find one is 1.3 m long.
The other is 500 cm long.
What is the total length of both of these ropes?

First step

Both lengths need to be in the same units to be able to add them together.
- Convert the length of rope 2 into metres.

Then add the rope lengths

Now that the rope lengths are in the same units, you can add them together.
- The total length of both ropes is 1.3 m + 5 m = 6.3 m

Question 2

There are 3 children swimming lengths in a swimming pool.
One child swims 50.7 m, another swims 4700 cm and the other swims 10 m.
How far did the children swim altogether?

First step

All distances need to be in the same units to be able to add them together.
- Convert child 2's distance into metres

Then add the distances

Now that the distances are in the same units, you can add them together.
- The total distance the children swam is 50.7 m + 47 m + 10 m = 107.7 m
- You could use column addition to work out the answer.

1Year 5 - Number

1.1Number & Place Value

1.1.1The Value of Digits to Millions

1.1.2Smallest & Biggest Numbers to Millions

1.1.3Ordering Numbers to Millions

1.1.4Counting in Powers of 10

1.1.5Counting in Negative Numbers

1.1.6Rounding Numbers up to 1,000,000

1.1.7Reading Roman Numerals

1.2Addition & Subtraction

1.2.1Written Methods for Adding Large Numbers

1.2.2Written Methods for Subtracting Large Numbers

1.2.3Mental Addition & Subtraction

1.2.4Rounding to Check Your Answer

1.3Multiplication & Division

1.3.1Multiples

1.3.2Factors

1.3.3Prime Numbers

1.3.4Prime Factors

1.3.5Composite Numbers

1.3.6Factor Trees

1.3.7Multiplication by a 1 Digit Number

1.3.8Long Multiplication Using Column Method

1.3.9Times Tables

1.3.10Division

1.3.11Multiplying & Dividing by 10, 100 & 1,000

1.3.12Square & Cube Numbers

1.4Fractions & Decimals

1.4.1Compare & Order Fractions

1.4.2Identifying Equivalent Fractions

1.4.3Add & Subtract Fractions

1.4.4Mixed Numbers & Improper Fractions

1.4.5Multiplying Fractions by Whole Numbers

1.4.6Converting Between Decimals & Fractions

1.4.7Rounding Decimals

1.4.8Ordering Decimals

2Year 5 - Measurement

2.1Measures

2.1.1Metric Measurements

2.1.2Imperial Measurements

2.2Perimeter & Area

2.2.1Perimeter

2.2.2Area

2.3Time

2.3.1Units of Time

3Year 5 - Geometry

3.1Properties of 3D Shapes

3.1.1Types of 3D Shapes

3.1.2Faces, Edges & Vertices

3.2Properties of 2D Shapes

3.2.1Polygons

3.3Angles

3.3.1Angles in Degrees

3.3.2Types of Angle

3.3.3Finding Missing Angles

3.4Position & Direction

3.4.1Reflection & Translation

4Year 5 - Statistics

4.1Graphs

4.1.1Line Graphs

4.1.2Tables

4.1.3Timetables

5Year 6 - Number

5.1Number & Place Value

5.1.1The Value of Digits to Ten Millions

5.1.2Ordering Numbers to Millions

5.1.3Rounding

5.1.4Negative Numbers

5.2Multiplication & Division

5.2.1Multiplication by a 2 Digit Number

5.2.2Division

5.2.3Multiples

5.2.4Factors

5.2.5Primes

5.3Mental Maths

5.3.1Multiplying & Dividing by 10, 100 & 1,000

5.3.2Addition & Subtraction

5.3.3Adding & Subtracting 10, 100 & 1,000

5.3.4Multiplication & Division

5.4Order of Operations

5.4.1BIDMAS

5.5Problem Solving

5.5.1Addition & Subtraction Multi-step Problems

5.5.2Problem Solving with Proportion

5.6Fractions & Decimals

5.6.1Simplifying Fractions Using Equivalents

5.6.2Ordering Different Types of Fraction

5.6.3Adding & Subtracting Fractions

5.6.4Adding & Subtracting Mixed Numbers

5.6.5Multiplying Fractions

5.6.6Dividing Fractions by Whole Numbers

5.6.7Converting Between Decimals & Fractions

5.6.8Dividing Decimals

6Year 6 - Ratio & Proportion

6.1Ratio

6.1.1Using Ratios

6.1.2Simplifying Ratios

6.2Percentages

6.2.1Calculating Percentages

6.3Scale

6.3.1Scale of 2D Shapes

7Year 6 - Algebra

7.1Sequences

7.1.1Describing Sequences

7.1.2Finding Gaps in Sequences

7.2Missing Number Problems

7.2.1Missing Number Problems

7.3Equations

7.3.1Balancing Equations

7.3.2Combining Two Variables

8Year 6 - Measurement

8.1Problem Solving

8.1.1Problem Solving with Measures

8.2Unit Conversion

8.2.1Conversion Between Miles & Kilometres

8.3Perimeter, Area & Volume

8.3.1Area

8.3.2Volume

8.3.3Nets

8.3.4Faces, Edges & Vertices

8.4Angles

8.4.1Types of Angle

8.4.2Finding Missing Angles

8.4.3Finding Missing Angles in Triangles

8.4.4Vertically Opposite Angles

8.5Circles

8.5.1Parts of a Circle

8.6Coordinate Grids

8.6.1Positions on Coordinate Grids

8.6.2Reflection & Translation

9Year 6 - Statistics

9.1Displaying Data

9.1.1Pie Charts

9.1.2Line Graphs

9.2Averages

9.2.1Mean

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