Year 5 - Maths
Understand approximate equivalence between metric and imperial units
Converting units
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit pupils will apply memorised unit conversions to convert between units of measure and solve problems involving converting between units of time and money.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to understand approximate equivalence between metric and imperial units.
Key Notes
- 1 inch is approximately equal to 2.5cm.
- 1 pound (lb) is approximately 0.5kg.
- 1 pint is just greater than 0.4l.
Vocabulary To Learn
- Metric: Metric is a system of measuring based mainly around the decimal system.
- Imperial: Imperial is a system of measuring which originated in England which has been replaced by the metric system in most countries.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Two unrelated units of measure are called 'pounds' - the money version and the mass version. Pupils may confuse one for the other.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Solve this in steps: explain the method from this lesson and why each step matters.
1 inch is approximately equal to 2.5cm. 1 pound (lb) is approximately 0.5kg.
2. Use this key word in a maths sentence and explain it clearly. 'Metric'
Metric is a system of measuring based mainly around the decimal system. Use this word when showing your method, then check your final answer is reasonable.
3. Spot and fix this common maths mistake.
Mistake: Two unrelated units of measure are called 'pounds' - the money version and the mass version. Pupils may confuse one for the other. Correction: In this lesson, the word pounds (as in mass) is used with the abbreviation lb in brackets. It is recommended that you use both of these until pupils reach a point where they can automatically read lb as pounds and and record it as such.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Convert between miles and kilometres and pounds and Euro Study Guide
- Convert from larger to smaller units of measure Study Guide
- Convert from smaller to larger units of measure Study Guide
- Convert to and from fraction and decimal quantities of larger units Study Guide
- Solve problems involving converting between units of time Study Guide
- Solve problems involving converting units in different contexts Study Guide
- Solve problems involving different units of measure Study Guide
- Use known facts to carry out conversions that correspond to 10 and 100 parts Study Guide
- Use known facts to derive common conversions over 1 Study Guide
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