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Level 3-4 Shapes - Measuring Length
How many times would you need to run 100 metres before you had run a kilometre?

Level 3-4 Shapes - Measuring Length

Measure length accurately in KS3 maths. Use rulers and trundle wheels, read scales, convert millimetres, centimetres, metres, and kilometres, and solve practical distance problems.

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Fascinating Fact:

The marathon race distance of 42.195 kilometres was fixed in 1908 to match the route from Windsor Castle to London’s Olympic Stadium.

In KS3 Maths, measuring length means choosing sensible units, reading scales carefully, and converting between mm, cm, m, and km. You will estimate, measure straight or curved lengths, and apply results to perimeters and journeys.

  • Length: The measurement of how long something is from end to end.
  • Millimetre / Centimetre / Metre / Kilometre: Standard metric units for length (10 mm = 1 cm, 100 cm = 1 m, 1,000 m = 1 km).
  • Scale interval: The value between marks on a ruler or tape measure, for example each small division equals 1 mm.
How do I read a ruler to the nearest millimetre?

Place the object’s edge at zero, keep the ruler flat, and read the mark level with your eye. Count each small division as 1 mm for an accurate reading.

How do I convert between mm, cm, m, and km?

Use powers of ten: mm → cm ÷ 10, cm → m ÷ 100, m → km ÷ 1,000. Reverse to go larger to smaller (multiply): m × 100 = cm.

How can I measure a curved line accurately?

Lay a string along the curve, mark its length, then straighten the string against a ruler to read the total. Repeat to check your result.

1 .
Jack is exactly a metre and half a centimetre tall. What is Jack's height in millimetres?
1,005
1,050
1,150
1,500
There are 1,000 millimetres in a metre
2 .
If pencils are 12.5 cm long, how many will fit in a metre when they are laid end to end?
4
8
12
16
8 x 12.5 cm = 1 metre
3 .
How many millimetres are there in 8 centimetres?
80
800
8,000
80,000
There are 10 millimetres in a centimetre
4 .
If you travelled 10,018 kilometres around the equator you would have travelled a quarter of the way around the world. How many kilometres is it around the world?
20,036
30,054
40,072
80,144
Multiply 10,018 kilometres by 4 to find the answer
5 .
What are the abbreviations for centimetre and millimetre?
cm and mt
cm and mm
sm and mm
sm and mt
centimetre = cm, millimetre = mm
6 .
How many times would you need to run 100 metres before you had run a kilometre?
5
7.5
10
12.5
There are 1,000 metres in a kilometre
7 .
Blackpool tower is 157.8 metres high. How many centimetres is this?
1.578
15.578
1,578
15,780
To convert metres to centimetres you need to multiply by 100
8 .
It is 34,000 metres across the English Channel from England to France. How many kilometres is this?
34
68
136
272
To convert metres to kilometres, simply divide by 1,000
9 .
A child's building block is 55 mm high. What would be the height of 15 building blocks stacked one on top of the other? Give your answer in cm.
22.5 cm
42.5 cm
62.5 cm
82.5 cm
A building block that is 55 mm high is 5.5 cm high
10 .
If it is 400 metres around a running track, how many laps would you have to complete in order to run 20 kilometres?
30
40
50
60
First, convert 20km to metres by multiplying by 1,000. This gives you 20,000km. Then divide this number by 400 to get your answer
You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Measurement

Author:  Frank Evans (Specialist 11 Plus Teacher and Tutor)

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