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Contributor: Joanna D'Orazio Mignella. Lesson ID: 14175
Ever tried measuring something tiny, like a gumball or a seed? It can be tricky! Measuring to the nearest fraction helps you get precise measurements on small objects.
It's so small that it could balance on your pinky! Day by day, it starts to grow taller…and taller!
This is where your ruler skills come in!
By measuring from those first tiny inches to when it reaches above your knees, you can see just how quickly it grows.
Fun fact: the world’s tallest sunflower grew to an incredible 30 feet—that’s about as tall as a giraffe!
Watch the video below to see a time-lapse of a sunflower growing.
When you learn to measure with precision, you can track every inch as your plant reaches for the sky.
They’re so tiny! You could hold hundreds of them in your hand.
Grab a ruler and measure one—you’ll see it’s much smaller than an inch!
To measure something as small as a sunflower seed, you’ll need to measure fractions of an inch, like 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, or even 1/16 of an inch.
Each mark between the whole numbers on a ruler represents one of these fractions.
Look at the image below.
Those lines divide each inch into 16 parts so you can measure very precisely. When you measure, you could find a length of 1/16 of an inch, 2/16 of an inch (which is the same as 1/8!), and so on, up to 15/16.
Great!
Imagine measuring that sunflower seed—lining it up exactly with one of those tiny lines! By using fractions, you can find the most accurate measurement.
Now, make sure your fractions are as simple as possible. If you measure something at 2/8 inches, you should simplify it to 1/4 inch because they’re equivalent.
Equivalent fractions are two fractions that represent the same length. Look at these examples.
| 1 | inch | = | 8 | inch | |
| 2 | 16 |
| 1 | inch | = | 2 | inch | |
| 4 | 8 |
| 1 | inch | = | 2 | inch | |
| 8 | 16 |
Watch the video below to see these equivalent fractions in action on a ruler. You’ll see how each fraction matches up to another, helping you measure more accurately.
When measuring with a ruler, making the lowest equivalent fraction is important.
As you watch this next video on using a ruler to measure small objects, pay close attention to the measurements of less than one inch.
When using a ruler, always start by aligning your object with the 0 mark. For example, take a look at this paperclip.
When it lines up with the 3/8 mark, you know it’s 3/8 of an inch long.
Try measuring a different paperclip!
Great work!
Head to the Got It? section for more measurement practice.
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