Solved Examples: The Basics of Measurements and Units

Samuel Dominic Chukwuemeka (SamDom For Peace) For ACT Students
The ACT is a timed exam...60 questions for 60 minutes
This implies that you have to solve each question in one minute.
Some questions will typically take less than a minute a solve.
Some questions will typically take more than a minute to solve.
The goal is to maximize your time. You use the time saved on those questions you solved in less than a minute, to solve the questions that will take more than a minute.
So, you should try to solve each question correctly and timely.
So, it is not just solving a question correctly, but solving it correctly on time.
Please ensure you attempt all ACT questions.
There is no negative penalty for any wrong answer.

For JAMB Students
Calculators are not allowed. So, the questions are solved in a way that does not require a calculator.

Solve all questions.
Show all work.


(1.) Choose an appropriate metric unit and customary unit for these measurements
(a.) Width of an office building
(b.) Width of a fly's eye
(c.) Distance between exits on a highway
(d.) Depth of a wrecked ship
(e.) Thickness of a piece of a paper
(f.) Length of a pencil
(g.) Length of a canyon
(h.) Height of the ozone layer
(i.) Length of a mathematics textbook
(j.) Width of a dollar bill
(k.) Length of a thumbtack
(l.) Length of a driveway
(m.) Height of a semi-trailer
(n.) Span of a human hand
(o.) Distance traveled by a home run
(p.) Thickness of a leaf


Appropriate Units of Linear Measurements
Measurement Metric Unit Customary Unit
Width of an office building meters feet
Width of a fly's eye millimeters inches
Distance between exits on a highway kilometers miles
Depth of a wrecked ship kilometers miles
Thickness of a piece of paper millimeters inches
Length of a pencil centimeters inches
Length of a canyon kilometers miles
Height of the ozone layer kilometers miles
Length of a mathematics textbook centimeters inches
Width of a dollar bill centimeters inches
Length of a thumbtack millimeters inches
Length of a driveway meters feet
Height of a semi-trailer meters feet
Span of a human hand centimeters inches
Distance traveled by a home run meters feet
Thickness of a leaf millimeters inches
(2.) Guess the approximate areas of these items.
(a.) A business envelope
(b.) A placemat
(c.) A cereal box top
(d.) The floor of a classroom
(e.) A kitchen table
(f.) A backyard swimming pool (g.) A tabletop television


Approximate Areas
Items Approximate Areas
A business envelope 240 cm²
A placemat 1350 cm²
A cereal box top 170 cm²
The floor of a classroom 100 m²
A kitchen table 3 m²
A backyard swimming pool 100 m²
A tabletop television 1200 cm²
(3.) Choose the most appropriate metric units ​(cm²​, m²​, or km²​) and English units ​(in²​, yd²​, or mi²​) for these area measurements.

(a.) Area of a bottle cap
(b.) Area of a desktop
(c.) Area of the floor of a classroom
(d.) Area of a folded paper napkin
(e.) Area of a kitchen table
(f.) Area of a silver dollar
(g.) Area of a business envelope
(h.) Area of a quarter
(i.) Area of a ceiling tile
(j.) Area of the building lot for a house
(k.) Area of a swimming pool
(l.) Area of a basketball court
(m.) Area of a blackboard
(n.) Area of a book
(o.) Area of a bottle cap


Appropriate Units of Area Measurements
Measurement Metric Unit English Unit
Area of a bottle cap cm² in²​
Area of a desktop m² yd²​
Area of the floor of a classroom m² yd²​
Area of a folded paper napkin cm² in²​
Area of a kitchen table m² yd²​
Area of a silver dollar cm² in²​
Area of a business envelope cm² in²​
Area of a quarter cm² in²​
Area of a ceiling tile cm² in²​
Area of the building lot for a house m² yd²​
Area of a swimming pool m² yd²​
Area of a basketball court m² yd²​
Area of a blackboard m² yd²​
Area of a book cm² in²​
Area of a bottle cap cm² in²​
(4.) Choose an appropriate metric unit and customary unit for these mass measurements.
(a.) Bicycle
(b.) Boat
(c.) Pair of eyeglasses
(d.) Space Shuttle
(e.) Car
(f.) Eraser
(g.) Horse
(h.) Small Book
(i.) Human Being
(j.) Elephant
(k.) Box of cereal
(l.) Refrigerator
(m.) Whale
(n.) Motorbike
(o.) Football Player
(p.) Pencil


Appropriate Units of Mass Measurements
Measurement Metric Unit Customary Unit
Bicycle kilogram pound
Boat megagram metric ton
Pair of eyeglasses gram ounce
Space Shuttle megagram metric ton
Car megagram metric ton
Eraser gram ounce
Horse kilogram pound
Small Book gram ounce
Human Being kilogram pound
Elephant megagram metric ton
Box of cereal gram ounce
Refrigerator kilogram pound
Whale megagram metric ton
Motorbike megagram metric ton
Football Player kilogram pound
Pencil gram ounce
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