2nd grade · Math · Unit 14 of 17
Inches, Feet & Yards
Measure and estimate length
What your child practices
Measuring and estimating length in inches, feet and yards (and centimeters and meters), and finding how much longer one thing is than another.
Alabama Course of Study content standard: 2.17; 2.18; 2.19; 2.20; 2.21 · measuring and estimating lengths in inches, feet, centimeters and meters, and solving length problems
How we explain it
Children can open this short lesson before they practice.
- An inch is about the width of a quarter.
- 12 inches make 1 foot. 3 feet make 1 yard.
- To find how much longer, subtract the shorter length.
Example: A ribbon is 14 inches. A string is 9 inches. How much longer is the ribbon? 14 − 9 = 5. Answer: 5 inches
Inches, Feet & Yards in Alabama
In the Alabama Course of Study, this is unit 14 of 17 in 2nd grade Math, after Five-Minute Clock and before Arrays.
Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
Priya jumped 16 inches. A friend jumped 24 inches farther. How far did the friend jump?
- 40 in
- 30 in
- 42 in
- 50 in
40 in
Hint: 16 + 24 = ?
Question 2
A snake is 28 inches long. A worm is 17 inches long. How much longer is the snake?
- 11 inches
- 21 inches
- 10 inches
- 45 inches
11 inches
Hint: Find the difference: 28 − 17.
Question 3
How many feet make 1 yard?
- 3
- 12
- 36
- 10
3
Hint: A foot is 12 inches. A yard is 3 feet. A meter is 100 centimeters.
Question 4
The dots mark the ends of a crayon on an inch ruler. How long is it?
- 6 in
- 3 in
- 5 in
- 4 in
4 in
Hint: Start at 0 and count the inches to the other dot.
Question 5
About how tall is a kitchen table?
- 3 feet
- 3 inches
- 30 feet
3 feet
Hint: An inch is about the width of a quarter. A foot is a long ruler. A yard is about one big step.
Question 6
Which unit is best for the length of an eraser?
- yards
- inches
- feet
inches
Hint: Small things: inches. Bigger things: feet or yards.