Checking and

securing
understanding of
scales and
conversion
Maths

Unit 2D and 3D shape: compound shapes

:
Outcome

I can read values from various scales and convert

between units of measure.
Keywords

Metric units are based around the standard units of metre, gram and litre.

Imperial is a system of units for measuring, which was created in the

early 1800s, during the British Empire.

An interval is the space between two values or points. On a scale,

intervals are shown using a small mark or line to show the space
between.
Lesson outline

Checking and securing understanding of scales

and conversion

Converting in cooking

Exploring different scales

Converting in cooking
Explanation

A recipe is a set of instructions for a particular dish.

It involves a list of the ingredients.

I know that Lucas makes the batter for some pancakes.

pancakes need eggs, He notices the batter does not seem to be
milk and flour. the correct consistency.
Why might the pancake batter be the
wrong consistency?
Lucas The ratio of the ingredients may be
incorrect. There may have been too
much or too little flour.
Converting in cooking
Explanation

Here is the ingredient list from a recipe for pancakes.

Pancakes The units of this recipe are metric. Most

makes 12
modern kitchen measuring scales or jugs will
● 100 g plain
use metric units.
flour
● 2 large eggs
● 300 ml milk
If you wanted to make 24 pancakes, how many eggs would you need to
use?
The recipe makes 12 pancakes so if you want to make 24
pancakes, the recipe needs to be doubled.
4 large eggs would be needed.
Converting in cooking
Explanation

Jacob has found a recipe on the internet for chocolate chip cookies.

Chocolate chip cookies I know tsp means

makes 28
teaspoon but
● 3 cups all-purpose flour
what is a cup and
● 1 tsp baking soda
a stick?
● 1 tsp salt
● 2 sticks unsalted butter
● ½ cup granulated sugar
● 1¼ cups light brown sugar
This recipe is written for the US.
● 2 tsp vanilla extract
● 2 large eggs 1 cup is equivalent to 16
● 2 cups chocolate chips tablespoons and 1 stick is
equivalent to 8 tablespoons.
Converting in cooking
Explanation

Jacob has found a recipe on the internet for chocolate chip cookies.

Chocolate chip cookies Why do cups and sticks convert to

makes 28 tablespoons and not grams?
● 3 cups all-purpose flour
● 1 tsp baking soda Cups, sticks, tablespoons and
● 1 tsp salt teaspoons are measuring
● 2 sticks unsalted butter volume.
● ½ cup granulated sugar
Whereas, grams are a measure
● 1¼ cups light brown sugar
of mass.
● 2 tsp vanilla extract
● 2 large eggs 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of sugar
● 2 cups chocolate chips will be the same volume but
different masses.
Converting in cooking
Explanation

Jacob has found a recipe on the internet for chocolate chip cookies.

Chocolate chip cookies cup tablespoo

makes 28 ✖ 16
n 16
1
● 48 tbspall-purpose
3 cups all-purposeflour ✖3 ✖3
● flour
1 tsp baking soda 3 4
✖ 16
● 1 tsp salt 8
● 2 sticks unsalted butter
● Can you do this one without the
½ cup granulated sugar
table?
● 1¼ cups light brown sugar
● 2 tsp vanilla extract
● 2 large eggs
● 2 cups chocolate chips
Converting in cooking
Explanation

Jacob has found a recipe on the internet for chocolate chip cookies.

Chocolate chip cookies cup tablespoo

makes 28 ✖ 16
n 16
1
● 48 tbsp all-purpose flour ✖ ✖
● 1 tsp baking soda 1 2
1¼ ✖ 16 1¼
● 1 tsp salt ¼ 0
● 2 sticks unsalted butter
● 8 tbsp granulated sugar
● 20
1¼tbsp
cupslight
lightbrown
brownsugar
sugar
● 2 tsp vanilla extract
● 2 large eggs
● 2 cups chocolate chips
Converting in cooking
Check

The recipe requires 2 cups of chocolate chips.

How many tablespoons of chocolate chips is equivalent to 2 cups?
cup tablespoo
✖ 16
n 16
1
✖2 ✖2
2
✖ 16
32
Converting in cooking
Explanation

Jacob has found a recipe on the internet for chocolate chip cookies.

Chocolate chip cookies stic tablespoo

makes 28 k1 ✖8
n 8
● 48 tbsp all-purpose flour ✖2 ✖2
● 1 tsp baking soda 2 1
✖8
● 1 tsp salt 6
● 2 sticks
16 tbsp unsalted butter
● 8 tbsp granulated sugar
● 20 tbsp light brown sugar
● 2 tsp vanilla extract
● 2 large eggs
● 32 tbsp chocolate chips
Converting in cooking
Explanation

Jacob decides he doesn’t need to make 28 cookies, so decides to try

The cookies do not come out correctly, why?
and make 7 cookies.
1
Chocolate chip cookies ✖ Chocolate chip cookies
makes 28 4 makes 7
● 48 tbsp all-purpose flour ● 12 tbsp all-purpose flour
● 1 tsp baking soda ● ¼ tsp baking soda
● 1 tsp salt ● ¼ tsp salt
● 16 tbsp unsalted butter ● 4 tbsp unsalted butter
● 8 tbsp granulated sugar ● 2 tbsp granulated sugar
● 20 tbsp light brown sugar ● 5 tbsp light brown sugar
● 2 tsp vanilla extract ✖ 1 ● ½ tsp vanilla extract
● 2 large eggs 2 ● 1 large egg
● 32 tbsp chocolate chips ● 8 tbsp chocolate chips
Converting in cooking
Check

Jacob makes another batch of 32 cookies. 1 cup = 16

His mother tries one and says they are very tablespoons
sweet. Chocolate chip cookies
makes 28
Jacob used 10 tablespoons
● 3 cups all-purpose flour
of granulated sugar.
● 1 tsp baking soda
Is
No.that
Thethe correct
recipe amount?
for 28 cookies ● 1 tsp salt
● 2 sticks unsalted butter
requires 8 tablespoons of sugar.
● ½ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons of sugar would be ● 1¼ cups light brown sugar
for 7 cookies. Jacob has used the ● 2 tsp vanilla extract
amount of sugar for 35 cookies, ● 2 large eggs
not 32. ● 2 cups chocolate chips
Task A Converting in cooking
Practice

1) This is the ingredient list from a recipe for ketchup. 1 oz ≈ 28 g

Homemade ketchup a) Izzy follows the recipe and uses 2

makes 24 servings
medium onions, how many servings
● 2 lb canned plum tomatoes of ketchup is she making?
● 1 medium onion
● 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
b) Jun follows the recipe and uses 7
● 3 oz brown sugar
lb of plum tomatoes, how many
● 1 tsp salt
servings of ketchup is he making?
● 120 ml white wine vinegar
● 1 tbsp tomato puree
c) Aisha only has 60 grams of brown
● 1 tsp black pepper powder
sugar, how many servings of
ketchup can she make?
Task A Converting in cooking
Practice

2) Here is an ingredient list for white bread. Easy white bread makes 1 loaf
● 500 g strong white flour
Andeep has only got access to a weighing ● 2 tsp salt
scale in ounces. ● 7 g sachet fast-action yeast
● 3 tbsp olive oil
1 ounce is approximately 28 grams.
● 300 ml water
Complete the ratio tables to convert the
quantities.

a) flour b) yeast

1 28 1 28
500 7
Task A Converting in cooking
Feedbac
k

1) This is the ingredient list from a recipe for ketchup. 1 oz ≈ 28 g

Homemade ketchup a) Izzy follows the recipe and uses 2

makes 24 servings
medium onions, how many servings
● 2 lb canned plum tomatoes of ketchup is she making?
● 1 medium onion 1✖ 2424
● 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil ✖2 2 48 48
● 3 oz brown sugar servings
● 1 tsp salt b) Jun follows the recipe and uses 7
● 120 ml white wine vinegar lb of plum tomatoes, how many
● 1 tbsp tomato puree servings of ketchup is he making?
● 1 tsp black pepper powder 2 24
✖ 7 ✖ 84 84
3.5 12 servings
Task A Converting in cooking
Feedbac
k

1) This is the ingredient list from a recipe for ketchup. 1 oz ≈ 28 g

Homemade ketchup c) Aisha only has 60 grams of brown

makes 24 servings sugar, how many servings of
● 2 lb canned plum tomatoes ketchup can she make?
● 1 medium onion 1 28
✖ 28 15
● 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil ✖
●
15 60 7
3 oz brown sugar
●
7
1 tsp salt 1 oz of brown
● 120 ml white wine vinegar Aisha has 2
7
● 1 tbsp tomato puree sugar
3 24
● 1 tsp black pepper powder 5 ✖ 8
✖
15
7 171
7 7 17
servings
Task A Converting in cooking
Feedbac
k

2) Here is an ingredient list for white bread. Easy white bread makes 1 loaf
● 500 g strong white flour
Andeep has only got access to a weighing ● 2 tsp salt
scale in ounces. ● 7 g sachet fast-action yeast
● 3 tbsp olive oil
1 ounce is approximately 28 grams.
● 300 ml water
Complete the ratio tables to convert the
quantities.

a) flour b) yeast

1✖ 28 28 1✖ 28 28
✖
12 ✖1
176 500 7
5 1 7 4
7 4
Lesson outline

Checking and securing understanding of scales

and conversion

Converting in cooking

Exploring different scales

Exploring different scales
Explanation

Different scales can be seen in different contexts.

We are familiar with scales on different rulers to measure length.

The unit of measure could be

millimetres, centimetres or inches.
Exploring different scales
Explanation

This is part of a scale on a ruler, measuring in inches.

2 3

The piece of Yes, I think it

Is Laura correct?
ribbon is just is 2.7 inches.
under 3
inches. No, the ruler is not divided into
Laura intervals of 0.1. There are 8

Aisha intervals, so it’s increments of

0.125. The ribbon is 2.875 inches
or 2⅞ inches.
Exploring different scales
Check

Match the ruler with the correct reading.

a d 2.75 units
2 3

b e 2.625
2 3 units

c f 2.6 units
2 3
Exploring different scales
Check

Match the ruler with the correct reading.

a e 2.625
2 3 units

b d 2.75 units
2 3

c f 2.6 units
2 3
Exploring different scales
Explanation

These weighing scales have two different scales.

The top (black) scale is in stone and the bottom (red) is in kilogram.

There are fourteen

intervals between 0 and 1
stone.
This is is because
1 stone = 14 pound (lb).
The reading for the point
shown by the arrow is
1 stone and 4lb.
Exploring different scales
Explanation

These weighing scales have two different scales.

The top (black) scale is in stone and the bottom (red) is in kilogram.

0 st 1 2 3 4

10 20
0 kg

It is effectively a double
number line, but drawn on a
curve.
Exploring different scales
Explanation

Stone is an imperial measure of We can use this graph to get an

mass and kilogram is a metric 4 approximate conversion rate of
measure of mass.

4
1 stone in kilograms.
The mass in kilograms is 3

3
directly proportional to the 4
mass in stone.
2 3

2
We know that variables which
2
are directly proportional can be
1 0 st 1 2 3 44

1
represented on a double 1 3
2
t
00sst 1
0 st
number line and a graph.
0
st 6. 10 2
0 kg
4 0
Exploring different scales
Explanation

These weighing scales have two different scales.

The top (black) scale is in stone and the bottom (red) is in kilogram.

There are twenty intervals

between 0 and 10
kilogram.
So each small interval is
0.5 kg or 500 g.
Here we can see that once
10 again 1 stone ≈ 6.4 kg.
Exploring different scales
Explanation

Another place where scales are frequently used is on the dashboard of a

car.
The bars have reached the 2 on
the scale.

This means the engine’s

crankshaft is rotating at 2000
revolutions per minute (r/min).
This is called a tachometer or
revolution counter. It measures
the revolutions each minute of
the vehicles crankshaft (r/min
or RPM).
Exploring different scales
Explanation

Another place where scales are frequently used is on the dashboard of a

car.

The speedometer displays two scales.

The outside scale is miles per hour
(mph) and the inside scale is
kilometres per hour (km/h).
Exploring different scales
Explanation

Another place where scales are frequently used is on the dashboard of a

car.

The fuel scale indicates the

proportion of fuel left in the tank.
You could read this as one-third
used or two-thirds remaining.
Exploring different scales
Check

When the speedometer needle points at 80 km/h, how fast is the car
travelling in miles per hour?

50 mph
Exploring different scales
Explanation

Probabilitymeters are used to indicate expected outcomes in various

competitions (debates, sports matches etc.).

Izzy Alex

Izzy and Alex are both standing for a position on the school council.
They are presenting their opinions on various issues around school.
Exploring different scales
Explanation

Probabilitymeters are used to indicate expected outcomes in various

competitions (debates, sports matches etc.).
I would ensure
the trip to New
York happens.

Izzy Alex
Exploring different scales
Explanation

Probabilitymeters are used to indicate expected outcomes in various

competitions (debates, sports matches etc.).

I would lobby
for less
homework.

Izzy Alex
Exploring different scales
Explanation

Probabilitymeters are used to indicate expected outcomes in various

competitions (debates, sports matches etc.).
I would raise the
amount of
charity
fundraising.

Izzy Alex
Exploring different scales
Explanation

Probabilitymeters are used to indicate expected outcomes in various

competitions (debates, sports matches etc.).
I would try to
increase the number
of external speakers.

Izzy Alex

As each statement is given who is most likely to win the school

council election changes.
Exploring different scales
Check

During a professional cricket game this win-o-meter is shown.

Team A Team B

Which team is expected to lose?

Team A
Exploring different scales
Explanation

Some older electric meters use dials with scales.

Each dial is a different digit in the number of kilowatts per hour (kWh)
used by the household.
Exploring different scales
Explanation

This set of dials shows the number of kWh a household has used and
needs to submit to the electricity company.

10 000 1 000 100 10 1

9 0 1 1 0 9 9 0 1 1 0 9 9 0 1
8 2 2 8 8 2 2 8 8 2
7 3 3 7 7 3 3 7 7 3
6 5 4 4 5 6 6 5 4 4 5 6 6 5 4

These dials show a reading of 42951 kWh.

Exploring different scales
Check

How many kWh are these dials showing?

10 000 1 000 100 10 1

9 0 1 1 0 9 9 0 1 1 0 9 9 0 1
8 2 2 8 8 2 2 8 8 2
7 3 3 7 7 3 3 7 7 3
6 5 4 4 5 6 6 5 4 4 5 6 6 5 4

These dials show a reading of 70458 kWh.

Task B Exploring different scales
Practice

1) a) Some flour has been measured on this weighing

scale. How much flour has been weighed out?
lb 0 1
b) Given that 16 ounces = 1 lb and 1 ounce ≈ 28
grams.

2) 1 oz ≈ 28 1 lb =How
16 much flour is measured in grams?
g oz
a) This scale is in grams,
approximately how many
ounces is it showing? 240 260
b) This scale is in pounds (lb),
approximately how many
kilograms is it showing?
20 21 22
Task B Exploring different scales
Practice

3) Add the arrows to the dials to show a reading of 64926.

10 000 1 000 100 10 1

9 0 1 1 0 9 9 0 1 1 0 9 9 0 1
8 2 2 8 8 2 2 8 8 2
7 3 3 7 7 3 3 7 7 3
6 5 4 4 5 6 6 5 4 4 5 6 6 5 4

4) Write down three other contexts where you would need to read off a
scale.
Task B Exploring different scales
Feedbac
k

1)

lb 0 1

a) Some flour has been measured on this weighing scale. How much
5
flour has been weighed out?
lb
8
b) Given that 16 ounces = 1 lb, and 1 ounce ≈ 28 grams.
What is the approximate mass of the flour measured in grams?
5
lb = 10 oz
8
10 oz ≈ 280 grams
Task B Exploring different scales
Feedbac
k

2) 1 oz ≈ 28
a) This scale is in grams, approximately how many 1 lb g= 16
ounces is it showing? oz

252 grams ≈ 9 oz

240 260

b) This scale is in pounds (lb), approximately how many kilograms is it

showing?
21 lb 6 oz = 342 oz
342 oz ≈ 9576
20 21 22 grams . ≈
9.576 kg
Task B Exploring different scales
Feedbac
k

3) Add the arrows to the dials to show a reading of 64926.

10 000 1 000 100 10 1

9 0 1 1 0 9 9 0 1 1 0 9 9 0 1
8 2 2 8 8 2 2 8 8 2
7 3 3 7 7 3 3 7 7 3
6 5 4 4 5 6 6 5 4 4 5 6 6 5 4

4) Write down three other contexts where you would need to read off a
scale.
Some examples:
thermometer scale, oven dial, volume control, pressure gauge,
protractor
Summar
y Checking and securing understanding of
scales and conversion

Scales can be found in various places. See how many you can spot over
the next week, can you work out what they measure and what units they
use?
The intervals marked on a scale will be chosen related to the conversion
rate of the unit and subunit.
Converting within and between systems of measure may be necessary.
In the UK we still use a mix of imperial and metric measures so measures
and scales often offer both as options - make sure you are using the right
one!
Many modern scales have digital displays but much like reading a clock (a
timeometer?!) it is still an important skill to be able to interpret scales in
whatever form you are given them.
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