RemeliaMaths Year 6 Measurement
Year 6 converting units to 3 decimal places
The objective: Convert between standard units of length, mass, volume and time, smaller→larger and larger→smaller, to 3 d.p..
The explanation, example and questions are the ones Remelia uses in the app; the questions are not taken from any test paper.
The idea
Every metric conversion is × or ÷ by 10, 100 or 1000. Deciding which direction is the only real decision.
How to do it
- Bigger unit to smaller: multiply.
- Smaller to bigger: divide.
- Sanity-check the size of the answer.
A worked example
0.75 litres = 750 ml.
Watch for
Going the wrong way. Ask whether the number should grow or shrink.
Try four questions
-
Convert 3,073 ml into litres.
Show the answer to question 1
Answer: 3.073 litres
Why:
1,000 ml = 1 litre, so 3,073 ÷ 1,000 = 3.073 litres.
-
Convert 83.1 litres into ml.
Show the answer to question 2
Answer: 83,100 ml
Why:
1 litre = 1,000 ml, so 83.1 × 1,000 = 83,100 ml.
-
11.5 m is 11 m and how many centimetres?
Show the answer to question 3
Answer: 50 cm (also accept 11 m 50 cm, 11 m and 50 cm)
Why:
The 11 m is the whole part; 0.5 m is what is left. 1 m = 100 cm, so 0.5 × 100 = 50 cm.
So 11.5 m is 11 m 50 cm.
-
Convert 206 g into kg.
Show the answer to question 4
Answer: 0.206 kg
Why:
1,000 g = 1 kg, so 206 ÷ 1,000 = 0.206 kg.
Answers
- 1. 3.073 litres
- 2. 83,100 ml
- 3. 50 cm (also accept 11 m 50 cm, 11 m and 50 cm)
- 4. 0.206 kg
The mistakes Remelia names
When a wrong answer to a question like these matches one of these mistakes, the app says what the child seems to have done before they try again.
- Question 1, the answer 3,073,000: It looks as if you multiplied instead of dividing. Dividing by 10, 100 or 1,000 makes a number smaller: the digits move to the right.
- Question 1, the answer 30.73: Your digits are right, but in the wrong columns: your answer is 10 times too big.
- Question 1, the answer 0.3073: Your digits are right, but in the wrong columns: your answer is 10 times too small.
- Question 2, the answer 0.0831: It looks as if you divided instead of multiplying. A smaller unit takes more of them to make the same amount, so the number gets bigger: the digits move to the left.
- Question 3, the answer 5: It looks as if you copied the digits after the decimal point into the smaller unit. Those digits are part of one whole of the bigger unit, so change that part: 0.25 of 1,000 is 250, not 25.