From Feet to Fathoms Lab

From Feet to Fathoms Lab

Emma Harrison, 6A

15 May 2011

Guiding Question:  What are some advantages of using the metric system over the Old English system?

Hypothesis:  I think everyone should use which system they want.  It doesn’t matter to me.

Exploration:

Materials – People; crayons; peeps; a hallway; white board; desk; a book; a tape measure with both measure systems; calculator

Procedures

1)      Draw a table with seven columns and rows

2)      Label the first column “materials”; the second column “measurements”; the third column “1”; the 4^th “2” & the 5^th “3”; the 6^th column “average”; and the 7^th column “actual”

3)      Collect the data by measuring the items using methods other than the metric or Old English systems

4)      Find the average measurement for each item and record data

5)      Choose either the metric or Old English system and measure each item again and record the data

6)      Find the average actual measurement and record data

Record & Analysis:

A)    Data Tables

Fathoms Lab Data Table

B)    Graphs

C)    Data Analysis –We used the width of a finger, the width of the palm of our hands, the length of a foot or our arm to measure.  Since everyone has a different width or length of their body parts all the results were different.  Therefore, I don’t believe our group data showed accuracy or precision.  Plus we converted everything to centimeters which we later learned we weren’t supposed to do.

Conclusion:

What are some advantages of using the metric system over the Old English system? The Old English measurement system does not work as well as the metric system because it is different for everyone.  The advantages of using the metric system are that it is more accurate, easier to understand, and works better.  My prediction was not correct because it does matter which measurement system you use.  In this lab, I learned about the Old English system.  I also learned that there are many different types of measurement systems. 

Further Analysis:

For our first lesson on this lab, I was the only person in my group in class.  The second lesson one of my lab partners was there but not the other.  I had to bring her up to date and we got behind.  The next class, we had to introduce another person into our group.  To make it easier this time Ms M explained the lab and we used the photocopier to copy the data already collected on our table.  Unfortunately, our group data is still incomplete as one member still needs to finish their measurements.  So far, the members who completed the measurements have very similar data.  Therefore, I do believe that our data shows accuracy.

Further Inquiry: 

Next time, I would like to have all my lab partners in class on the first day the lab is introduced to us.  Also, next time it would be better if my group didn’t convert the Old English measurements into centimeters.  It was confusing and took up a lot of time.  Most of the data on our table was recording in centimeters not the actual Old English measures we took since we converted them first.  Therefore our data table and graph do not show the Old English measurements and cannot be compared to the rest of our class.