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Tip: Use centimetres (cm) for small things and metres (m) for big things. 100 cm = 1 m. A metre stick is about as long as a big step.
1) Choose the better unit
Circle cm or m for each item.
Answers: 1) pencil: cm, door: m, ant: cm, school hallway: m, crayon: cm, soccer field: m
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2) Solve the centimetre word problems
Add or subtract to find the length.
- A ribbon is 45 cm long. Maria cuts off 12 cm. How much ribbon is left? cm
- A worm crawls 18 cm in the morning and 21 cm in the afternoon. How far did it crawl altogether? cm
- A toy train is 37 cm long. Another train is 9 cm longer. How long is the second train? cm
3) True or False
Circle T for true or F for false.
A metre is shorter than a centimetre.
A metre stick can measure a doorway.
You would use metres to measure a tiny ant.
Answers: 2) 33 cm, 39 cm, 46 cm | 3) True, False, True, False