Units of Measurement

This topic deals with standard quantities used to express physical amounts, such as length (meters, feet), mass (kilograms, pounds), time (seconds, hours), and volume (liters, gallons). Questions involve converting between different units and solving word problems that require consistent use of units.

  • MIXING THE TEA

    "Mrs. Spooner called this morning," said the honest grocer to his assistant. "She wants twenty pounds of tea at `2`s. `4`½d. per lb. Of course we have a good `2`s. `6`d. tea, a slightly inferior at `2`s. `3`d., and a cheap Indian at `1`s. `9`d., but she is very particular always about her prices."

    "What do you propose to do?" asked the innocent assistant.

    "Do?" exclaimed the grocer. "Why, just mix up the three teas in different proportions so that the twenty pounds will work out fairly at the lady's price. Only don't put in more of the best tea than you can help, as we make less profit on that, and of course you will use only our complete pound packets. Don't do any weighing."

    How was the poor fellow to mix the three teas? Could you have shown him how to do it?

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  • GOLD PACKING IN RUSSIA

    The editor of the Times newspaper was invited by a high Russian official to inspect the gold stored in reserve at St. Petersburg, in order that he might satisfy himself that it was not another "Humbert safe." He replied that it would be of no use whatever, for although the gold might appear to be there, he would be quite unable from a mere inspection to declare that what he saw was really gold. A correspondent of the Daily Mail thereupon took up the challenge, but, although he was greatly impressed by what he saw, he was compelled to confess his incompetence (without emptying and counting the contents of every box and sack, and assaying every piece of gold) to give any assurance on the subject. In presenting the following little puzzle, I wish it to be also understood that I do not guarantee the real existence of the gold, and the point is not at all material to our purpose. Moreover, if the reader says that gold is not usually "put up" in slabs of the dimensions that I give, I can only claim problematic licence.

    Russian officials were engaged in packing `800` gold slabs, each measuring `12`½ inches long, `11` inches wide, and `1` inch deep. What are the interior dimensions of a box of equal length and width, and necessary depth, that will exactly contain them without any space being left over? Not more than twelve slabs may be laid on edge, according to the rules of the government. It is an interesting little problem in packing, and not at all difficult.

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