enVision Mathematics Grade 4, Topic 12: Understand Measurement Conversions
In this unit, your child learns how units like feet and inches, pounds and ounces, and liters and milliliters compare in size, and converts larger units to smaller ones. They solve story problems about distance, time, liquid volume, mass, and money. It follows the decimal unit, which helps with money problems, and leads into number patterns.
By Robert “Bobby” BarnettMath teacher, parent, and founder of Bobby’s Math Club
What is my child learning in Topic 12?
- Converting larger units to smaller ones, like 3 yards to 9 feet or 2 liters to 2,000 milliliters, and recording them in a table. Learn more: Converting feet to inches and kilograms to grams
- Solving story problems about distance, elapsed time, liquid volume, mass, and money, sometimes with fractions or decimals. Learn more: Story problems about distance, time, and money
Sample questions to try together
These are real questions from our practice. Tap the speaker to hear one read aloud, or the light bulb for a hint, and talk about the answer together.
Question 1 of 3
Amara buys a 5-pound bag of oranges. How many ounces does the bag weigh?
- 60 ounces
- 21 ounces
- 80 ounces
How you can help
- Read food labels together. If a bag of flour weighs 2 pounds, ask how many ounces that is, and check whether the label also lists 32 ounces.
- Work out elapsed time for real events, like how long until dinner. If it is 5:40 and dinner is at 6:15, count on: 20 minutes to 6:00 and 15 more is 35.
- Let your child figure out change at a store. If something costs $3.60 and you pay with $5, ask them to count up from $3.60 to find $1.40.
Where kids can get stuck
- Assuming every unit works in tens, so 1 hour becomes 100 minutes or 1 pound becomes 10 ounces.
- Subtracting times like ordinary numbers, so 5:20 minus 3:45 comes out as 1:75.
- Dividing 2 liters by 250 milliliters before converting the liters to 2,000 milliliters.
Practice makes perfect
Bobby's Math Club has practice problems that adapt to your child’s level, each with a detailed explanation and an easy-to-follow video, so your child can build confidence in these skills one step at a time.
Words your child will hear
- convert
- To change a measurement into a different unit, like 3 feet into 36 inches.
- yard
- A length equal to 3 feet, or 36 inches.
- ounce
- A small unit of weight; 16 ounces make 1 pound.
- pound
- A unit of weight equal to 16 ounces.
- liter
- A metric amount of liquid equal to 1,000 milliliters.
- milliliter
- A tiny amount of liquid; 1,000 milliliters make 1 liter.
- mass
- How much matter is in an object, measured in grams and kilograms.
- liquid volume
- How much liquid a container holds, measured in units like liters or cups.
- elapsed time
- How much time passes between the start and the end of an event.
Ready to build your child’s confidence with measurement conversions?
In Bobby's Math Club, your child practices these skills at just the right level, with a hint when they need one, a clear explanation after every question, and kid-friendly videos. Unlimited practice is free.
Join the club
Written by Robert “Bobby” Barnett
Bobby is an award-winning math teacher, the author of Meet Every Learner’s Needs, and the father of two elementary-school math learners. He uses Bobby’s Math Club with his own kids a few times every week. Learn more or contact Bobby.
Which math standards does enVision Mathematics Grade 4 Topic 12 cover?
enVision Mathematics Grade 4 Topic 12 covers these math standards. Each one links to what it means, sample questions, and teaching strategies.
For teachers: Unit names and order vary between editions and districts, so your school’s own materials have the exact sequence. Learn how Bobby's Math Club can help your students grow.