Grade: Grade 2 Subject: Mathematics Unit: Measurement Lesson: 4 of 6 SAT: ProblemSolving+DataAnalysis ACT: Math

Measurement Word Problems

📖 Learn

Word problems help us use measurement in real life! In this lesson, you will learn how to solve word problems about length.

Steps to Solve Measurement Word Problems

  1. Read the problem carefully. What is the question asking?
  2. Find the important numbers. Circle or underline them.
  3. Look for key words:
    • "How much longer" or "how much more" means subtract
    • "How long altogether" or "total length" means add
    • "How much is left" means subtract
  4. Solve the problem. Use addition or subtraction.
  5. Check your answer. Does it make sense? Don't forget the unit!

Comparing Lengths

When comparing two lengths:

  • Make sure both measurements use the same unit
  • Use words like "longer," "shorter," "taller," or "the same"
  • To find the difference, subtract the smaller number from the larger number

💡 Examples

Example 1: Finding Total Length

Tom has a red ribbon that is 8 inches long. He has a blue ribbon that is 5 inches long. How long are both ribbons together?

Solution:

Key words: "together" tells us to add

8 inches + 5 inches = 13 inches

Example 2: Finding the Difference

Anna's pencil is 15 centimeters long. Ben's pencil is 9 centimeters long. How much longer is Anna's pencil?

Solution:

Key words: "how much longer" tells us to subtract

15 centimeters - 9 centimeters = 6 centimeters

Example 3: Two-Step Problem

A snake is 3 feet long. It eats a big meal and grows 1 foot. How long is the snake now?

Solution:

Key words: "grows" tells us to add

3 feet + 1 foot = 4 feet

✏️ Practice

Solve these 12 word problems. Show your work!

1. Maya has a string that is 20 centimeters long. She cuts off 7 centimeters. How long is the string now?

Show Answer

20 - 7 = 13 centimeters

2. A bookshelf is 4 feet tall. A lamp is 2 feet tall. How much taller is the bookshelf than the lamp?

Show Answer

4 - 2 = 2 feet taller

3. Carlos walked 50 meters to the park. Then he walked 30 meters to the playground. How far did Carlos walk in all?

Show Answer

50 + 30 = 80 meters

4. A caterpillar is 4 inches long. A worm is 6 inches long. How much longer is the worm?

Show Answer

6 - 4 = 2 inches longer

5. Lily's scarf is 1 meter long. Her mom's scarf is 2 meters long. What is the total length of both scarves?

Show Answer

1 + 2 = 3 meters

6. A table is 36 inches long. A chair is 18 inches tall. How much longer is the table than the chair is tall?

Show Answer

36 - 18 = 18 inches

7. David ran 100 meters. Sara ran 75 meters. How many more meters did David run?

Show Answer

100 - 75 = 25 meters more

8. A piece of tape is 12 inches long. Another piece is 12 inches long. If you put them end to end, how long are they together?

Show Answer

12 + 12 = 24 inches (or 2 feet)

9. Mr. Johnson's fence is 8 meters long. He adds 3 more meters to the fence. How long is the fence now?

Show Answer

8 + 3 = 11 meters

10. A carrot is 18 centimeters long. A cucumber is 25 centimeters long. How much shorter is the carrot?

Show Answer

25 - 18 = 7 centimeters shorter

11. Emma jumped 3 feet. Then she jumped 4 feet. How far did she jump in total?

Show Answer

3 + 4 = 7 feet

12. A hallway is 10 meters long. Jake has walked 6 meters down the hallway. How many more meters does Jake need to walk to reach the end?

Show Answer

10 - 6 = 4 meters

✅ Check Your Understanding

Answer these questions to show what you learned.

  1. What key words tell you to add in a word problem?
  2. What key words tell you to subtract in a word problem?
  3. Why is it important to include the unit in your answer?
  4. Create your own word problem about measuring two objects!
Show Sample Answers
  1. "Total," "altogether," "in all," "combined," "sum"
  2. "How much more," "how much longer," "difference," "how much is left," "remaining"
  3. Without the unit, we don't know if the answer is in inches, feet, centimeters, or meters. The number alone doesn't give the full answer.
  4. Example: "My crayon is 8 centimeters. My marker is 12 centimeters. How much longer is my marker?" (Answer: 4 centimeters)

🚀 Next Steps

  • Look for measurement word problems in everyday life
  • Create word problems for your family to solve
  • Move on to Common Mistakes to avoid errors in measurement