Measures and Unit Conversion

Measurement questions in the FSCE 11+ exam test your ability to convert between units, calculate with time, solve money problems, and work with temperature. These are practical skills that come up in everyday life, and the exam often presents them as real-world word problems that require clear reasoning. This lesson covers all the measurement topics you need.

Metric Conversions

Length

Unit	Abbreviation	Conversion
Millimetre	mm	10mm = 1cm
Centimetre	cm	100cm = 1m
Metre	m	1,000m = 1km
Kilometre	km	—

Mass (Weight)

Unit	Abbreviation	Conversion
Milligram	mg	1,000mg = 1g
Gram	g	1,000g = 1kg
Kilogram	kg	1,000kg = 1 tonne
Tonne	t	—

Capacity (Volume of Liquid)

Unit	Abbreviation	Conversion
Millilitre	ml	1,000ml = 1l
Centilitre	cl	100cl = 1l
Litre	l	—

Conversion Method

To convert from a larger unit to a smaller unit: MULTIPLY.

• 3.5km to metres: 3.5 x 1,000 = 3,500m

To convert from a smaller unit to a larger unit: DIVIDE.

• 4,200g to kilograms: 4,200 ÷ 1,000 = 4.2kg

Quick Reference Conversion Table

Conversion	Multiply by	Divide by
km ↔ m	x 1,000	÷ 1,000
m ↔ cm	x 100	÷ 100
cm ↔ mm	x 10	÷ 10
kg ↔ g	x 1,000	÷ 1,000
l ↔ ml	x 1,000	÷ 1,000
l ↔ cl	x 100	÷ 100

Time

12-Hour and 24-Hour Clock

12-Hour	24-Hour		12-Hour	24-Hour
12:00 midnight	00:00		12:00 noon	12:00
1:00 am	01:00		1:00 pm	13:00
6:30 am	06:30		6:30 pm	18:30
11:45 am	11:45		11:45 pm	23:45

To convert pm to 24-hour: Add 12 to the hours. 3:15 pm = 15:15. To convert 24-hour to pm: Subtract 12 from the hours (if 13:00 or later). 19:30 = 7:30 pm.

Calculating Time Durations

To find how long something lasts, count forward in stages:

Example: A train departs at 09:47 and arrives at 11:23. How long is the journey?

1. From 09:47 to 10:00 = 13 minutes
2. From 10:00 to 11:00 = 1 hour
3. From 11:00 to 11:23 = 23 minutes
4. Total = 1 hour 36 minutes

Reading Timetables

When reading timetables:

1. Find the correct row for your departure station.
2. Find the correct column for the service you want.
3. Read across and down to find departure and arrival times.
4. Calculate the journey time by finding the difference.

Money

Key Skills

• Adding and subtracting amounts of money.
• Calculating change.
• Working with offers and discounts.
• Converting between pounds and pence (£1 = 100p).

Important: Always write money with two decimal places (£3.50, not £3.5) and include the £ sign or p.

Temperature

Temperature is measured in degrees Celsius (°C) in the UK.

• Water freezes at 0°C.
• Water boils at 100°C.
• A comfortable room is about 20°C.

Temperature questions often involve negative numbers (see Lesson 1) and calculating rises and falls.

Worked Examples

Worked Example 1: Converting Units

Question: A shelf is 1.2m long. Books are 15mm thick. What is the maximum number of books that can fit on the shelf?

Step-by-step solution:

1. Convert everything to the same unit. Let's use mm.
2. 1.2m = 1.2 x 100 = 120cm = 120 x 10 = 1,200mm
3. Number of books = 1,200 ÷ 15 = 80 books

Answer: 80 books.

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Worked Example 2: Time Duration

Question: A film starts at 14:35 and finishes at 16:52. How long is the film?

Step-by-step solution:

1. From 14:35 to 15:00 = 25 minutes
2. From 15:00 to 16:00 = 1 hour
3. From 16:00 to 16:52 = 52 minutes
4. Total = 1 hour + 25 minutes + 52 minutes = 1 hour 77 minutes = 2 hours 17 minutes

Answer: 2 hours 17 minutes.

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Worked Example 3: Timetable Problem

Question: Here is a bus timetable:

Stop	Bus 1	Bus 2	Bus 3
Market Square	08:15	09:00	09:45
High Street	08:23	09:08	09:53
Park Road	08:31	09:16	10:01
Hospital	08:42	09:27	10:12