Quantity

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Quantity is how many of a thing there are. It is the number you get when you count things or measure something. There are several kinds of numbers

Contents

[edit] Counting

Whole numbers (1, 2, 3…) are used to count things. This is done by pointing to each one. As you point to a thing, you say a number. Start with the number one. Each time you point to another thing, say the next whole number. When you point to the last thing in a group, you say the number that is the quantity of the group.

[edit] Measuring

Measuring is done with a ruler or a machine. We put a ruler next to a thing to measure how long it is. We put things on a scale to measure their mass. Other machines are used to measure other quantities such as temperature, speed, or electricity.

[edit] Decimal numbers

When measuring things, a whole number might not be the best answer. A distance might be longer than 5 meters, but less than 6 meters. Meter sticks are marked off in parts of a meter. Decimals are formed by marking off a ruler in ten equal parts. Each part is a tenth. 5.2 meters is a little bit longer than 5 meters. 5.7 meters is a little bit shorter than 6 meters. Each of these tenths can be marked with ten smaller parts. The one hundred centimeters on a meter stick are done this way.

[edit] Fraction numbers

Fractions are used when there are more or less than ten markings on a thing. The dial on a machine may be marked with four parts between each whole number. A scale with a bag of potatoes may show five and three fourths kilograms. This would be nearly six kilograms.