3.1 Area Measurements
Journalists have to understand basic measurements in order to communicate fully. Making things as clear and simple as possible for the reader is crucial to good journalism. There are two ways to communicate measurements to a reader: through analogy and through exact numbers.
Analogies are good if measurements have no purpose besides how large it is. It’s easier for the reader if the writer explains the height of an object in an analogy, rather than just telling how large it is using numbers. Readers can’t necessarily visualize x-feet, but they can understand the size of a building or a car. The journalist must make sure the reader understands the comparison, though. Also, if exact numbers are required for the situation, the writer should not use an analogy.
Formula (perimeter): perimeter = (2 x length) + (2 x width)
Formula (area): area = length x width
Formula (triangle area): area = .5 base x height
Formula (circumference): circumference = 2pi x radius
*When measuring small spaces, use square inches or square feet. When measuring large areas, use square feet, square yards, or square rods.
3.2 Volume Measurements
Measuring volume is important for journalists in communicating how large an object is. Goods are sold based on volume and terms involving volume measurement fluctuate based on the market.
*Firewood is sold by cords. A cord is 128 cubic feet when the wood is neatly stacked in a line or row.
Common liquid conversions:
2 tablespoons = 1 fluid ounce
½ pint = 8 ounces, or 1 cup
1 pint = 16 ounces, or 2 cups
2 pints (36 ounces) = 1 quart
2 quarts (64 ounces) = ½ gallon
4 quarts (128 ounces) = 1 gallon
1 U.S. standard barrel = 31.5 gallons
1 U.S. gallon = 4/5 Imperial gallon
British/Canadian barrel = 36 imperial gallons
Formula (volume): volume = length x width x height
3.3 The Metric System
The metric system is based on the decimal system. Almost the entire world, excluding the United States, uses the metric system as their basic measuring tool. It is based on multiples of 10.
Meter: the basic unit of length; equals one 10-millionth of the distance from the North Pole to the equator along the meridian running near Dunkirk in France and Barcelona in Spain
Mass: also derived from the meter; one gram is the mass of one cubic centimeter of water at 0 degrees Celsius
Newton: metric unit of force; one Newton is a force that, applied to a one-kilogram object, will give the object an acceleration of one meter per second per second
Converting American lengths to metric:
MULTIPLY
Inches by 25.4 to find millimeters or 2.5 to find centimeters
Feet by 30 to find centimeters or 0.3 to find meters
Yards by 90 to find centimeters or 0.9 to find meters
Miles by 1.6 to find kilometers
Converting metric lengths to American:
MULTIPLY
Millimeters by 0.04 to get inches
Centimeters by 0.4 to get inches
Centimeters by 0.033 to get feet
Meters by 39 to get inches
Meters by 3.3 to get feet
Meters by 1.1 to get yards
Kilometers by 0.62 to get miles
Converting American area measurements to metric:
MULTIPLY
Square inches by 6.5 to find square centimeters
Square feet by 0.09 to find square meters
Square yards by 0.8 to find square meters
Square miles by 2.6 to find square kilometers
Acres by 0.4 to find hectares
Converting metric area measurements to American:
MULTIPLY
Square centimeters by 0.16 to get square inches
Square meters by 11 to get square feet
Square meters by 1.2 to get square yards
Hectares by 2.5 to get acres
Square kilometers by 0.4 to get square miles
Converting American mass measurements to metric:
MULTIPLY
Ounces by 28 to find grams
Pounds by 0.45 to find kilograms
Pounds by .07 to get stones
Short tones (2,000 pounds) by 0.9 to find metric tons
Converting metric mass measurements to American:
MULTIPLY
Grams by 0.035 to get ounces
Grams by 0.002 to get pounds
Kilograms by 35 to get ounces
Kilograms by 2.2 to get pounds
Metric tons by 1.1 to get tons
Converting American volume measurements to metric:
MULTIPLY
Teaspoons by 5 to get milliliters
Tablespoons by 15 to get milliliters
Fluid ounces by 30 to find milliliters
Cups by 0.24 to find liters
Pints by 0.47 to find liters
Quarts by 0.95 to find liters
Gallons by 3.8 to get liters
Cubic feet by 0.03 to find cubic meters
Cubic yards by 0.76 to find cubic meters
Converting metric volume measurements to American:
MULTIPLY
Milliliters by 0.034 to get fluid ounces
Milliliters by 0.002 to get pints
Liters by 2.1 to get pints
Liters by 1.06 to get quarts
Liters by 0.26 to get gallons
Cubic centimeters by 0.06 to get cubic inches
Cubic meters by 35 to get cubic feet
Cubic meters by 1.3 to get cubic yards
Twitter: Journalists learn measurements to accurately communicate information to readers.
