How to Solve Measurement Word Problems
Change to the same unit first. Then add, subtract, multiply or divide.
Need more than one? Tap + for extra copies (up to 10).
How to do it
- Find the units in the story.
- Change them to the same unit.
- Solve, then write the answer with its unit.
Teaching tip
Underline the units in each story before solving. This sheet is aligned with Common Core 4.MD.A.1.
About this chart
A time story and a liquid volume story worked out with bar pictures, changing hours to minutes and liters to milliliters first.
What kids practice
Fourth graders change a measurement in a bigger unit to a smaller unit in the same system, like 3 feet = 36 inches or 2 kilograms = 2,000 grams. Because 1 foot is 12 inches, they multiply the number of feet by 12. They fill in two-column conversion tables, work with mixed units like 2 ft 5 in, and solve word problems about distance, time, liquid volume, mass and money.
Watch for
- Dividing instead of multiplying when changing to a smaller unit.
- Using the wrong number, like 10 inches in a foot or 100 minutes in an hour.
- Forgetting to add the extra small units, like writing 24 instead of 29 for 2 ft 5 in.
- Adding measurements with different units, like 1 hr + 30 min = 31.
It's free to print, as many copies as you need. See the full converting units guide for 4th grade.
More sheets in this set
- See it all
1. How to Convert UnitsChanging 3 feet to inches with a conversion table, the facts to know for length, weight, liquid volume and time, and mixed units like 2 ft 5 in. 
2. Conversion TablesTwo-column tables like feet and inches or hours and minutes to finish. Fewer gives the first two rows, and More starts at bigger numbers.
3. Convert LengthChanging km to m, m to cm, yd to ft and in, and ft to in. More adds mixed units like 2 ft 5 in.
4. Convert Weight and MassChanging pounds to ounces and kilograms to grams. More adds mixed units like 3 lb 5 oz.
5. Convert Liquid VolumeChanging gallons to quarts, quarts to pints, pints to cups and liters to milliliters. More adds mixed units.
6. Convert TimeChanging weeks, days, hours and minutes to smaller units, plus elapsed time problems with start and end times. More adds mixed units.
8. Measurement Word ProblemsStories about time, lemonade, rope, pets, races, apples, savings and ribbon, with a work space and an answer box.