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In science class, the students are to find an approximate distance around the playground. They are not allowed to use a ruler or a yardstick to help them.

If you were a student in this science class, how would you go about arriving at an approximate measurement around the playground?

Explain in detail your answer using words, numbers, and/or pictures.

The first thing you noticed is that the answer to this question requires a short answer response worth 2 points. You want to make sure that you answer the question and then support your answer with a complete explanation of your solution.

There are many different ways you could answer this question as long as you clearly support your answer. Listing some possible solutions to measuring the approximate distance around the playground could include:

Take a broomstick or a stick from outside and measure its length with your foot or something that you have a pretty good idea of how long it is. Then you could measure the sides of the playground with the stick.
You could take steps and count the number of steps it takes to walk around the playground. Then you would only need to measure one step.
You could lay down knowing about how tall you are and then measure the distance with how many of "you" there are for a distance around the playground.

Any of these methods (there are many others) would be appropriate answers. The explanation of your choice is the important part to your answer. Make sure in your explanation you explain why you chose the method you did to measure the distance.

An example could be:

If I were a student in this science class I would take the broom and set it on the ground and then measure it by seeing how many of my feet make the length of the broom. Then I would go out and measure the distance around the playground with the broom. When I finished measuring how many brooms go around the playground, I would multiply it by the number of my feet which are about 10 inches to find a guess of how far it is around the playground. My answer may not be exact, but it doesn't have to be as the teacher said!

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