Total worm length from a line-plot of fractional measurements
Aria measured five worms to the nearest quarter inch. Let's use her line plot to find the total length of all five worms put together.
Here is our number line, marked in fourths from zero to one inch.
Look at this line plot. Each X stands for one worm. One worm is a fourth long, two worms are two-fourths long, and two worms are three-fourths long.
To find the total, we multiply each length by how many X's sit above it, and then add the pieces.
One worm at one-fourth. One times one-fourth is one-fourth.
Two worms at two-fourths. Two times two-fourths is four-fourths.
Two worms at three-fourths. Two times three-fourths is six-fourths.
Now add the three pieces: one-fourth plus four-fourths plus six-fourths.
The bottoms are all fourths, so we just add the tops. One plus four plus six is eleven. The total is eleven-fourths.
Eleven-fourths is more than one whole. Eleven divided by four is two with three left over, so it equals two and three-fourths.
All five worms together are two and three-fourths inches long. Nice work pulling answers right out of the line plot!
Now you try. Count the marks above that quarter-inch tick. How many marks sit there?