Page 1 of 4
Weight and Capacity in
Customary Units
BEFORE
Now
WHY?
You used metric units of mass
and capacity.
You’ll use customary units of
weight and capacity.
So you can estimate weights, such
as that of a hang glider in Ex. 24.
In the Real World
Word Watch
ounce (oz), p. 344
pound (lb), p. 344
ton (T), p. 344
fluid ounce (fl oz), p. 345
cup (c), p. 345
pint (pt), p. 345
quart (qt), p. 345
gallon (gal), p. 345
Bakery If a baker slices a 1 pound loaf of bread into 16 slices, each
slice weighs 1 ounce. Knowing the weight of familiar objects, such as a
slice of bread, can help you to choose appropriate units.
Three customary units of weight are the ounce (oz), the pound (lb),
and the ton (T).
1 ounce
1 pound
1 ton
about the weight
of a slice of bread
about the weight
of a soccer ball
about the weight
of a compact car
Ounces, pounds, and tons are related to each other.
1 lb 16 oz
EXAMPLE
1
1 T 2000 lb
Choosing Units of Weight
Choose an appropriate customary unit to measure the weight.
1
1
a. An apple weighs 6 4 _?_.
b. A laptop computer weighs 6 4 _?_.
Solution
1
a. An apple weighs 6 4 ounces, because it is heavier than a slice of bread
and lighter than a soccer ball.
1
b. A laptop computer weighs 6 4 pounds, because it is heavier than a
soccer ball and much lighter than a compact car.
Your turn now
Choose an appropriate customary unit to measure the
weight of the item.
1. golf ball
344
Chapter 7
Multiplication and Division of Fractions
2. blue whale
3. bicycle
Page 2 of 4
Capacity Five customary units of capacity are the fluid ounce (fl oz),
with
Vocabulary
the cup (c), the pint (pt), the quart (qt), and the gallon (gal).
Notice that there are two
types of ounces: the fluid
ounce (fl oz) used for
measuring capacity and
the ounce (oz) used for
measuring weight.
s
Fact
on
riti fl oz r 2
Nutng Sizer 8Containe
✭✩✬✫
✘✦✬✯✺
1 fluid ounce
triti
on
Fact
✭✩✬✫
s
fl oz er 2
e 8 tain
Siz Con
ving Per
ving
Ser vings
Ser
Ser t Per
oun 80
g
Am s
orie 0g 0g 5m
Cal Fat Fat than
al ted s
Tot ura l les
Sat tero mg 13g
les
ate
Choium 125 ydr 0g
er
Sod Carboh
al Fib
Tot tar y 12g
Die ars
Sug 8g
tein
Pro
Nu
MILK
s
Fact
on
riti fl oz r 2
Nutng Sizer 8Containe
Pe
Servings rving
Se
Servi Per
ount 80
g
Am ies
0g t 0g 5m
Calor Fat d Fa than
al
s
Tot turate les
Sa rol g 13g
ste 5m e
Cholem 12 hydrat0g
SodiuCarboFiber
al
Tot tar y 12g
Die rs
Sugan 8g
tei
Pro
✯✮✥✱✵✡✲✴
✯✮✥✰✩✮✴
1 cup
Pe
Servings rving
Se
Servi Per
ount 80
g
Am ies
0g t 0g 5m
Calor Fat d Fa than
al
s
Tot turate les
Sa rol g 13g
ste 5m e
Cholem 12 hydrat0g
SodiuCarboFiber
al
Tot tar y 12g
Die rs
Sugan 8g
tei
Pro
1 pint
1 quart
1 gallon
The units of capacity are related to each other.
1 c 8 fl oz
EXAMPLE
2
1 pt 2 c
1 qt 2 pt
1 gal = 4 qt
Choosing Units of Capacity
Choose an appropriate customary unit to measure the capacity.
a. large mug
b. water cooler
Solution
a. A large mug holds about as much as a pint-sized milk carton does.
You can use pints or one of the smaller units, fluid ounces or cups.
b. A water cooler holds much more than a gallon jug does. You can use
gallons or quarts, but you wouldn’t use the smaller units.
EXAMPLE
3
Choosing Customary Units
What does each measure describe
about an empty glass aquarium?
a. 55 gal
b. 45 lb
Solution
a. A gallon is a measure of capacity,
so 55 gallons describes the amount of water the aquarium can hold.
b. A pound is a measure of weight, so 45 pounds describes how much
the empty aquarium weighs.
Your turn now
4. capacity of
Choose an appropriate customary unit to measure.
5. capacity of
a teakettle
a juice glass
Lesson 7.6
6. weight of
a toad
Weight and Capacity in Customary Units
345
Page 3 of 4
INTERNET
Exercises
eWorkbook Plus
CLASSZONE.COM
More Practice, p. 714
Getting Ready to Practice
Vocabulary Order the units from least to greatest.
1. Units of capacity: pints, gallons, cups, quarts, fluid ounces
2. Units of weight: tons, ounces, pounds
Choose an appropriate customary unit to measure the item.
3. weight of a gorilla
4. weight of a slipper
5. capacity of a soup bowl
6. capacity of a kitchen sink
Practice and Problem Solving
Match the object with its correct weight.
7. wrecking ball
1
A. 32 ounces
8. kitten
1
B. 32 tons
9. cellular phone
1
C. 32 pounds
10. Animals Choose an appropriate customary unit to measure the weight
of each type of animal in the picture at the left.
Choose an appropriate customary unit to measure the capacity
of the item.
11. bathtub
12. serving spoon
13. cream pitcher
Copy and complete the statement using fluid ounces, pints, or
gallons.
1
14. The capacity of a water bottle is 1 _?_.
4
15. The amount of water in a carnival dunking booth is 400 _?_.
with
Example
1
2
3
Homework
Exercises
7–10, 24
11–17
18–23
Online Resources
CLASSZONE.COM
• More Examples
• eTutorial Plus
346
Chapter 7
3
16. The amount of water you can hold in the palm of your hand is _?_.
4
17. The capacity of a punch bowl is 24 _?_.
Tell whether the measurement is a weight, a capacity, or a length.
18. 7 quarts
7
19. 2 pounds
8
20. 15 inches
1
21. 1 pints
2
22. 4 ounces
23. 7 fluid ounces
Multiplication and Division of Fractions
Page 4 of 4
24. Hang Glider Choose the best estimate for the weight of a hang glider.
A. 70 oz
B. 70 lb
C. 700 lb
D. 7 T
Decide Is the capacity of the given object less than a quart, about
equal to a quart, or more than a quart? Explain.
25. bathroom sink
26. bottle of cough syrup 27. ice cube tray
28. Compare Order the
empty containers
from smallest to
largest by height,
by capacity, and by
weight. If you can’t,
explain why not.
glass vase
plastic bowl
paper cup
29. Critical Thinking Give a different benchmark than the one pictured for
each customary unit of weight and capacity on pages 344 and 345.
30. Challenge Have a family member tape over the weight or capacity
measurement on the labels of various containers around your home.
Estimate the hidden measurements. Then uncover the labels to see
how close each estimate was to the actual measurement.
Mixed Review
Copy and complete the statement. (Lesson 4.8)
31. 76 cm _?_ mm
32. 8.5 kg _?_ g
33. 175 mL _?_ L
Write the fraction as a decimal. (Lesson 5.8)
5
34. 8
3
35. 40
5
36. 6
2
37. 9
Basic Skills Use multiplication to check if the answer is correct.
38. 267 6 41 R1
39. 2851 9 316 R3
40. 928 23 40 R8
Test-Taking Practice
INTERNET
State Test Practice
CLASSZONE.COM
41. Multiple Choice Which object is unlikely to be weighed in ounces?
A. bagel
B. screwdriver
C. piano
D. ear of corn
42. Short Response One pound of margarine measures 2 cups. You
measure 2 cups of breakfast cereal and record its weight. Do you think
the breakfast cereal also weighs one pound? Explain your reasoning.
Lesson 7.6
Weight and Capacity in Customary Units
347