Hello Year 6! Today, we are going to learn about calculating distance. Understanding distance is important because it helps us know how far we are from one place to another. Let’s break it down together!

What is Distance?

Distance is how far apart two points are. We often measure distance in units like metres (m), kilometres (km), or miles.

Key Rules for Calculating Distance

  1. Straight Line Distance: The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. We can measure this using a ruler or a measuring tape.
  2. Adding Distances: If you travel from Point A to Point B and then from Point B to Point C, you can find the total distance by adding the two distances together: \text{Total Distance} = \text{Distance from A to B} + \text{Distance from B to C}
  3. Subtraction for Backtracking: If you know the total distance and want to find out how far back you need to go to reach a previous point, subtract the distance you have already travelled from the total distance.

Tips and Tricks

  • Use a Map: When calculating distance on a map, remember that the scale tells you how much real distance is represented by a certain distance on the map. For example, if 1 cm on the map equals 1 km in real life, you can measure the distance with a ruler and then convert it to kilometres.
  • Estimate Distances: Sometimes, it’s helpful to estimate distances. You can round numbers to the nearest 10 or 100 to make your calculations easier.
  • Practice: The more you practice calculating distances, the better you’ll get! Use real-life examples like measuring how far it is from your home to school.

Examples

  1. Example 1: If you walk 3 km from your house to the park and then 2 km more to the shop, how far have you walked in total?
    • Total Distance = 3 km + 2 km = 5 km
  2. Example 2: If you know the total distance from your house to a friend’s house is 10 km, and you have already travelled 4 km, how much further do you need to go?
    • Remaining Distance = 10 km – 4 km = 6 km

Practice Questions

Easy Level Questions

  1. What is the total distance if you walk 5 m to the bus stop and then 10 m to the shop?
  2. If you ride your bike 2 km to school and then 1 km to the park, how far have you travelled in total?
  3. You walk 3 miles to your friend’s house. How far is that?
  4. How far is it if you walk 4 m to the library and then 6 m back home?
  5. If you run 1 km and then 1 km more, how far have you run in total?
  6. You walk 2 km to the playground and then 3 km to the pool. What is the total distance?
  7. If you travel 5 m and then 3 m, how far have you travelled?
  8. How far is it from your house to the corner shop if you walk 1 km?
  9. You walk 7 m to the park and then 2 m to your friend’s house. What is the total distance?
  10. If you cycle 4 km and then walk 2 km, how far have you cycled and walked together?

Medium Level Questions

  1. You walk 5 km to the beach and then 3 km more to the pier. What is the total distance?
  2. If the total distance from your house to the cinema is 12 km and you have travelled 7 km, how much further do you need to go?
  3. If you jog 3 km in the morning and 4 km in the evening, what is the total distance you have jogged?
  4. You drive 20 miles to visit your grandparents and then 15 miles to visit your uncle. What is the total distance driven?
  5. If you walk 1.5 km to the park and then 2.5 km to the beach, how far have you walked?
  6. You cycle 10 km to the market and then 5 km to your friend’s house. What is the total distance?
  7. If it takes 30 minutes to walk 2 km, how far can you walk in 1 hour?
  8. You ran 5 km and then walked 2 km. How far did you travel in total?
  9. If you take a bus for 8 km and then walk 3 km, what is the total distance?
  10. How far is it from school to home if you walk 4 km and then take a shortcut of 1 km?

Hard Level Questions

  1. A runner completes a 10 km race. If they run 4 km, take a break, and then run 5 km more, how much distance do they have left?
  2. If you walk 15 km to your friend’s house and then 10 km to the cinema, how far have you travelled in total?
  3. A cyclist travels 12 miles to the park, then 8 miles to the beach. How far have they cycled in total?
  4. You drive 50 miles to the mountains and then 20 miles to the lake. What is the total distance?
  5. If you walk 3.5 km to the library and then bike 2.5 km to the park, how far have you travelled?
  6. You jog 2 km every day for a week. How many kilometres do you cover in total?
  7. You walked 6 miles to the stadium, then 4 miles to the mall. What is the total distance?
  8. If you travel 20 km to a friend’s house and then 15 km to another friend’s house, how far did you travel?
  9. A hiker walks 12 km on the first day and 8 km on the second day. How far did they hike in total?
  10. If you run a total of 10 miles over two days, and you run 4 miles on the first day, how far do you need to run on the second day?

Answers and Explanations

Easy Level Answers

  1. 15 m
  2. 3 km
  3. 3 miles
  4. 10 m
  5. 2 km
  6. 5 km
  7. 8 m
  8. 1 km
  9. 9 m
  10. 6 km

Medium Level Answers

  1. 8 km
  2. 5 km
  3. 7 km
  4. 35 miles
  5. 4 km
  6. 15 km
  7. 4 km
  8. 7 km
  9. 11 km
  10. 5 km

Hard Level Answers

  1. 1 km
  2. 25 km
  3. 20 miles
  4. 70 miles
  5. 6 km
  6. 14 km
  7. 10 miles
  8. 35 km
  9. 20 km
  10. 6 miles

By understanding the concept of calculating distance, we can better navigate our world. Remember to practice these calculations, and soon you’ll find it much easier! If you have any questions, feel free to ask!