Max Maths, Year 3, Learn together, Word problems (length) (2)

In the given word problem, Year 3 students are tasked with calculating the combined height of a container and a truck. The container measures 125 cm in height, and the truck stands at 212 cm tall. To solve this, students are encouraged to add the two measurements together to find the total height from the ground when the container is loaded onto the truck. The addition is broken down into steps to make it more manageable: 212 cm plus 125 cm is separated into 200 cm plus 100 cm, and then the remaining 12 cm and 25 cm are added, resulting in a total of 300 cm and 37 cm respectively.

When combined, the height amounts to 337 cm. The problem-solving process includes converting the total centimetres into a mixed measurement of metres and centimetres for ease of understanding. By recognising that 300 cm is equivalent to 3 metres, students can easily see that the remaining 37 cm are added to the metres to give a final measurement. Therefore, the height of the container from the ground, once it is loaded onto the truck, is 3 metres and 37 centimetres. This method of breaking down the addition and conversion helps students grasp the concept of combining lengths in different units and converting between them.