Body Measurement — Traditional Systems · Years 7–10
Before rulers and tape measures, people used their own bodies to measure things! This was practical — you always have your body with you. Māori and many other cultures developed sophisticated measurement systems using body parts.
The width of one finger, used for small measurements.
≈ 1-2 cm
From tip of thumb to tip of little finger when stretched.
≈ 18-22 cm
From elbow to fingertips.
≈ 45-50 cm
From fingertip to fingertip with arms stretched wide.
≈ 1.5-1.8 m
The length of one walking step.
≈ 60-80 cm
The length of your foot.
≈ 20-30 cm
| Unit | Culture | Description | Modern Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cubit | Ancient Egypt | Elbow to fingertip | ≈ 45 cm |
| Foot | Roman/British | Length of adult foot | 30.48 cm |
| Inch | British | Width of thumb | 2.54 cm |
| Fathom | Sailors | Outstretched arms | 1.83 m |
| Hand | Horse measuring | Width of palm | 10.16 cm |
Measure your own body and calculate your units:
| Body Unit | Your Measurement (cm) |
|---|---|
| Finger width | |
| Hand span | |
| Cubit (elbow to fingertip) | |
| Arm span | |
| Foot length | |
| Pace (step length) |
Use your body measurements to measure:
Compare with a classmate. Are your answers the same? Why or why not?
What I learned about measurement:
Level 3–4: Apply number operations, statistical analysis, and mathematical reasoning to solve real-world problems; represent data using appropriate tools; interpret and communicate mathematical findings clearly.
Level 3–4: Understand how mathematical data and statistics are used to describe and analyse social, economic, and environmental patterns; recognise how data can reveal or obscure inequality.
Reflect on your learning. What was the most important idea? What question do you still have?
Mathematics has always been part of mātauranga Māori — in the navigation of Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa, in the architectural precision of wharenui, in the sophisticated storage and accounting systems of rua kūmara, and in the patterns of kōwhaiwhai and tukutuku that encode mathematical relationships in visual form. When Māori students engage with mathematics, they are not encountering something foreign: they are meeting a domain of knowledge that their tīpuna practised with extraordinary sophistication. Framing mathematical learning through whakapapa — connecting concepts to real Māori contexts — is not "cultural add-on" but recognition of where much mathematical knowledge lives in this land.
This handout is designed to be used alongside other resources in the same unit. Related materials are linked in the unit planner. All content is provided — no additional preparation is required to use this handout in your classroom.
Students will engage with this resource to build pāngarau (mathematical) understanding — developing number sense, pattern recognition, and mathematical reasoning through hands-on, culturally grounded activities that connect to tamariki's world.
Scaffold support: Use concrete materials (blocks, counters, fingers) for entry-level engagement before progressing to abstract representations. Offer extension challenges asking students to generalise a pattern, write their own word problem, or explain their strategy to a partner.
ELL / ESOL: Mathematical language is a discipline-specific barrier — pre-teach key terms (e.g., equals, more than, fewer, pattern, factor) using visual representations. Allow students to demonstrate mathematical understanding non-verbally or through drawing. Pair with a bilingual buddy where possible.
Inclusion: Embed choice in how students engage — oral, written, or diagrammatic responses are all valid. Neurodiverse learners benefit from short, chunked task sequences with immediate feedback loops. Avoid timed drills in favour of exploratory tasks that reward curiosity. Make the maths classroom a safe place to be wrong and try again.
Mātauranga Māori lens: Pāngarau is a living tradition in Te Ao Māori — from the geometric precision of tukutuku and kōwhaiwhai patterns to the navigational mathematics of waka hourua, and the seasonal calculations embedded in maramataka. Framing early number sense within these contexts shows tamariki that mathematics is a human, culturally rich endeavour — not a foreign import. Encourage students to see counting, measuring, and patterning as acts of knowing their world.
Prior knowledge: Designed for early learners. No prior formal mathematics knowledge required. Teachers should assess current number knowledge before selecting appropriate entry points.