Bug Length Battle Worksheet
Bug Length Battle
Field Researcher's Homework
Name:
Date:
The Garden Census
The 4th-grade science club measured the lengths of the bugs they found in the school garden. They recorded their findings on the line plot below. Use the data to solve the measurement challenges!
Lengths of Garden Bugs (Inches)
X
X X
X X X
X X
X
X X X X
X
\( \frac{1}{8} \)
\( \frac{1}{4} \)
\( \frac{3}{8} \)
\( \frac{1}{2} \)
\( \frac{5}{8} \)
\( \frac{3}{4} \)
\( \frac{7}{8} \)
1
1
What is the difference in length between the longest bug found and the shortest bug found?
Answer:
inches
2
How much longer is a bug that measures \( \frac{3}{4} \) inch than a bug that measures \( \frac{1}{4} \) inch?
Answer:
inches
3
A scientist found a beetle that was \( \frac{7}{8} \) inch long. If she compares it to the group of bugs that were \( \frac{1}{2} \) inch long, how much longer is her beetle than one of those bugs?
Answer:
inches
"Keep exploring, nature detectives!" — The Garden Science Team
Bug Length Battle Answer Key
Bug Length Battle
Answer Key
Teacher Resource
Data Reference
1/8: 1 bug
1/4 (2/8): 2 bugs
3/8: 3 bugs
1/2 (4/8): 2 bugs
5/8: 1 bug
3/4 (6/8): 4 bugs
7/8: 1 bug
1: 0 bugs
1
What is the difference in length between the longest bug found and the shortest bug found?
Step-by-Step:
Longest bug = \( \frac{7}{8} \) inch
Shortest bug = \( \frac{1}{8} \) inch
\[ \frac{7}{8} - \frac{1}{8} = \frac{6}{8} \]
Final Answer: \( \frac{6}{8} \) or \( \frac{3}{4} \) inches
2
How much longer is a bug that measures \( \frac{3}{4} \) inch than a bug that measures \( \frac{1}{4} \) inch?
Step-by-Step:
\[ \frac{3}{4} - \frac{1}{4} = \frac{2}{4} \]
Final Answer: \( \frac{2}{4} \) or \( \frac{1}{2} \) inches
3
A scientist found a beetle that was \( \frac{7}{8} \) inch long. If she compares it to the group of bugs that were \( \frac{1}{2} \) inch long, how much longer is her beetle than one of those bugs?
Step-by-Step:
Convert \( \frac{1}{2} \) to eighths: \( \frac{1 \times 4}{2 \times 4} = \frac{4}{8} \)
\[ \frac{7}{8} - \frac{4}{8} = \frac{3}{8} \]
Final Answer: \( \frac{3}{8} \) inches
Teacher Note:
Students may provide answers in unsimplified fractions (e.g., \( \frac{6}{8} \) instead of \( \frac{3}{4} \)). Both are mathematically correct, though you may want to encourage finding the simplest form or checking if they used the common denominator correctly for Problem 3.
