STEAMBOAT E4  Measure! Oh, is that so Simple?
Channel: HBCSE-TIFR
Date: 2022-02-17

Speaker: Shweta Naik (HBCSE)
Measurements are an integral part of everyone’s life. We have become so accustomed to the idea of measuring and quantification that nowadays, our happiness and anxiety also get a number! Practices of measurement come from historical agreements, where we compare an unknown quantity with a known or standard one when we measure. This talk will illustrate the historical development of basic measurements such as length and area in the world and Indian context. Then we will unpack a chapter of history on measuring the volume of a sphere to understand the role of accuracy in measurement. Lastly, we will see how the development of standardised units is represented in school mathematics and examine some students’ practices wherein their after-school jobs required them to constantly make negotiations to achieve accuracy.