OT But fun..... How do you measure...

curioso · Post by **curioso** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 2:28 pm

I always thought elephants came in small, medium, and large...

Tyghress · Post by **Tyghress** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 2:39 pm

From a zoological point of view, animals are measured height to shoulder. Sorry to be pragmatic.

vaporlock · Post by **vaporlock** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 2:52 pm

On 2003-02-27 11:42, TubeDude wrote:
Waist: measure around elephant's waist at navel.
Depth: Measure from elephant's naval, between legs to above elephant's bottom.
Crotch: Measure between legs at front.
Leg: Measure around the fullest part of elephant's thigh.

Remember to cuff the pants

TomB · Post by **TomB** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 2:56 pm

On 2003-02-27 15:52, vaporlock wrote:
On 2003-02-27 11:42, TubeDude wrote:
Waist: measure around elephant's waist at navel.
Depth: Measure from elephant's naval, between legs to above elephant's bottom.
Crotch: Measure between legs at front.
Leg: Measure around the fullest part of elephant's thigh.
Remember to cuff the pants

...and any self-respecting elephant will definitely want buttons sewn in for braces.

All the Best, Tom

chattiekathy · Post by **chattiekathy** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 5:38 pm

I think Sam had it right with, "With a Tape Measure" For 2nd graders this would be the right answer. So what does she win?

Kathy

jim_mc · Post by **jim_mc** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 5:41 pm

I measure The Elephant's Slide in 12/8.

herbivore12 · Post by **herbivore12** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 5:55 pm

On 2003-02-27 15:39, tyghress wrote:
From a zoological point of view, animals are measured height to shoulder. Sorry to be pragmatic.

How tall's a snake, then? (Shoulders? Height?) Or a fish?

chas · Post by **chas** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 9:09 pm

I think the best way would be to have a scale (ruler, tape, whatever) on a pole or a tree and have the elephant stand next to it (or if it's in the wild, try to lure it near the scale). That way, the scale's straight, and the kid doesn't have to climb up the elephant with a tape. S/he would have to be up on a ladder at elephant height to read the height correctly.

Charlie, your resident metrologist

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 9:18 pm

LeeMarsh · Post by **LeeMarsh** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 10:13 pm

I think chas is on the right track for measureing height. I would suggest that you use a carpenter's level and use it to site a line that is level with the ground across the back (or head) of the elephant and onto the scale.

I would also suggest that big in terms of elephant is often measured in tons or pounds. This is easy to measure just have the elephant stand on a large scale they use for trucks.

The measurement of an elephant in asia or india, might be in terms of how much work the can do, how much weight they can drag, or how big a log they can lift with their trunk.

I think if I asked a bunch of second graders how to measure an elephant. I would be looking for them to come up with a lot of different types of measurements that would apply to elephants, like age, length, height, girth, weight, amount of work they can do. This would give me, as the teacher, the opportunity to reward a range of right answers.

Lots of different successes seems like a way to help kids enjoy school...

Just as a C&F member, lots of different whistles will help you ...

_________________

Enjoy Your Music, Lee Marsh 
From Harper's Mill, MD.

[ This Message was edited by: LeeMarsh on 2003-02-27 23:15 ]

kevin m. · Post by **kevin m.** » Fri Feb 28, 2003 1:38 am

On 2003-02-27 15:28, curioso wrote:
I always thought elephants came in small, medium, and large...

And JUMBO size!

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Fri Feb 28, 2003 3:45 am

Talking seriously for once in a non-political thread. :roll:

If the problem is for children, you could tell them measure the height of an elephant just as a pyramid.

This would be a nice introduction to Thales theorem, (eventhough there will be some approximation due to the olifant's rotund shape).

It goes by measuring the extension of the shadow of the elephant, then the shadow and height of a stick vertically planted in the ground.

You could replace the stick by a toy elephant, to relieve the children from one abstraction.

chas · Post by **chas** » Fri Feb 28, 2003 7:24 am

Damn, Zub has it right. I was trying to think of how to do that, but kept getting trig involved.

That Thales was a bright guy. He was so interested in nature that he allegedly broke his ankle when he stepped into a ditch while walking around looking up at the sky.

Lou Farant · Post by **Lou Farant** » Fri Feb 28, 2003 7:52 am

The true measure of anyone is only from the ears up. This is apparently especially so for the men in my family who are, to a man, bald.

burnsbyrne · Post by **burnsbyrne** » Fri Feb 28, 2003 8:10 am

On 2003-02-28 04:45, Zubivka wrote:
Talking seriously for once in a non-political thread. :roll:

If the problem is for children, you could tell them measure the height of an elephant just as a pyramid.

This would be a nice introduction to Thales theorem, (eventhough there will be some approximation due to the olifant's rotund shape).

It goes by measuring the extension of the shadow of the elephant, then the shadow and height of a stick vertically planted in the ground.

You could replace the stick by a toy elephant, to relieve the children from one abstraction.

Sherlock Holmes solved a case using this method but instead of an elephant he measured a tree.
Mike