What is Length? How do we measure the length of an object?
Length is called a measurement tool that we use everyday. Through length we measure distance or two separating points. Generally, the largest dimension of an object is length. For example, the largest dimension of a rectangle is called length and the smallest dimension is called width. Suppose, measure a brick for instance, the largest dimension of a brick is 19 centimeters. That is why it is said that the length of the brick is 19 cm. According to the International System of Unit (SI), length is the measure of the distance of a dimension. Therefore, length is the measure of the dimensions of an object.
In other words, the length is the simple linear distance or measurement from one end of an object in the world to the other. The world here means the three-dimensional world. Length, width and height - these all represent different distances. So each of them can be called a length. In the three-dimensional world, however, length can be distinguished from width and height.
Length measures the distance of only one dimension.That is, the name of the measure of a dimension is length. So the dimension of length is one.Therefore, length belongs to one-dimensional geometry. Just as length measures a single dimension, area measures two dimensions - length and width. So the area is included in two-dimensional geometry. Again, volume measures three dimensions - length, width and height. So three-dimensional geometry discusses volume. Therefore, volume is associated with three-dimensional geometry.
Length represents only one dimension. But the area of a rectangular surface is related to its length and width. Multiplying the length of such a surface by the width gives the area. So the area of any surface is involved in two-dimensional geometry. The two dimensions of the surface are length and width. The product of the length and width of a rectangle or rectangular surface is the measure of its area. As a result, length is obtained by dividing the area by the width. Therefore, the formula for the area of a rectangular surface is,
Rectangular surface area = (length × width) square unit.
∴ Length = (area of rectangular surface ÷ width) unit.
Thanks for reading this article! Hope this article helps you to understand what is length and why use it, how to measure length of an object