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This standard specifies expressing “measurements in a larger unit in terms of a smaller unit” but then also gives the example of generating a conversion table for “feet and inches.” While we are teaching students to go from “larger to smaller,” aren’t we also teaching them to go in the reverse direction? The conversion tables help students to see both. What is the intent in the standard mentioning only one direction? Would assessing in both directions be fair at this grade level?
The emphasis in 4.MD.1 is on “times as much” or “times as many”. Since a foot is 12 times as long as an inch, there are 12 times as many inches in a measurement as there are feet. The corresponding statement the other way around involves multiplication by the fraction 1/12, and so waits until Grade 5 where such multiplications are introduced. Thus you get conversion both ways in 5.MD.1. This is not to say students couldn’t use the table to convert both ways, but it is not required.
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