IMO Practice Test — Measurement of Length and Motion
6 Questions • 15 min • Olympiad level
15:00
Question 1 of 6
Two friends measure the same desk in handspans and get different numbers. This best shows the need for:
Standard units
Bigger hands
More friends
A thermometer
Explanation: Different results from body-part units show why fixed standard units are needed.
Question 2 of 6
A pencil reads 1 cm at one end and 16 cm at the other on a worn ruler. Its true length is:
16 cm
1 cm
15 cm
17 cm
Explanation: Length = 16 - 1 = 15 cm; subtract the readings when not starting at 0.
Question 3 of 6
A child on a swing and a vibrating guitar string are both examples of:
Circular motion
Periodic motion
Rectilinear motion
No motion
Explanation: Both repeat their movement at equal intervals, so they show periodic motion.
Question 4 of 6
The wheel of a moving cart shows circular motion, while the cart moves forward. This shows an object can have:
No motion
More than one type of motion at once
Only circular motion
Only periodic motion
Explanation: The turning wheel (circular) and the forward-moving cart (rectilinear) happen together.
Question 5 of 6
A tree appears to move backward when seen from a moving train because motion is judged with respect to:
The Sun
The surroundings (a reference point)
Its colour
Its height
Explanation: Motion is always relative to a chosen reference point or the surroundings.
Question 6 of 6
To measure the distance walked along a winding garden path, the most suitable method is to use a:
Short straight ruler held in the air
Thread or flexible tape laid along the path
Thermometer
Magnet
Explanation: A flexible thread or measuring tape follows the curve, which a stiff ruler cannot.