Estimate capacity
A mug might hold about 300 ml, while a bucket holds much more.
Think about the size of the container.
Year 5
Estimate volume and capacity and use all four operations to solve problems involving measure
Estimate volume and capacity and solve measure problems using all four operations.
Lesson overview
Measurement
Volume is how much space a solid takes up. Capacity is how much a container can hold. In practical problems, we often estimate first and then calculate using the operation that matches the context.
Use multiplication in a measure problem
Four bottles of 750 ml hold 3000 ml altogether.
Equal groups often mean multiplication.
Use division to share a measure
2 litres shared into 4 equal cups gives 500 ml each.
Use one unit before dividing.
Worked example
A tank holds 8 litres. How many millilitres is that?
- One litre is 1000 millilitres.
- Multiply 8 by 1000.
- 8 x 1000 = 8000.
- So the tank holds 8000 ml.
Round 1: Learn it
Estimate the size first, then decide which operation the problem needs.
Finish this round to unlock Round 2: Show you know it.
Question 1
Which is a sensible estimate for a mug?
small container
sensible estimate
Question 2
How much do 4 bottles of 750 ml hold altogether?
Question 3
What is 8 litres in millilitres?
Question 4
2 litres shared equally into 4 cups gives how many ml per cup?
Question 5
Which operation fits this problem best: 6 jugs each holding 2 litres?
Common mistakes
Watch for these as you work through the lesson.
- Choosing an unrealistic estimate for a container.
- Using mixed units in one calculation.
- Picking the wrong operation for the measure problem.
Related topics
These ideas connect closely to this lesson.
- Convert between different units of metric measure and understand approximate equivalences between metric units and common imperial units.
- Convert between different units of time.