Volume is the amount of space a solid shape takes up, measured in cubes. Year 6 children count cubes in layers, then discover the shortcut: length × width × height.
What your child will learn
- Understand volume as the number of unit cubes that fill a shape
- Find the volume of a cube or cuboid by multiplying its three dimensions
- Find a missing height when the volume is known
Layers of cubes
A box 4 cm long and 3 cm wide holds 4 × 3 = 12 cubes in its bottom layer. If it is 5 cm high there are 5 layers, so the volume is 12 × 5 = 60 cubic cm. That is the same as 4 × 3 × 5.
Example questions
Here are a few questions like the ones in the first quest. Can you solve them?
1. A box holds 10 small cubes in each layer and has 3 layers. How many cubes fill the box?
- 13
- 3
- 30
- 40
Show answer
Answer: 30. 3 layers of 10 cubes: 10 × 3 = 30.
2. A box holds 18 small cubes in each layer and has 2 layers. How many cubes fill the box?
Show answer
Answer: 36. 2 layers of 18 cubes: 18 × 2 = 36.
3. A box holds 30 small cubes in each layer and has 6 layers. How many cubes fill the box?
- 210
- 36
- 180
- 190
Show answer
Answer: 180. 6 layers of 30 cubes: 30 × 6 = 180.
Tips for grown-ups
- Build cuboids from building blocks and count the cubes.
- Measure a cereal box and work out its volume.