Grade 6 Mathematics Measurements – Capacity Notes

Measurements — Capacity (Mathematics, Age 11)

What is capacity?
Capacity is the amount a container can hold, usually a liquid. It tells us how much fits inside a bottle, jerrycan, drum or tank.

Common units of capacity

Important conversions

• 1 L = 1000 mL
• 1 kL = 1000 L
• 1 mL ≈ 1 cubic centimetre (1 mL = 1 cm³)
• 1 cubic metre (1 m³) = 1000 L

How to convert

To convert litres to millilitres multiply by 1000. To convert millilitres to litres divide by 1000.

Measuring tools and reading liquids

We use: measuring jugs, measuring cylinders, bottles with marks, and tanks with level marks. Always read at the bottom of the meniscus (the curved surface) at eye level.

Simple visual examples

Everyday examples (Kenyan context)

• A small water bottle often holds 500 mL or 1 L.
• A common jerrycan is 20 L (used for water or fuel).
• A household water tank may be 1000 L = 1 kL or larger.

Practice questions

1. Convert 3500 mL to litres.
2. How many mL are in 2.75 L?
3. A jerrycan holds 20 L. How many jerrycans fill a 1000 L tank?
4. You pour 450 mL into a 1 L bottle. How much more will fill it?
5. A school collects 3.5 kL of water. Express this in litres.
6. Add: 600 mL + 1.4 L. Give the answer in litres.

Answers

1. 3500 mL = 3.5 L
2. 2.75 × 1000 = 2750 mL
3. 1000 ÷ 20 = 50 jerrycans
4. 1 L − 450 mL = 550 mL more
5. 3.5 kL = 3500 L
6. 1.4 L = 1400 mL → 1400 + 600 = 2000 mL = 2 L

Tips for students

• Always check the unit (mL, L, kL) before calculating.
• Use multiplication by 1000 to go to a smaller unit (L → mL), and divide by 1000 to go to a larger unit (mL → L).
• Estimate first: is the answer close to 1 L, 2 L, or much larger?
• When measuring, place the container on a flat surface and read at eye level.

Prepared for Kenyan learners (age 11). Use these notes to practise converting units, solving word problems and to understand how to read measuring containers.