measurement · Year 5 · Suggested learning sequence
Volume by counting cubes
Volume is how much space a solid takes up. We can measure it by counting unit cubes. In a solid cuboid some cubes are hidden at the back and in the middle, so don't count only the ones you can see. Count the cubes in the top layer (rows × cubes in each row), then multiply by the number of layers. Count cubes, not the square faces you can see: a corner cube shows three faces but is only one cube.
Sample questions
How many unit cubes were used to build this model?
- The model is one layer: 2 cubes along the front and 2 rows going back.
- 2 × 2 = 4 cubes.
Answer: 4
How many unit cubes were used to build this model?
- The model is one layer: 5 cubes along the front and 2 rows going back.
- 5 × 2 = 10 cubes.
Answer: 10
How many unit cubes were used to build this model?
- The model is one layer: 2 cubes along the front and 3 rows going back.
- 2 × 3 = 6 cubes.
Answer: 6