Volume of cubes and cuboids: what children learn
Volume is the amount of space a 3-D shape takes up, measured in cubic units such as cubic centimetres (cm³). Year 6 pupils calculate the volume of cubes and cuboids using the formula length × width × height.
In this game children find the volume of cuboids and cubes from their measurements. Each answer comes with the working, so children can check how the three lengths were multiplied.
This topic covers the Year 6 statutory requirement in the National Curriculum in England (Measurement): pupils should be taught to “calculate, estimate and compare volume of cubes and cuboids using standard units”. Year 6 pupils are usually aged 10–11.
For families following US standards, the closest Common Core standard is 5.MD.C.5, which is taught in Grade 5.
How to play
Answer 10 questions before the clock runs out. Tap an answer, or press 1 to 4. Each game has 10 multiple-choice questions and a 180-second timer. A wrong answer shows the correct one before moving on. You earn up to three stars depending on your score.
Step by step
- Find the three lengths. A cuboid has a length, a width and a height. A cube has all three the same.
- Multiply them together. Volume = length × width × height. A 5 cm by 3 cm by 2 cm cuboid has a volume of 5 × 3 × 2 = 30 cm³.
- Use cubic units. Volume is written in cubic units: cm³ for cubic centimetres. Each cm³ is a cube 1 cm long, 1 cm wide and 1 cm high.
- Choose an easy order. You can multiply in any order. For 5 × 7 × 2, do 5 × 2 = 10 first, then 10 × 7 = 70.
Worked examples
Example 1: What is the volume of a cube with 4 cm edges?
Working: 4 × 4 × 4 = 64.
Answer: 64 cm³
Example 2: A cuboid is 10 cm long, 5 cm wide and 2 cm high. What is its volume?
Working: 10 × 5 × 2 = 100.
Answer: 100 cm³
Example 3: A box holds 2 layers of 6 cubes each. What is its volume if each cube is 1 cm³?
Working: 6 × 2 = 12.
Answer: 12 cm³
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Adding the lengths instead of multiplying. Volume counts the cubes inside, so multiply. Build the cuboid from cubes to check.
- Writing cm² instead of cm³. Volume has three dimensions, so the unit has a small 3.
- Using only two of the measurements. Length × width gives the area of the bottom layer. Multiply by the height to count all the layers.
Activities to try at home
- Measure a cereal box or shoebox and work out its volume.
- Build cuboids from sugar cubes or building bricks and count them.
- Compare two boxes: which holds more?
Ideas for the classroom
- Pupils build cuboids from centimetre cubes and record length, width, height and volume.
- Find all the cuboids with a volume of 24 cm³.
- Estimate, then calculate, the volume of the classroom in m³.
Free printable game and worksheet
The free printable starts with a game sheet, such as a colour-by-answer picture, an answer maze or a secret-code joke, followed by a worksheet. Both use the same checked questions as the online game, and the answers are on the last page. Print it, or save it as a PDF from your browser’s print menu.
Open the free printable game and worksheet
Frequently asked questions
Is volume the same as capacity?
They are closely linked. Volume is the space an object takes up; capacity is how much a container can hold. 1 cm³ holds 1 ml.
Are cm³ and cc the same?
Yes, cc stands for cubic centimetre, but cm³ is the form used in school maths.
Can it be played with a keyboard?
Yes. Press 1, 2, 3 or 4 to choose an answer.