What is volume?

Part of MathsArea and volumeYear 6

How is volume measured?

Lucy looking thoughtfully at a whiteboard with a cube on it. Double headed arrows are shown on the base, width and height.

Volume is the amount of space occupied by a solid, liquid or a shape.

The volume of cubes and cuboids can be measured in cubic centimetres (cm³) and metres (m³).

The volume of a shape can also be calculated by multiplying its length by its width and height.

Volume = length × width × height

Lucy looking thoughtfully at a whiteboard with a cube on it. Double headed arrows are shown on the base, width and height.
Back to top

Activity: What is volume?

Complete this interactive activity to understand what volume is and how it is measured, then put your knowledge to the test.

Back to top

Measuring volume

Volume is the amount of space a 3D shape takes up.

You can measure volume in cubic centimetres (cm³) or cubic metres (m³).

A cubic centimetre block is a cube that has sides each measuring 1cm. The volume of this cube is 1cm³.

A cube with double ended arrows showing length 1cm, width 1cm and height 1cm. to the left is label 1cm³.

You can work out the volume of a shape by counting how many 1cm³ cubes fit inside it.

You can also calculate the volume of a cuboid using this formula:

Volume = length × width × height

You can also write this as:

V = l × w × h

Back to top

Example 1

A cube with double ended arrows and measurements of 3m along the length, width and height. Each surface of the cube is divided into 9 units.

What is the volume of this cube?

Back to top

Example 2

2 cuboids with double ended arrows along each edge. Cuboid 1 measures length 4cm, width 5cm and height 4cm. Cuboid 2 is 10cm length, 2 cm width and 3cm height. Both have division lines of 1cm by 1cm.

Which cuboid has the greater volume?

Back to top

Example 3

A net of a cuboid with 6 rectangles. The length is 10cm, width 3cm and height 8cm. The rectangles are in a pattern that can be folded into a cuboid shape.

Here is a net of a cuboid. What is the volume of this cuboid?

Back to top

It's Mathematica as you’ve never seen it before, with all-new festive backgrounds and costumes. Available for a limited time only. Use your maths skills to save the day before it's too late!

NEW! Play Guardians: Defenders of Mathematica - the winter update
Back to top

More on Area and volume

Find out more by working through a topic