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Grade 5 · Maths · Lessons
Counting cubes
🧊cube📦box🔢count🧱layers
Volume.
The big ideaA unit cube is one cubic unit. Count the cubes, even the hidden ones.

How it works

A unit cube is one cubic unit. Volume is how many cubes fill a solid.

Count the cubes, even the hidden ones.

Volume is measured in cubic units.

2 × 4 = 8
A layer of 2 by 4 cubes: 8 cubes.

Example 1: Pack a box

  1. A box is 2 cubes long, 4 wide and 1 tall.
  2. One layer of 2 × 4 = 8 cubes.
  3. The volume is 8 cubic units.

Example 2: The unit

  1. Volume is measured by filling with cubes.
  2. We say cubic units.
  3. A cubic unit is one cube.

Example 3: Hidden cubes

  1. A box is 2 by 2 and 4 tall.
  2. Each layer has 2 × 2 = 4 cubes, and there are 4 layers.
  3. 4 × 4 = 16 cubes in all.

Words to know

volume
How much space a solid takes up.
cubic unit
One cube used to measure volume.

Watch out

Try it

  1. A box is 3 cubes long, 2 wide and 2 tall. How many cubes?
  2. What unit measures volume?
  3. A layer has 6 cubes and there are 3 layers. Volume?
  4. Do hidden cubes count?
Answers: 1. 12 · 2. cubic units · 3. 18 · 4. yes
For grown-upsPack sugar cubes or building bricks into a box and count by layers.
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