Topics
10. Measurement
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Australia
Year 3

10.08 Order and compare capacity

Lesson
Practice
Lesson

Are you ready?

Remembering how to  order numbers  can help us in this lesson.

Examples

Example 1

Order these numbers from largest to smallest.

671, \, 167, \, 617

Worked Solution
Create a strategy

We should order the hundreds first, then the tens, then the ones.

Apply the idea

The numbers in the place value table are shown:

HundredsTensOnes
671
167
617

167 has the smallest hundreds digit so it is the smallest number.

671 and 617 have equal hundreds digits, but 617 has the smaller tens digit.

The numbers from largest to smallest are: 671,\,617,\, 167

Idea summary

When we use place value to order numbers, always start with the far left digit which has the highest place value.

Order capacity

This video looks at how to order objects using capacity.

Loading video...

Examples

Example 2

We want to order these three cups from largest capacity to smallest capacity.

This image shows 3 cups with capacities of 337, 630, and 136 millilitres. Ask your teacher for more information.
a

Which of these cups has the largest capacity?

A
Cup 1
B
Cup 2
C
Cup 3
Worked Solution
Create a strategy

Look at the capacity of each cup, written underneath the pictures.

Apply the idea

630 is larger than 337 and 136 because it has the largest hundreds value.

So Cup 2 has the largest capacity. The correct answer is B.

b

Which of these cups has the second largest capacity?

A
Cup 3
B
Cup 1
C
Cup 2
Worked Solution
Create a strategy

Look at the capacity of each cup, written underneath the pictures.

Apply the idea

337 is larger than 136 because it has the largest hundreds value. So Cup 1 has a larger capacity than Cup 3.

The correct answer is B.

c

Which of these cups has the smallest capacity?

A
Cup 3
B
Cup 1
C
Cup 2
Worked Solution
Create a strategy

Look at the capacity of each cup, written underneath the pictures.

Apply the idea

Only Cup 3 is remaining. So the correct answer is A.

Idea summary

The capacity of an object is how much it can hold.

To put objects in order, we must compare them first. When comparing capacity, they should have the same units.

Outcomes

AC9M3M01

identify which metric units are used to measure everyday items; use measurements of familiar items and known units to make estimates

AC9M3M02

measure and compare objects using familiar metric units of length, mass and capacity, and instruments with labelled markings

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