# US Customary units of volume review (c, pt, qt, & gal)

CCSS Math: 5.MD.A.1
Review the size of cups, pints, quarts, and gallons and how to convert between them.  Then, try some practice problems.

## Summary of customary units of volume

CupsPintsQuartsGallons
$16$$8$$4$$\goldD1$
$4$$2$$\goldD1$$\dfrac14$
$2$$\goldD1$$\dfrac12$$\dfrac18$
$\goldD1$$\dfrac12$$\dfrac14$$\dfrac{1}{16}$

### What is volume?

Volume measures capacity. For example, the volume of a bowl is the amount of space inside the bowl or how much water, for example it would take to fill the bowl.
In the US customary system of measurement, the most common units of volume are cups, pints, quarts and gallons.

### How big are customary units of volume?

A juice box contains about $1$ cup of liquid.
A pint is equal to $2$ cups. A water bottle contains about $1$ pint of liquid.
A quart is equal to $2$ pints. A large shampoo bottle contains about $1$ quart of liquid.
A gallon is equal to $4$ quarts. A milk jug contains about $1$ gallon of liquid.

## Practice set 1: Estimating volume

Want to try more problems like this? Check out this exercise,

## Converting larger units to smaller units

$1 \text{ pint} = \greenD{2}\text{ cups}$
$1 \text{ quart} = \greenD{4}\text{ cups}$
$1 \text{ quart} = \greenD{2}\text{ pints}$
$1 \text{ gallon} = \greenD{4}\text{ quarts}$
To convert larger units to smaller units we multiply the number of larger units by the green conversion factor for the appropriate smaller units.
Example: Converting gallons to quarts
$1 \text{ gallon} = \greenD{4}\text{ quarts}$
$\blueD{2} \text{ gallons} = \blueD{2}\times \greenD{4}=8\text{ quarts}$
Example: Converting pints to cups
$1 \text{ pint} = \greenD{2}\text{ cups}$
$\blueD{8} \text{ pints} = \blueD{8}\times \greenD{2}=16\text{ cups}$

## Converting smaller units to larger units

$1\text{ cup}= \dfrac1{\purple{2}} \text{ pint}$
$1\text{ pint}= \dfrac1{\purple{2}} \text{ quart}$
$1\text{ quart}= \dfrac1{\purple{4}} \text{ gallon}$
To convert smaller units to larger units we divide the number of smaller units by the purple conversion factor for the appropriate larger units.
Example: Converting pints to quarts
$1\text{ pint}= \dfrac1{\purple{2}} \text{ quart}$
$\pink{12} \text{ pints}= \dfrac{\pink{12}}{\purple{2}}= \pink{12}\div\purple{2}=\blue6\text{ quarts}$