Year 1: Full, empty and more or less
Part of the Year 1 mass and capacity chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page · Download worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF)
Full, empty and more or less
A container holds liquid, such as water or juice. A container is full when there is no room for more. A container is empty when there is nothing inside it.
Capacity means how much a container can hold. To find out which holds more, fill each one with cups of water and count the cups. The one that takes more cups holds more.
Key ideas
- Full means there is no room for more.
- Empty means there is nothing inside.
- Capacity is how much a container holds.
- To compare capacity, count how many cups fill each container.
Key words. Full means the water reaches the top.
Method. Look for the container that is full.
- Look at each container. Check how high the water reaches.A: empty; B: full; C: half full
- Find the one that is full. Only one container matches.B: full
- Write the answer. B
Check. The other containers are not full. ✓
Watch out. Look at the water, not at the shape of the container.
Method. Count the cups for each container. Then see which one holds more.
- Count the cups for A. Each cup is one unit.A: 6 cups
- Count the cups for B. Each cup is one unit.B: 4 cups
- Compare the two numbers. The bigger number holds more.6 > 4
- Write the answer. A
Check. 4 cups is less than 6 cups. ✓
Watch out. Count the cups. Do not guess from the shape of the container.
Key words. Empty means nothing inside. Quarter full means a quarter of the way up.
Method. Look at how high the water reaches.
- Look at the water. Compare it with the top and the bottom of the container.This container: there is nothing in it
- Find the matching word. Empty, quarter full, half full or full.empty
- Write the answer. empty
Check. Check: the water is there is nothing in it. ✓
Watch out. The water starts at the bottom. Do not count the empty space at the top.
Watch out
Watch out: a tall container does not always hold more. A wide bowl can hold more than a tall glass. Count the cups to find out.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. At bath time or at the sink, fill two cups with water and ask: “Which holds more?” Pour the water from one to the other to check. Use the words full and empty.
Exercise 8C Full, empty and holding more
Non-calculatorKey words. Full means the water reaches the top.
Method. Look for the container that is full.
- Look at each container. Check how high the water reaches.A: full; B: empty; C: half full
- Find the one that is full. Only one container matches.A: full
- Write the answer. A
Check. The other containers are not full. ✓
Watch out. Look at the water, not at the shape of the container.
Key words. Empty means there is nothing in it.
Method. Look for the container that is empty.
- Look at each container. Check how high the water reaches.A: full; B: empty
- Find the one that is empty. Only one container matches.B: empty
- Write the answer. B
Check. The other containers are not empty. ✓
Watch out. Look at the water, not at the shape of the container.
Key words. Empty means there is nothing in it.
Method. Look for the container that is empty.
- Look at each container. Check how high the water reaches.A: full; B: empty; C: full
- Find the one that is empty. Only one container matches.B: empty
- Write the answer. B
Check. The other containers are not empty. ✓
Watch out. Look at the water, not at the shape of the container.
Method. Count the cups for each container. Then see which one holds more.
- Count the cups for A. Each cup is one unit.A: 6 cups
- Count the cups for B. Each cup is one unit.B: 3 cups
- Compare the two numbers. The bigger number holds more.6 > 3
- Write the answer. A
Check. 3 cups is less than 6 cups. ✓
Watch out. Count the cups. Do not guess from the shape of the container.
Method. Count the cups for each container. Then see which one holds less.
- Count the cups for A. Each cup is one unit.A: 4 cups
- Count the cups for B. Each cup is one unit.B: 7 cups
- Compare the two numbers. The bigger number holds more.7 > 4
- Write the answer. A
Check. 4 cups is less than 7 cups. ✓
Watch out. Count the cups. Do not guess from the shape of the container.
Method. Count the cups for each container. Then find the most.
- Count the cups for each one. Each cup is one unit.A: 4 cups; B: 7 cups; C: 2 cups
- Find the biggest number. The biggest number holds the most.7 cups
- Write the answer. B
Check. The others hold less than 7. ✓
Watch out. Count the cups. Do not guess from the size of the container.
Method. Count the cups for each container. Then find the least.
- Count the cups for each one. Each cup is one unit.A: 3 cups; B: 6 cups; C: 5 cups
- Find the smallest number. The smallest number holds the least.3 cups
- Write the answer. A
Check. The others hold more than 3. ✓
Watch out. Count the cups. Do not guess from the size of the container.
Method. Count the cups for each one. Then put them in order, least first.
- Count the cups for each one. Each cup is one unit.A: 2 cups; B: 5 cups; C: 3 cups
- Put them in order. Start with the smallest number.A, C, B
- Write the answer. A, C, B
Check. There are 3 containers in the question and 3 in the answer. ✓
Watch out. Check you have written every letter once.
Key words. Empty means nothing inside. Quarter full means a quarter of the way up.
Method. Look at how high the water reaches.
- Look at the water. Compare it with the top and the bottom of the container.This container: the water reaches the top
- Find the matching word. Empty, quarter full, half full or full.full
- Write the answer. full
Check. Check: the water is the water reaches the top. ✓
Watch out. The water starts at the bottom. Do not count the empty space at the top.
Method. Count the cups already in the jug. Then count how many more fill the empty spaces.
- Count the cups already in the jug. Count the full spaces.2 cups
- Count the empty spaces left. Each empty space needs one more cup.6 − 2 = 4
- Write the answer. 4 more cups
Check. 2 + 4 = 6. ✓
Watch out. Count the empty spaces, not the full ones.
Method. Use cups of water to measure. Count the cups, then compare the two numbers.
- Fill the first container with cups. Count how many cups it takes.Count the cups for the first one
- Fill the second container with cups. Count how many cups it takes.Count the cups for the second one
- Compare the two numbers. The bigger number holds more.Count the cups for each one and compare the two numbers.
Check. Use the same kind of cup each time, so the count is fair. ✓
Watch out. Use the same cup for both containers.
Method. Use cups of water to measure. Count the cups, then compare the two numbers.
- Fill the first container with cups. Count how many cups it takes.Count the cups for the first one
- Fill the second container with cups. Count how many cups it takes.Count the cups for the second one
- Compare the two numbers. The bigger number holds more.Fill one bowl with cups and count them. Then do the same for the other bowl. Compare the two numbers.
Check. Use the same kind of cup each time, so the count is fair. ✓
Watch out. Use the same cup for both containers.