Metric Units for Volume

Volume is the space a solid takes up, measured in cubic units such as \(\text{mm}^3\), \(\text{cm}^3\) and \(\text{m}^3\). This NSW Year 7 maths subtopic (NESA outcome MA4‑VOL‑C‑01) builds each conversion from a cube: a 1 cm cube is 10 mm along each edge, so \(1\text{ cm}^3 = 1000\text{ mm}^3\).

You will convert between cubic units by multiplying or dividing by 1000 or 1 000 000, avoid the trap of using the length fact for cubes, choose a sensible unit for a sugar cube or a shipping container, and work out how many bags of sand fill a sandpit, then compare volumes written in different units. It is part of Year 7 Area and Volume.