A rectangular box is 10 cm long, 5 cm wide, and 4 cm high. What is its volume?
Show worked explanation
Volume of a cuboid = length × width × height. So: 10 × 5 × 4 = 200 cubic cm (or 200 cm³). ✓
11+ Volume Practice
(GL Assessment)
GL Assessment lists "volume of cubes and cuboids" as a named topic in the Measurement strand of its 11+ maths paper, and you can expect roughly two to four volume or capacity questions in a typical 50-question paper. Each is multiple choice with five options (A to E).
Volume questions ask how much space is inside a 3D shape. Most are built on one short formula: for a cuboid (a box shape), volume is length x width x height; for a cube, it is the edge length multiplied by itself three times. From that foundation, GL builds up to missing-dimension problems (you are given the volume and asked to find a side), capacity questions linking cubic centimetres to litres, and counting cubes in a 3D picture.
Because volume appears less often than number work, every question genuinely counts, and the harder ones reward a child who has practised the trickier styles. The good news for an anxious parent: the core method is one of the most learnable in the whole paper. Get the formula automatic, watch the units, and most marks follow.
What the GL 11+ Tests on Volume
In rough order of frequency, GL tests:
- Volume of a cuboid (length x width x height), the single most common style (~25 to 30%).
- Missing dimension problems, where the volume and two sides are given and the child divides to find the third (~15 to 20%).
- Counting unit cubes in a 3D diagram, including cubes hidden behind others (~10 to 15%).
- Capacity and unit conversion, linking cm3 to ml and litres, where 1000 cm3 = 1 litre (~10 to 15%).
- Volume of a cube using edge cubed (~10 to 15%).
- Real-world word problems (tanks, boxes, "how much more to fill") and comparing volumes (~15 to 20% combined).
- Compound 3D shapes and packing problems, the hardest styles, appear occasionally at D3.
Difficulty runs the full D1 to D3 range. Format is always five-option multiple choice. These weightings are estimates drawn from GL practice papers, SATs analysis and tutor resources, not figures GL publishes, so treat them as well-supported rather than exact. Surface area is rarely tested at 11+ level.
Sample Volume Questions
Five questions drawn from PrepStep’s volume bank, spanning Foundation to Challenging. Tap “Show worked explanation” to see the full method after you’ve had a go. The correct answer is highlighted on each question so you can check immediately.
Emma has a cube-shaped storage box. Each edge is 6 cm long. What is the volume?
Show worked explanation
Volume of a cube = edge × edge × edge. So: 6 × 6 × 6 = 216 cubic cm. ✓
Tom's fish tank is 50 cm long, 30 cm wide, and 40 cm high. What is its volume in litres? (Remember: 1 litre = 1000 cm³)
Show worked explanation
First find volume in cm³: 50 × 30 × 40 = 60,000 cm³. Then convert to litres: 60,000 ÷ 1000 = 60 litres. ✓
A cuboid has a volume of 120 cm³, a length of 10 cm, and a width of 4 cm. What is its height?
Show worked explanation
Volume = length × width × height, so 120 = 10 × 4 × height. This means 120 = 40 × height, so height = 120 ÷ 40 = 3 cm. ✓
A cube has edges that are twice as long as another cube with 3 cm edges. What is the volume of the larger cube?
Show worked explanation
The small cube has 3 cm edges. The larger cube has edges twice as long: 2 × 3 = 6 cm. Volume of larger cube = 6 × 6 × 6 = 216 cm³. ✓
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Common mistake 1 of 4
Multiplying only two dimensions instead of three.
Tip: That gives the area of one face, not the volume. GL always offers the face-area answer as a tempting option. Volume means three numbers multiplied.
Common mistake 2 of 4
Confusing cubic centimetres and litres.
Tip: The key bridge is 1 cm3 = 1 ml and 1000 cm3 = 1 litre. Children often guess a wrong power of ten here, so this conversion is worth drilling.
Common mistake 3 of 4
Forgetting the hidden cubes.
Tip: When counting cubes in a 3D drawing, those behind or beneath the visible ones are easy to miss. Counting layer by layer (cubes per layer x number of layers) prevents it.
Common mistake 4 of 4
Dividing total volumes on packing problems.
Tip: To find how many small cubes fit, divide each dimension separately and round each down, then multiply. Dividing one big volume by another gives the wrong answer when the cubes do not fit exactly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What volume topics are tested in the GL 11+ maths exam?
GL tests volume of cuboids (length x width x height) and cubes (edge cubed), missing-dimension problems, counting unit cubes including hidden ones, and capacity conversions between cm3, millilitres and litres. Harder papers add real-world tank problems, packing problems and compound 3D shapes. All questions are five-option multiple choice.
What is the formula for volume in the 11+ exam?
Volume of a cuboid is length x width x height. Volume of a cube is the edge length cubed (edge x edge x edge). To find a missing dimension, divide the volume by the two known sides. These formulae are not given in the exam, so children must know them by heart.
How do you convert cm3 to litres for the 11+?
1 cubic centimetre equals 1 millilitre, and 1000 cubic centimetres equal 1 litre. So a tank holding 40,000 cm3 holds 40 litres. For larger problems, 1 cubic metre equals 1,000,000 cm3, or 1000 litres. This conversion is one of the most useful volume facts to memorise.
How many volume questions are in the GL 11+ maths paper?
Expect roughly two to four volume or capacity questions in a 50-question paper, sometimes fewer. Volume sits in the Measurement strand, which is far less frequent than number work. Because they appear less often, it is worth making sure your child is confident across all the common volume styles.
What cube numbers should my child learn for 11+ volume questions?
Knowing the cubes up to 10 helps enormously with reverse problems like "a cube has volume 125 cm3, find the edge." The key ones are: 2 cubed is 8, 3 cubed is 27, 4 cubed is 64, 5 cubed is 125, 6 cubed is 216, 7 cubed is 343, 8 cubed is 512, 9 cubed is 729 and 10 cubed is 1000. Recognising these instantly turns a hard question into a quick one.
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