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Compare capacities directly

Capacity is the amount a container can hold, and direct comparison establishes whether one container holds more, less, or the same amount as another by matching their contents without relying on the containers’ height, width, or shape. This reasoning includes recognizing that differently shaped containers may have equal capacity and provides a foundation for measuring capacity with standard units.

Detailed Explanation: Compare capacities directly

Capacity tells how much a container can hold. To compare capacities directly, pour the contents of one full container into the other. Do not decide by looking at which container is taller, wider, or a different shape.

Example: Which holds more: a short, wide bowl or a tall, thin bottle?

  1. Fill the bowl all the way to the top.
  2. Pour the water from the bowl into the empty bottle.
  3. The bottle becomes full, but some water is still left in the bowl.
  4. The bowl held more water because it filled the bottle and still had water left.

So, the bowl has a greater capacity than the bottle. The bottle is taller, but height alone does not tell us which container holds more.

Learn by doing: Compare capacities directly

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Measurement - Compare Capacity - Holds More or Less


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