Challenge: Converting Between Metric Units
23 October 2026
Children can find it tricky to convert between litres and millilitres, especially in challenge questions. Here's a clear example to help your child understand how to approach these metric unit conversions, just like those found in maths.com uk resources.
Challenge question
A bottle holds 1.25 litres of water. How many millilitres is this?
Step 1
Remember: 1 litre = 1,000 millilitres.
Step 2
Multiply the number of litres by 1,000.
1.25 × 1,000 = 1,250
Step 3
So, 1.25 litres is 1,250 millilitres.
Key insight: When converting litres to millilitres, always multiply by 1,000.
The correct answer is 1,250 millilitres.
After working through this example, your child will recognise when to multiply by 1,000 to change litres into millilitres. They'll be ready to tackle similar questions with confidence and practise this skill further.
