Liter in Math – Definition with Examples

What is Liter in Math?

Liter is a unit of volume and capacity in the metric system. Liquids are measured in volume. The volume of a liquid is the amount of space it takes up in a container, whereas the capacity is the total amount of liquid that can be contained in a container.

Definition of Liter

A liter is a metric unit of volume primarily used to measure liquids. The abbreviation of a liter is “L” or “l”. Smaller quantities of liquid are measured in milliliters (mL). 1 liter is equal to 1000 milliliters.

What Can We Measure Using the Unit Liter?

We usually measure solid weights using units like pounds, ounces, grams and kilograms. We measure liquids or fluids using volume, which is measured in Liters.

So, what can we measure in liters? The water you drink, the petrol you fill in your car, the oils you use, the milk that you drink, etc. 

Why Do We Use Liter to Measure Liquid?

Let’s take three containers of different shapes and fill them with water. Can you tell which container has more water?

It is not possible to decide which container has more water just by looking at it. We need to measure the water in all the containers and express it in the same unit. That standard unit of measuring liquid is called a liter.

Liquids such as water, milk, petrol, and oil are measured in liters, milliliters, centiliters, kiloliters, etc.

What Is a Milliliter?

A milliliter is a smaller metric unit that measures the capacity of a liquid. It is used to measure smaller quantities of liquid, such as medicinal liquids. The abbreviation of a milliliter is mL. 

Observe the water jug in the image above. It can hold 1 L of water. But the jug also contains smaller units of measurement, and the water in it can be measured in milliliters.

Liters to Milliliters Conversion

We know that 1 liter is equal to 1000 milliliters. So, to convert liters into milliliters, we have to multiply by 1000.

Let’s say you want to convert 5 liters into milliliters. So, 5 L $= (5 \times 1000)$ mL $= 5000$ mL.

Similarly, 4, 6, and 8 liters are equal to 4000, 6000, and 8000 milliliters.

So it must be clear by now that to convert liter into milliliters, you just have to add three zeros to the right of the number.

Milliliters to Liters Conversion

To convert milliliters into liters, you have to take the opposite route. You will have to divide the given quantity of milliliters by thousand.

Let’s say you want to convert 8000 milliliters into liters.

So, 8000 mL $= (8000/1000)$ L $= 8$ L

Similarly, 4000, 6000, and 7000 milliliters are 4 L, 6 L, and 7 L.

Relationship of Liter with Other Metrics

Solved Examples

Example 1: Siri purchased 3 cans of apple juice of 1 L each. She drank 1500 mL of juice. How much juice is left with her?

Solution: 

Siri purchased 3 cans of apple juice of 1 L each. So, the total mL of juice with Siri is $(3 \times 1000)$ L $= 3000$ Liters.

Out of 3000 mL of juice, Siri drank 1500 mL.

So, the total mL of juice left with Siri is 3000 mL $–$ $1500$ mL $= 1500$ mL.

Example 2: Jack bought 4 empty jars to fill with milk. Each jar can hold 2 liters and 250 milliliters of milk. How many liters of milk does he require to fill all 4 jars?

Solution:

First, let us determine how many milliliters of milk each jar can hold.

Given, 1 jar $= 2$ liters 250 milliliter

or, 1 jar $= (2 \times 1000 + 250)$ ml $= 2250$ ml

So one jar can hold 2250 milliliters. Then, 4 jars can hold $(2250 \times 4)$ ml $= 9000$ ml

Now, let’s convert 9000 milliliters into liters.

9000 ml $= 9000/1000 L = 9$ L

Therefore, Jack requires 9 liters of milk to fill all 4 jars.

Example 3: A diesel tanker can hold 5000 liters of diesel. Find out the gallons of diesel that the tanker can hold.

Solution:

The diesel tanker can hold 5000 liters of diesel.

We know that 1 liter $= 0.264$ gallon

So, 5000 liters $= 5000 \times 0.264$ gallons $= 1320$ gallons

Therefore, the tanker can hold 1320 gallons of diesel.

Practice Problems

Frequently Asked Questions