Mastering mass and weight problems for 11 plus
21 October 2026
Why mass and weight matter in 11 plus
Mass and weight problems often appear in 11+ Maths exams. These questions help test a child's understanding of measurement, units, and real-life problem solving.
Key insight: Mass and weight problems test the ability to understand units, convert between them, and analyse practical situations. Essential for 11+ success.
Understanding mass and weight
In the context of 11+ Maths, mass is the amount of matter in an object. Weight is often used in everyday language to mean the same thing, but strictly speaking, weight is the force due to gravity. For 11+ exams, questions usually focus on mass.
The most common units are grams (g) and kilograms (kg). There are 1000 grams in 1 kilogram.
Worked example
Step 1: Read the question and note the values. For example, a bag of flour weighs 750 g and a bag of sugar weighs 1.5 kg.
Step 2: Check what the question is asking. Here, it asks for the total mass in grams.
Step 3: Convert all masses to the same unit. 1.5 kg = 1500 g.
Step 4: Add the masses together. 750 g + 1500 g = 2250 g.
The total mass is 2250 grams.
Why regular practice helps
Practising mass and weight problems helps children become confident with units, conversions and word problems. This builds skills for a range of maths topics and everyday situations.
Encourage your child to read questions carefully, check units, and show each step of their working.
