Word problems with measures practice for 11+ Maths
21 October 2026
Understanding word problems with measures
Word problems involving measures are a key part of the 11+ Maths exam. They test your child's ability to apply maths skills to real-life situations, such as calculating length, area, volume, mass or converting between units.
Key insight: These questions often require more than one step and careful reading to identify what is being asked.
Common types of measure problems
Children may need to work with metric and imperial units, add or subtract quantities, or convert between grams and kilograms, centimetres and metres, or litres and millilitres. Problems can involve perimeter, area, volume, or even speed and distance.
Tips for solving measure word problems
Encourage your child to highlight key information in the question. Remind them to check the units and convert if needed before calculating. Breaking the problem into steps makes it easier to avoid mistakes.
Worked example
A rectangular swimming pool is 8 m long and 5 m wide. The water is filled to a depth of 2 m. What is the volume of water in the pool in cubic metres?
First, find the area of the base: 8 m × 5 m = 40 m².
Next, multiply the area by the depth to get the volume: 40 m² × 2 m = 80 m³.
The correct answer is 80 cubic metres.
Building confidence with practice
Regular practice with a range of word problems helps children recognise patterns and develop strategies. Try to include questions that require unit conversions and more than one calculation step, as these are common in the 11+.
