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Cross Curricular Maths

Maths in cooking

Use fractions, ratio, mass, capacity, time and temperature in recipes.

Quick answer

Maths in cooking helps us measure ingredients, understand how much food we need, and know how long to cook it.

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will understand how to use fractions, ratios, mass, capacity, time, and temperature when following recipes. Success signs:
  • You can read and use measurements like grams, millilitres, and degrees Celsius
  • You can share recipes fairly using fractions
  • You can work out how much food you need for more or fewer people
  • You can tell the time and temperature needed for cooking

Why this matters

Maths in cooking is useful for everyone, not just chefs. When you help cook with your parent or carer, you're using maths to make sure food tastes good and is safe to eat. You use maths to know how much flour to add, how long to bake a cake, or how many cookies to make. Cooking is a real-life way to learn maths, and it's fun too!

How it works

Cooking uses many types of maths:
  • Fractions – When you need half a cup of sugar or a quarter of a teaspoon of salt
  • Ratios – When you mix two ingredients together, like 2 cups of flour to 1 cup of milk
  • Mass – When you weigh ingredients using grams or kilograms
  • Capacity – When you measure liquids using millilitres or litres
  • Time – When you set a timer for 20 minutes or wait for something to cook
  • Temperature – When you set the oven to 180°C or check if meat is cooked

Examples you can see

Let's imagine you're helping bake cookies with your parent or carer. Example 1: Fractions If a recipe says "use half a cup of butter", that means 1/2 cup. If you have a full cup, you take out half of it. You can also make 1/4 of a cup by taking out a quarter of the full cup. Example 2: Ratios A recipe might say "mix 2 cups of flour with 1 cup of milk". This means for every 2 parts of flour, you need 1 part of milk. If you want to make more cookies, you can double the recipe: 4 cups of flour and 2 cups of milk. Example 3: Mass and Capacity If a recipe says "add 250g of sugar", you weigh it on a kitchen scale. If it says "pour 500ml of milk", you use a measuring jug to see how much liquid you have. Example 4: Time and Temperature If a recipe says "bake for 25 minutes at 180°C", you set a timer for 25 minutes and make sure your oven is set to 180 degrees.

Try it as a mini adventure

Adventure: The Great Cookie Swap You and your friend are baking cookies for a school bake sale. You have a recipe that makes 24 cookies, but you want to make 48 cookies. You need to double all the ingredients. Step 1: Look at the recipe for 24 cookies.
  • 2 cups of flour
  • 1 cup of butter
  • 3/4 cup of sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla
Step 2: Double each ingredient.
  • 2 × 2 = 4 cups of flour
  • 1 × 2 = 2 cups of butter
  • 3/4 × 2 = 6/4 = 1 1/2 cups of sugar
  • 1 × 2 = 2 eggs
  • 1 × 2 = 2 teaspoons of vanilla
Step 3: Measure the new amounts.
  • Use 4 cups of flour
  • Use 2 cups of butter
  • Use 1 1/2 cups of sugar
  • Use 2 eggs
  • Use 2 teaspoons of vanilla
Step 4: Bake the cookies and see if you made more!
  • Set your oven to 180°C
  • Set a timer for 12 minutes
  • Count how many cookies you get

Common mistakes

  • Mistake: Using the wrong measuring tool for ingredients. Why it happens: Confusing a teaspoon with a tablespoon. Fix: Always check which tool you're using. A teaspoon is smaller than a tablespoon.
  • Mistake: Forgetting to double ingredients when making more food. Why it happens: Not thinking about how many people you're cooking for. Fix: When you double the recipe, double every ingredient.
  • Mistake: Reading the temperature wrong. Why it happens: Mixing up Celsius and Fahrenheit. Fix: Ask a grown-up to help you check the oven temperature.
  • Mistake: Not understanding fractions like 1/2 or 1/4. Why it happens: Not knowing how to split things into equal parts. Fix: Practice with real food or drawings. If you split a cookie into 2 pieces, each piece is 1/2.

Parent and carer guide

Helping your child with maths in cooking is simple and fun. Here’s how you can support them:
  • Start with simple tasks: Let them measure ingredients with you. Use a spoon to show 1/4 teaspoon or a cup to show 1/2 cup.
  • Ask questions: "How much flour do we need?" or "What happens if we double the recipe?"
  • Use real tools: Let them use a kitchen scale or measuring jug to feel how much things weigh or how much liquid there is.
  • Keep it light: Don’t worry if they make a mistake. Cooking is a great way to learn from errors.
  • Encourage sharing: When you cook, ask them to help divide food fairly, like splitting a pizza into 4 equal pieces.

Practice questions

  1. What is 1/2 of 10 cups?
  2. If a recipe uses 3 cups of flour and you want to make 3 times as much, how much flour do you need?
  3. How many millilitres are in 2 litres?
  4. If a cake bakes for 30 minutes and you start at 2:15, what time will it be ready?
  5. What temperature is 180°C in Fahrenheit?
Answers:
  1. 5 cups
  2. 9 cups
  3. 2000 ml
  4. 2:45
  5. 356°F

FAQ

Why do we use maths in cooking?

We use maths in cooking to make sure food tastes good and is safe to eat. If we use the wrong amounts, food might not cook properly or might not taste right.

Can I use maths to change a recipe?

Yes! You can use maths to change a recipe for more or fewer people. If you double the ingredients, you make twice as much food.

What maths do I need to know for cooking?

You need to know how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide. You also need to understand fractions, measurements, and time.

How can I help my child with maths in cooking?

You can help by letting them measure ingredients, set timers, and talk about how much food they need. Ask questions and let them try things out.

Is cooking a good way to learn maths?

Yes! Cooking makes maths fun and useful. It shows how maths helps in real life, and it's a great way to practice.