1. Kitchen Math & Measuring
© Learning ZoneXpress

2. Introduction Most cooks use recipes
A recipe is a list of ingredients and directions to prepare a food
Following recipes will lead to success in the kitchen
Most cooks use recipes when preparing foods. A recipe is a list of ingredients that gives you directions on how to prepare a specific food. If you know how to follow recipes, then you will likely be successful in the kitchen.

3. Introduction Successful cooks know: How to read a recipe Abbreviations
Measuring Techniques
Equivalents
How to Change a Recipe
To be a successful cook or baker, you will need to know a few things including how to read a recipe, abbreviations used in recipes, how to measure ingredients, different equivalents when measuring and how to change a recipe either by increasing or decreasing amounts of ingredients.

4. What’s In A Recipe? A formula! The parts of the recipe tell you:
Name
Ingredients
Directions
Yield
Equipment
Nutritional Analysis (optional)
Always read the recipe before you cook
We know that a recipe is a list of ingredients that gives you directions how to prepare a specific food, but what are the different components in a recipe? A recipe typically will include the recipe’s name, all the ingredients and their specific amounts, directions on how to make the food and the yield, which tells you how many servings the recipe will make. Sometimes recipes will have a separate list for the equipment needed or will include a nutritional analysis with calories and fat per serving.
It’s a good idea to read the recipe completely from start to finish before you start cooking so that you have all the ingredients and equipment, as well as enough time to complete it.

5. Parts of a Recipe A recipe usually includes: Quesadillas
Name What the recipe is called.
Quesadillas
(Serves per person)
8 flour tortillas
1 cup grated cheese
Heat a frying pan over medium heat.
Place a tortilla in the pan.
Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese on the tortilla.
Cover the cheese with another tortilla.
Cook about 1 minute, until brown and crisp. Then turn the quesadilla over. Cook until the cheese melts.
Place on a serving plate. Cut into pie shaped wedges.
Repeat process with remaining ingredients.
Yield Number of servings the recipe makes.
Ingredients Food products you need to make the recipe.
Equipment
Let’s take a look at a sample recipe and the different parts that are usually included.
Here you see the name of the recipe is “Quesadillas.” The name is what the recipe is called and is almost always written across the top.
The yield is the number of servings the recipe makes. This might be listed just below the recipe name or it might be at the end of the directions.
Usually the ingredients list comes next. The ingredients are the foods that you need to make the recipe. The recipe should list the specific amounts needed to make the food.
The directions follow the ingredients list. The directions tell you the steps you need to follow in order to make the recipe and will often tell you what kind of equipment you need to make the recipe.
Directions Steps you follow to make the recipe.

6. Your Turn Think up a name for a recipe.
What is the yield? How many people will it serve?
Name each ingredient.
Write the steps in the order that you would prepare them.
Number each step. How many steps are there?
What special equipment is needed?

7. What’s an Abbreviation?
Abbreviation - The shortened form of a word.
Abbreviations in measuring units:
Save space on the cookbook page.
Make recipes easier to read.
Understanding the language of recipes takes the guesswork out of cooking and one way to make sure you understand a recipe is to know abbreviations. An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word.
Abbreviations are often used in a recipe to shorten the words of measuring units such as teaspoon or tablespoon. The reason that abbreviations are used in recipes is to save space on the cookbook page or a recipe card. Abbreviations also make recipes easier to read and understand – making it less likely for you to make a mistake.

8. Name the Abbreviations
The U.S. uses the English system:
Teaspoon
Tablespoon
Cup
Pint
Quart
Gallon
Ounce/fluid ounce
Pound
tsp. or t.
Tbsp. or T. c.
pt.
qt.
gal.
oz./ fl. oz.
lb. 8

9. Name the Abbreviations
Most other countries use the metric system:
Milliliter
Liter
Gram
Kilogram ml L
All countries but the United States, Liberia, and Burma use the metric system (specifically the International System of Units – SI). Units of measure in the metric system include milliliter, liter, grams, and kilograms. g kg 9

10. Name the Abbreviations
More abbreviations:
Few grains, dash, pinch
Dozen
Inch
Second
Minute
Hour
Degree
Fahrenheit/Celsius
f.g.
doz.
in.
sec.
Here are a few more abbreviations you may come across in recipes.
min.
hr.
F. / C 10

11. Abbreviations Pop Quiz
What do these stand for?
lb. L
tsp. or t.
 F.
qt.
fl. oz.
Let’s see how well you know abbreviations. What do these stand for?
ANSWERS:
lb. = pound
L = liter
tsp. or t. = teaspoon
º F = degrees Fahrenheit
qt. = quart
fl. oz. = fluid ounce 11

12. Name That Utensil
Use standard measuring utensils when cooking or baking
When you’re cooking or baking you shouldn’t use serving spoons from your silverware drawer or drinking glasses from the cupboard because they vary in size. Instead, you should use these standard measuring utensils.
Measuring spoons usually come in a set of four spoons: ¼ teaspoon, ½ teaspoon, 1 teaspoon, and 1 tablespoon.
There are two different types of measuring cups: dry/solid and liquid. Dry/solid measuring cups usually come in sets of four cups: ¼ cup, 1/3 cup, ½ cup and 1 cup. Liquid measuring cups are clear and has lines marked on the outside for varying cup and fluid ounce measurements.
Can you name them? 12

13. The Right Measuring Utensil
Name two ingredients measured using:
Measuring spoons?
Dry measuring cups?
Liquid measuring cup?
Which measuring utensils should you use?
1 1/3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons cooking oil
Time to test your measuring utensil knowledge!
On a piece of scratch paper, name two ingredients that you’d measure with when using measuring spoons, dry measuring cups, and liquid measuring cup.
POSSIBLE ANSWERS:
Measuring spoons: any small amount of liquid or dry ingredients less than ¼ cup such as salt, pepper, spices, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla extract (or other extracts), flour, sugar, oil, water, milk
Dry/solid measuring cups: flour, sugar, brown sugar, shortening, peanut butter, butter, margarine
Liquid measuring cups: water, milk, juice, oil
Next, name the measuring utensil or utensils you would use to measure 1 1/3 cups flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ cup milk, and 2 tablespoons of cooking oil.
ANSWERS:
1 1/3 cups flour = 1 cup + 1/3 cup dry/solid measuring cups
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder = 1 teaspoon + ½ teaspoon measuring spoons
½ cup milk = liquid measuring cup (filled to ½ cup line)
2 tablespoons cooking oil = 2 tablespoon measuring spoons 13

14. Measuring Liquid Ingredients
Liquid ingredients can include:
Milk, water, oil, juice, vanilla extract
1/4 cup or more of a liquid ingredient, use a clear, liquid measuring cup.
When a recipe calls for milk, water, oil, juice, vanilla extract or any other liquid, you need to know the right way to measure liquid ingredients.
If the recipe calls for an amount of liquid greater than ¼ cup, use a clear, liquid measuring cup. Place the cup on level surface, pour liquid into the measuring cup to the level listed on the recipe and read measurement at eye level for accuracy. There may be a curve in the liquid called a meniscus that curves downward or upward. Read the level at the bottom or top of the curve rather than the sides.
For liquid amounts smaller than ¼ cup, use measuring spoons. Fill the measuring spoon until a slight dome is visible.
For smaller amounts use measuring spoons. 14

15. Measuring Dry Ingredients
What amount does each cup measure?
A standard set of dry measuring cups is made of four cup sizes. What amount does each cup measure?
ANSWER:
¼ cup
1/3 cup
½ cup
1 cup 15

16. Measuring Dry Ingredients
Dry ingredients can include:
Flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt and baking powder.
To measure 1/4 cup or more of a dry ingredient use a measuring cup.
You use dry/solid measuring cups or measuring spoons when measuring dry ingredients such as flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, and baking powder,
To measure ¼ cup or more of a dry ingredient use a measuring cup. As you remember, dry/solid measuring cups generally come in 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, and 1 cup sizes.
If your recipe calls for less than ¼ cup of a dry ingredient, you should use a measuring spoon. Measuring spoons generally come in 1/4, 1/2, & 1 teaspoon & 1 tablespoon sizes.
Sometimes you need to measure less than ¼ teaspoon of an ingredient. For example, if a recipe calls for 1/8 tsp., measure 1/4 tsp. & then remove half.
To measure less than a 1/4 cup use a measuring spoon. 16

17. Measuring Dry Ingredients
Measuring flour:
Do not pack
Scoop into cup and level with a knife
Measuring brown sugar:
Pack tightly into cup or spoon
Level with a knife
Measuring granulated sugar:
Fill cup
There are different ways to measure different dry ingredients. Here’s how to measure flour, brown sugar and granulated sugar.
When measuring flour, the important thing to remember is to not pack the flour into the measuring cup or spoon. Doing so will cause you to end up with more flour than what’s called for in your recipe. Instead, scoop flour into the your measuring cup with a spoon and level with a spatula or knife.
To measure brown sugar, pack the brown sugar tightly into the measuring cup or spoon. Once it is packed down, level it with a knife.
Granulated sugar is measured by filling the cup with sugar then leveling it with a knife so that sugar is even with top of measuring cup or spoon. 17

18. Dry/Solid Measuring Check
Which of these amounts is greater? Write the amount.
1/2 cup or 3/4 cup
1/4 cup or 1/3 cup
1/4 cup or 2 Tbsp.
1/2 cup or 1/4 cup
1/4 cup or 3 tsp.
1 1/3 cup or 1 1/4 cup
Time to check your understanding of measuring cups! On a piece of scratch paper, decide which of following amounts is greater by writing the amount.
ANSWERS:
1/2 cup or 3/4 cup
1/4 cup or 1/3 cup
1/4 cup or 2 Tbsp.
1/2 cup or 1/4 cup
1/4 cup or 3 tsp.
1 1/3 cup or 1 1/4 cup 18

19. Measuring Solid Ingredients
Measure solid fats in a dry measuring cup.
Pack into measuring cup
Level with a spatula
Use plastic scraper to remove from cup
Sticks of butter and margarine have measurements marked on the wrapper.
One stick = 1/2 cup or 8 tablespoons
To measure solid fats, such as shortening or peanut butter, you will need to use a dry measuring cup. Pack the ingredient firmly into the measuring cup and level off with a spatula. Then use a plastic scraper to remove all of the ingredient from the measuring cup.
Butter and margarine are easy to measure if packaged in sticks. The wrappers on a stick of butter or margarine are printed with measuring marks for each tablespoon, ¼ cup, 1/3 cup, and ½ cup. Each stick is equal to ½ cup or 8 tablespoons. Use a knife to cut the margarine or butter at the desired mark. 19

20. Measuring Techniques Checklist
Can you do these things?
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 Tbsp. water
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. flour
1 1/3 cups water
1/4 cup brown sugar
Ingredients & tools properly cleaned and stored.
Now it’s time to practice what we’ve learned. Demonstrate the proper measuring techniques by completing the checklist of ingredient measurements on the left side of the slide. 20

21. Measuring Just With Spoons
How to measure non-standard amounts:
1 Tbsp. 1 tsp tsp tsp.
3/4 tsp. 1/4 tsp. + 1/4 tsp. + 1/4 tsp. or 1/2 tsp. + 1/4 tsp.
1/8 tsp. half of 1/4 tsp.
1/8 cup 1 Tbsp. + 1 Tbsp.
This chart shows some amounts that you’ll often see in recipes that don’t have a specific spoon. The chart shows how to measure those amounts with measuring spoons. 21

22. Basic Equivalents
Equivalents are amounts that are equal to each other.
Dry/Liquid equivalents:
Pinch or Dash = less than 1/8 teaspoon
1 Tablespoon = 3 teaspoons
1/4 cup = 4 Tablespoons
1/3 cup = 5 Tablespoons & 1 teaspoon
1/2 cup = 8 Tablespoons
3/4 cup = 12 Tablespoons
1 cup = 16 Tablespoons
Equivalents are amounts that are equal to each other. They are useful when you must alter or change a recipe to serve more or less people than the recipe yields. 22

23. Basic Equivalents Here are some helpful hints:
1 Tablespoon = 3 teaspoons
1/4 c. = 4 Tbsp.
There are a number of memory tricks to help you remember basic measurement equivalents. To remember how many teaspoons are in 1 tablespoon, just look at the word “teaspoon”. There are three letters in the word tea and there are 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon.
If you visual a cup and divide by 4, you have four ¼ cups. If you take one of those ¼ cups and divide by four, you have four tablespoons. Remembering this visual will help you figure out most equivalents. 23

24. Basic Equivalents 1 fluid ounce = 2 Tablespoons 8 ounces = 1 cup
16 ounces = 1 pound
1 pint = 2 cups
1 quart = 2 pints = 4 cups
1 gallon = 4 quarts = 8 pints = 16 cups
Here are some more equivalents that are helpful to know. 24

25. Basic Equivalents To help you remember: A formula 4 qt. = 1 gal.
2 pt. = 1 qt.
2 c. = 1 pt.
This visual can help you remember cups, pints, quarts and gallons. There are 2 cups (C) in 1 pint (P), 2 pints in 1 quart (Q), and 4 quarts in 1 gallon (G). You can use this graphic to see how many cups are in a quart or gallon or even pints in a gallon. 25

26. Equivalents at the Store
At the store, many foods are sold by the pint or by the quart, but recipes call for cups
Here is a helpful guide:
1 cup = 1/2 pint
2 cups = 1 pint
4 cups = 2 pints
4 cups = 1 quart
4 quarts = 1 gallon
At the store, many foods are sold by the pint or by the quart. Many recipes will ask you to measure those foods by the cup. Remember the visual on the previous slide or use this list of equivalents to help you remember what amounts are equal. 26

27. Equivalents at the Store
Answer the following questions with one of these amounts:
1/2 pint 1 pint quart
What size container will you buy if. . .
A recipe for salad calls for 2 cups of cottage cheese?
A recipe for a fruit dessert calls for 1 cup of whipping cream?
You need 4 cups of milk for pudding?
You need 2 cups of sour cream to make a dip?
A recipe for fruit salad says to mix 8 ounces of yogurt with fruit?
Let’s test our knowledge of pint and quart equivalents. Here’s a hint – a ½ pint equals 1 cup.
What size container will you buy if your recipe calls for the amount listed below?
ANSWERS:
1 pint
½ pint
1 quart
½ pint (1 cup) 27

28. Equivalents at the Store
Figure out how many fluid ounces are in these amounts:
1 cup = ___ fl. oz.
1/2 pint = ___ fl. oz.
1 pint = ___ fl. oz.
1 quart = ___ fl. oz.
1 gallon = ___ fl. oz.
Now that you know how many cups make up 1/2 pint, 1 pint, and 1 quart, try to figure out how many ounces are in these amounts.
ANSWERS:
1 cup = 8 oz.
½ pint = 8 oz.
1 pint = 16 oz.
1 quart = 32 oz.
1 gallon = 128 oz. 28

29. Basic Equivalents Pop Quiz
1 pint = ____ cups
1 gallon = ____ quarts
1 quart = ____ cups
1 cup = ____ tablespoons
1 tablespoon = ____ teaspoons
Time to put our equivalents knowledge to the test again. Figure out the equivalents.
ANSWERS:
1 pint = 2 cups
1 gallon = 4 quarts
1 quart = 4 cups
1 cup = 16 tablespoons
1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons 29

30. Putting Cups Together Useful amounts to know:
2/3 cup = 1/3 cup + 1/3 cup
3/4 cup = 1/2 cup + 1/4 cup
1/8 cup = half of 1/4 cup
1 cup = 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup
1 cup = 1/3 cup + 1/3 cup + 1/3 cup
1 cup = 1/4 cup + 1/4 cup + 1/4 cup + 1/4 cup
How would you measure these amounts:
1 1/4 cups?
2/3 cup?
3/4 cup?
When it comes to measuring in cups, there are some odd amounts that your dry/solid measuring cup set might not include so it is important to know how to measure amounts for 2/3 cup, ¾ cup, and 1/8 cup.
It’s also handy to know what equals a cup if your 1 cup measuring cup has gone missing or needs to be washed. Two ½ cups equals 1 cup. Three 1/3 cups equals 1 cup. And four ¼ cups equals 1 cup.
Let’s see how you would measure the amounts listed…
ANSWERS:
1 ¼ cups = 1 cup + ¼ cup
2/3 cup = 1/3 cup + 1/3 cup
¾ cup = ½ cup + ¼ cup OR ¼ cup + ¼ cup + ¼ cup 30

31. Chocolate Chip Cookies
How Do You Measure Up?
Double the recipe:
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yields 3 dozen.
2 1/4 cup flour 3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt 2 eggs
1 cup margarine 2 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup sugar
Let’s put our new measuring equivalent and abbreviation knowledge to the test. Look at this recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies that yields 3 dozen. You need to make 6 dozen. On a piece of scratch paper or in a notebook, write down the measurements you would use to double this recipe and use correct abbreviations.
ANSWERS:
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yields 6 dozen.
4 ½ c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 c. margarine
1 ½ c. sugar
1 ½ c. brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 eggs
4 c. chocolate chips 31

32. How Do You Measure Up? Chocolate Cake Half the recipe:
2 cups sugar 2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup butter 2 chocolate squares
2 eggs 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk 2/3 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups cake flour 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Let’s try another one. Your grandma’s recipe for Chocolate Cake makes a large cake so you want to make only half of a cake. Write down the new measurements you would need to make half this recipe. Remember to use correct abbreviations!
ANSWERS:
Chocolate Cake
1 c. sugar
¼ c. butter
1 egg
½ c. buttermilk
1 ¼ c. cake flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 chocolate square
¼ tsp. salt
1/3 c. warm water
½ tsp. vanilla extract 32

33. BONUS
How Do You Measure Up?
A recipe calls for one egg and you make half the recipe, how might you half an egg?
Here’s a bonus question!
If a recipe calls for one egg and you want to cut the recipe in half, how might you half an egg?
ANSWER:
1 large egg = 1/4 cup.
Crack egg into bowl and mix with fork. Pour out approximately ½ or 2 tablespoons of egg 33

34. You’re the Expert
Jenny is throwing a surprise birthday party for her best friend Katie. She has decided to make Katie’s favorite, homemade pizza. There will be a total of 40 people at the party. Answer the following questions:
The recipe says each pizza serves 4 people. By what number should Jenny multiply each ingredient to make enough pizza for everyone?
The crust recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of flour. How much flour will Jenny need to make enough pizza dough for everyone?
Jenny will be serving milk with the meal. She plans on using 8 oz. glasses. How many gallons of milk does she need to make sure everyone gets one glass of milk?
ANSWERS:
40 people ÷ 4 servings/pizza = 10
1 ½ cups x 10 = 15 cups flour
8 oz. = 1 cup
40 people x 1 cup = 40 cups
40 cups ÷ 16 cups/gallon = 2 ½ gallons (2 gallons + 2 quarts) 34

35. Kitchen Math Quiz
Write down the answers to the following questions.
1 tablespoon is equivalent to __ teaspoons and 1 fluid ounce is equivalent to __ tablespoons.
3, 4
4, 1
3, 2
2, 3
How would you measure the following amounts?
2/3 cup
1/8 cup
1 2/3 cup
2 3/4 cups
ANSWERS:
c. 3, 2
a. 1/3 cup + 1/3 cup
b. ½ of ¼ cup or 2 tablespoons
c. 1 cup + 1/3 cup + 1/3 cup
d. 1 cup + 1 cup + ½ cup + ¼ cup 35

36. Kitchen Math Quiz
The number of servings a recipe makes is called its ________.
serving size
yield
equivalent
supply
Match the term on the left with the appropriate abbreviation on the right.
Pounds a. c.
cups b. Tbsp.
tablespoons c. lb.
teaspoons d. tsp.
ounces e. oz.
ANSWERS:
3. b. yield
4. 1. pounds = c. lb.
2. cups = a. c.
3. tablespoons = b. Tbsp.
4. teaspoons = d. tsp.
5. ounces = e. oz. 36

37. Kitchen Math Quiz True or False:
Liquids should always be measured at eye level.
When measuring flour you should scoop it into a dry measuring cup, pack it, and level it with a straight edge.
One stick of butter is equal to 1 cup.
Look at each of the following measurements and determine which amount is larger:
1/3 cup or 1/4 cup
1 pound or 18 ounces
1 tablespoon or 4 teaspoons
1 pint or 3 cups
ANSWERS:
5. a. True
b. False, do not pack flour
c. False, one stick of butter equals ½ cup
6. a. 1/3 cup
b. 18 ounces
c. 4 teaspoons
d. 3 cups 37

38. Applying What You Know
Create a worksheet of math word problems based on kitchen measurements. Be sure to create an answer sheet. Trade worksheets with a classmate and grade each other’s work.
Create new recipe cards that double and cut in half a favorite recipe. For extra credit make the recipe and evaluate the results.
Create an easy-to-read poster of common abbreviations and basic equivalents. Be sure to include visuals and display accurate information.
Here are some additional ways to apply your kitchen math and measuring knowledge. Choose one of the following assignments to complete outside of class. 38

39. Exploring the Web For more information:
Basic kitchen measurements and abbreviations
dailymath/cooking.html
Measurements and substitutions
Here are some suggested sites to investigate for more information on measuring.
TEACHER: Please note that websites are constantly changing and being updated and you may need to revise this list. 39

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