Calculator of Alexandria

Kitchen volume converter

Convert cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, fluid ounces and millilitres for cooking and baking, using exact US measures.

Converted
Tablespoons
tbsp
Teaspoons
tsp
Fluid ounces
fl oz
Cups
cups

Formula

1 cup=16 tbsp=48 tsp=236.6 mL1\ \text{cup} = 16\ \text{tbsp} = 48\ \text{tsp} = 236.6\ \text{mL}
How it's derived

The formula

1 cup=8 fl oz=16 tbsp=48 tsp=236.588 mL1\ \text{cup} = 8\ \text{fl oz} = 16\ \text{tbsp} = 48\ \text{tsp} = 236.588\ \text{mL}

Where it comes from

US kitchen measures form a chain of simple ratios, each one a halving or a third of the next:

1 cup=8 fl oz,1 fl oz=2 tbsp,1 tbsp=3 tsp1\ \text{cup} = 8\ \text{fl oz}, \quad 1\ \text{fl oz} = 2\ \text{tbsp}, \quad 1\ \text{tbsp} = 3\ \text{tsp}

The chain is anchored to the metric system through the US gallon, defined in law as exactly 231 cubic inches. With 1 inch defined as exactly 2.54 cm, that’s

1 gal=231×2.543 cm3=3785.411784 mL1\ \text{gal} = 231 \times 2.54^3\ \text{cm}^3 = 3785.411784\ \text{mL}

A cup is 1/16 of a gallon, 236.588 mL. Every other measure follows from the ratios above.

Worked example

A recipe calls for ¾ cup of milk, and your jug is in millilitres:

0.75×236.588=177.4 mL0.75 \times 236.588 = 177.4\ \text{mL}

That’s also 12 tablespoons.

Watch out for

  • Cups aren’t the same everywhere. Australia, Canada and the UK use a 250 mL metric cup, about 6% larger. US nutrition labels use 240 mL.
  • UK fluid ounces are smaller (28.4 mL vs 29.6 mL), and a UK pint is 20 fl oz instead of 16.
  • Volume isn’t weight. A cup of flour weighs about 120 g, but a cup of sugar about 200 g. For baking, weigh dry ingredients when you can.

Sources

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