A cubic yard equals how many cubic feet?

A cubic yard equals how many cubic feet?

• A. 27
• B. 18
• C. 54
• D. 9

Answer: (A)

Think in three dimensions: a cubic yard is a cube with 1 yard on each side. Since 1 yard equals 3 feet, that cube is 3 ft by 3 ft by 3 ft. Multiply those dimensions: 3 × 3 × 3 = 27. So a cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet. This same conversion is handy when estimating materials in carpentry, because volumes are often given in cubic yards but you need to know them in cubic feet for other measurements. The other numbers don’t come from cubing 3 feet, so they don’t describe a cubic yard.

Think in three dimensions: a cubic yard is a cube with 1 yard on each side. Since 1 yard equals 3 feet, that cube is 3 ft by 3 ft by 3 ft. Multiply those dimensions: 3 × 3 × 3 = 27. So a cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet. This same conversion is handy when estimating materials in carpentry, because volumes are often given in cubic yards but you need to know them in cubic feet for other measurements. The other numbers don’t come from cubing 3 feet, so they don’t describe a cubic yard.