How to Calculate the Amount of Water Needed to Fill a Tank to Full Capacity

Water tanks are essential for many households and businesses, ensuring a constant supply of water during uncertainties. This article will guide you through the step-by-step process of determining the amount of water required to fill a partially filled tank to its full capacity. We will demonstrate the process using a common example where a tank has a full capacity of 1500 liters and is currently 2/3 full. Let's dive into the details.

Understanding the Problem

We start with a water tank with a full capacity of 1500 liters. The problem states that the tank is currently 2/3 full. Our goal is to determine how much more water is needed to make the tank completely full.

Step-by-Step Solution

Step 1: Calculate the Current Amount of Water in the Tank

First, we need to find the amount of water currently in the tank. This can be calculated by multiplying the tank's full capacity by the fraction that is currently full:

Current amount of water  Full capacity × (2/3)

 1500 liters × (2/3)

 1000 liters

The tank currently holds 1000 liters of water.

Step 2: Calculate the Amount of Water Needed to Fill the Tank

Next, we need to calculate how much more water is required to make the tank full. This is simply the difference between the full capacity of the tank and the current amount of water in the tank:

Amount of water needed to fill the tank  Full capacity - Current amount of water

 1500 liters - 1000 liters

 500 liters

To fill the tank to its full capacity, 500 liters of water are required.

Alternative Methods of Calculation

Multiplication and Subtraction Method

We can also solve this problem using the following method:

Amount of water needed to fill the tank  Full capacity - (Full capacity × (2/3))

 1500 liters - (1500 liters × (2/3))

 1500 liters - 1000 liters

 500 liters

This method confirms that 500 liters of water are needed to fill the tank.

Divisibility and Calculation Simplification

Another method is to recognize that 1500 liters is divisible by 3, which means:

1500 liters ÷ 3  500 liters

Therefore, 1/3 of the tank's capacity is 500 liters. Since the tank is currently 2/3 full, it needs an additional 1/3 to fill it up:

500 liters   500 liters  1000 liters - 500 liters

500 liters

This confirms that 500 liters of water are needed to fill the tank to its full capacity.

Conclusion

In summary, to determine the amount of water needed to fill a tank to its full capacity, follow these steps:

Calculate the current amount of water in the tank by multiplying the full capacity by the fraction currently full. Subtract the current amount from the full capacity to find the amount needed to fill the tank.

For a 1500-liter tank that is 2/3 full, you need 500 liters to fill it up to its full capacity. Understanding this calculation can be crucial for managing water resources efficiently.