# Which measuring cups do I use?

Finds the fewest measuring cups and spoons from a standard US set that add up to an amount, such as ¾ cup or ⅝ cup, with the total in milliliters.

- Page: https://www.acalculator.org/food/measuring-cups-calculator
- JSON spec: https://www.acalculator.org/food/measuring-cups-calculator.json
- Version: dd7113cfccac

## Default answer

Example with the default inputs (Amount 3/4, Unit Cups, Your cups 1, ½, ⅓, ¼ cup): Use ½ cup + ¼ cup.

## Inputs

| Key | Label | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| amt | Amount | The amount to measure, as a whole number, fraction, mixed number or decimal: 3/4, 1 2/3, 0.5. |
| unit | Unit | The unit the amount is in. |
| set | Your cups | Which cup sizes your set has. Both sets have 1 tbsp, 1 tsp, ½ tsp and ¼ tsp spoons. |

## Outputs

| Key | Label | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| combo | Use | The fewest measures that add up to the amount, largest first. |
| count | Number of scoops | How many times you fill a measure. |
| tsp | Total (teaspoons) | The measured total in teaspoons. |
| ml | Total (mL) | The measured total in milliliters. |
| off | Short (−) or over (+), tsp | Measured total minus the amount, in teaspoons; 0 when it is exact. |

## Method

Turn the amount into quarter teaspoons (1 cup = 192, 1 tbsp = 12, 1 tsp = 4), rounded half up to a whole number. Find the fewest measures that add up to it; among equal counts, use the largest measure as often as possible, then the next largest, and so on.

## Assumptions

- US customary measures: 1 cup = 16 tbsp = 48 tsp; 1 tsp = 4.92892159375 mL.
- The basic set is 1, ½, ⅓ and ¼ cup with 1 tbsp, 1 tsp, ½ tsp and ¼ tsp spoons. The extended set adds ⅔ and ¾ cup. You can fill a measure more than once.
- An amount that is not a whole number of quarter teaspoons is measured to the nearest quarter teaspoon.

## Worked examples

1. amt = 3/4, unit = cup, set = basic gives combo = ½ cup + ¼ cup, count = 2, tsp = 36, ml = 177.441177, off = 0. Source: NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C, General Tables of Units of Measurement (1 cup = 8 fl oz; 1 tablespoon = 1/2 fl oz; 1 teaspoon = 1/6 fl oz; 1 gal = 128 fl oz = 3.785411784 L), https://www.nist.gov/document/2026-nist-handbook-44-appendix-c.
2. amt = 2/3, unit = cup, set = basic gives combo = 2 × ⅓ cup, count = 2, tsp = 32. Source: NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C, General Tables of Units of Measurement (1 cup = 8 fl oz; 1 tablespoon = 1/2 fl oz; 1 teaspoon = 1/6 fl oz; 1 gal = 128 fl oz = 3.785411784 L), https://www.nist.gov/document/2026-nist-handbook-44-appendix-c.
3. amt = 5/8, unit = cup, set = basic gives combo = ½ cup + 2 × 1 tbsp, count = 3, tsp = 30. Source: NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C, General Tables of Units of Measurement (1 cup = 8 fl oz; 1 tablespoon = 1/2 fl oz; 1 teaspoon = 1/6 fl oz; 1 gal = 128 fl oz = 3.785411784 L), https://www.nist.gov/document/2026-nist-handbook-44-appendix-c.
4. amt = 1 1/3, unit = cup, set = extended gives combo = 1 cup + ⅓ cup, count = 2. Source: NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C, General Tables of Units of Measurement (1 cup = 8 fl oz; 1 tablespoon = 1/2 fl oz; 1 teaspoon = 1/6 fl oz; 1 gal = 128 fl oz = 3.785411784 L), https://www.nist.gov/document/2026-nist-handbook-44-appendix-c.
5. amt = 0.3, unit = cup, set = basic gives combo = ¼ cup + 2 × 1 tsp + ½ tsp, count = 4, tsp = 14.5, off = 0.1. Source: NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C, General Tables of Units of Measurement (1 cup = 8 fl oz; 1 tablespoon = 1/2 fl oz; 1 teaspoon = 1/6 fl oz; 1 gal = 128 fl oz = 3.785411784 L), https://www.nist.gov/document/2026-nist-handbook-44-appendix-c.

## FAQ

### How do I make ¾ cup with measuring cups?

Fill the ½ cup once and the ¼ cup once: ½ + ¼ = ¾. Without a ½ cup, use the ¼ cup three times.

### How do I measure ⅔ cup without a ⅔ cup?

Fill the ⅓ cup twice. ⅓ + ⅓ = ⅔ cup, which is 32 teaspoons.

### What makes ⅝ cup?

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons. ⅝ cup is 10 tablespoons, and ½ cup is 8 of them.

### How many tablespoons are in a cup?

16. In US measures, 1 cup = 8 fluid ounces, 1 tablespoon = ½ fluid ounce and 1 teaspoon = ⅙ fluid ounce, so 1 cup = 16 tablespoons = 48 teaspoons.

### What if the amount does not come out even?

The page measures it to the nearest ¼ teaspoon, the smallest spoon in the set, and shows how far over or short that is. 0.3 cup becomes 14.5 teaspoons, 0.1 teaspoon over.

### How many mL is a US cup?

236.5882365 mL: 8 US fluid ounces of 29.5735295625 mL each. A metric cup is 250 mL, a little larger.

## Sources

- NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C, General Tables of Units of Measurement (US customary: 1 cup = 8 fluid ounces, 1 tablespoon = 1/2 fluid ounce, 1 teaspoon = 1/6 fluid ounce; 1 gallon = 128 fluid ounces = 3.785411784 liters). https://www.nist.gov/document/2026-nist-handbook-44-appendix-c (cited from the copy already in this repo; retrieved 2026-10-01)
- NIST Office of Weights and Measures, Metric Kitchen: Culinary Measurement Tips (US customary cups and spoons differ from metric ones; dry and liquid measuring cups). Retrieved 2026-10-18. https://www.nist.gov/pml/owm/culinary-measurement-tips