Violet’s Lemonade

Violet and Peter were making lemonade for a family garden lunch. Mum’s recipe used seven hundred and fifty millilitres of water and two hundred and fifty millilitres of lemon mixture. Violet fetched a measuring jug. “How much will one batch make altogether?” Peter asked.

They added the two amounts before pouring. Seven hundred and fifty plus two hundred and fifty made one thousand millilitres. Mum reminded them that one thousand millilitres was the same as one litre. Violet checked the capacity of their mixing jug. It could safely hold more than a litre.

Mum helped them measure the water, then the lemon mixture. Violet read the level with the jug resting flat on the bench. Peter steadied the larger mixing jug while Mum poured. Their first batch made one litre. They stirred it gently so none splashed over the edge.

The family would need three litres for lunch. “That means three batches like this one,” Peter said. Violet checked the water needed. Three lots of seven hundred and fifty millilitres made two thousand two hundred and fifty millilitres. That was two litres and two hundred and fifty millilitres.

They also needed three lots of two hundred and fifty millilitres of lemon mixture. That made seven hundred and fifty millilitres. Peter added both ingredient totals as a check. Two thousand two hundred and fifty plus seven hundred and fifty made three thousand millilitres, or three litres.

Their mixing jug was not big enough for all three litres at once. Mum found clean serving jugs, and they made the next batches separately. Violet kept a note of each finished batch. Peter moved the filled serving jugs away from the edge of the bench.

When lunch was ready, Mum carried the lemonade outside. Violet checked their note before putting the measuring jug by the sink. They had made three one-litre batches, with no batch missed or counted twice. Peter brought the cups while the family found seats in the garden.

Violet poured carefully with Mum beside her. “The millilitres sounded like big numbers,” Peter said. “Changing one thousand into a litre helped.” Violet smiled. Their calculations had helped them make enough lemonade, and working in separate batches had kept the mixing safe and manageable.