You would use division to convert milliliters (mL) to liters (L). Here's why:

* 1 liter (L) is equal to 1000 milliliters (mL). This means there are 1000 times more milliliters than liters in the same volume.

* To convert from a smaller unit (mL) to a larger unit (L), you divide. You're essentially figuring out how many times the smaller unit fits into the larger unit.

Example:

To convert 5000 mL to liters:

* 5000 mL / 1000 mL/L = 5 L