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3D Shape Volume Calculations

Sep 23, 2025

Overview

This lecture covers how to calculate the volume of various 3D shapes, including cylinders, spheres, cones, rectangular prisms, and cubes, using formulas and example problems.

Volume of a Cylinder

  • Volume of a cylinder = π × r² × h.
  • Example: radius = 4 inches, height = 6 inches.
  • 4² = 16; 16 × 6 = 96; Volume = 96π cubic inches.
  • Using π ≈ 3.14, decimal volume ≈ 301.44 cubic inches.

Volume of a Sphere (Given Surface Area)

  • Sphere volume formula = (4/3)πr³.
  • Sphere surface area = 4πr².
  • Example: surface area = 256π ft².
  • 256π = 4πr² ⇒ r² = 64 ⇒ r = 8 ft.
  • Volume = (4/3)π(8³) = (2048/3)π ≈ 2144.7 cubic feet.

Volume of a Cone

  • Cone volume formula = (1/3)πr²h.
  • Example: radius = 5 cm, height = 8 cm.
  • 5² = 25; 25 × 8 = 200; Volume = (200/3)π cubic centimeters.
  • Decimal approximation ≈ 209.44 cubic centimeters.

Volume of a Rectangular Prism

  • Prism volume = length × width × height.
  • Example: 4 ft × 5 ft × 6 ft = 120 cubic feet.

Volume of a Cube (Given Diagonal)

  • Cube volume = x³, where x = side length.
  • Longest diagonal of cube = x√3.
  • Example: diagonal = 12.1243 cm.
  • x = 12.1243 ÷ √3 ≈ 7 cm.
  • Volume = 7³ = 343 cubic centimeters.

Key Terms & Definitions

  • Volume — Amount of space inside an object, measured in cubic units.
  • Radius (r) — Distance from the center to the edge of a circle or sphere.
  • Height (h) — Vertical distance from base to top of a 3D object.
  • Surface Area — Total area covering the surface of a 3D shape.
  • Rectangular Prism — A box-shaped figure with 6 rectangular faces.
  • Cube — A special prism where all sides are equal length.

Action Items / Next Steps

  • Practice calculating volume for different shapes using the given formulas.
  • Review key volume and surface area formulas for common 3D shapes.