Q&A for How to Find Surface Area

Let's assume we're considering a three-dimensional, rectilinear object in the shape of an "L" and that we know the dimensions of all ten sides. There is no formula other than to add together the areas of all the sides. All sides are rectangles or squares, so in each case the area of a side is simply length multiplied by width.

Volume ("capacity") always involves three dimensions, typically length, width, and height (or depth). To calculate volume, multiply the three dimensions together.

In general, it is not possible to calculate the surface area of an irregular shape unless all of its surface dimensions are known.

A triangular pyramid consists of three triangles (four if you count the base). To find the area of any side, you have to know the length of the bottom edge and the slant height, then multiply them together and divide by 2. Add the three areas together. To include the base triangle, multiply one edge of the base by its corresponding height and divide by 2.

An L-block can be viewed as eight separate surfaces. Two of them are L-shaped; the other six are squares or rectangles. Assuming you know all the pertinent dimensions, you would calculate the individual surface areas and add them together. Each L-shaped surface would be divided into two rectangles (or squares) in order to calculate their areas.

"Radius squared" means "r multiplied by r."

it depends, you could use it to find angles relative to north. However, you would need some length measurement to find a surface area.

Use Pythagoras theorem a^2=b^2+c^2. Here you would mark the slant height as the hypotenuse or a the height would be b and the radius would be c. solving for a or the slant height: a=(b^2+c^2)^(1/2) a =