Q&A for How to Calculate the Volume of a Prism

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  • Question
    How do I find the volume of rectangular prisms?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Calculate the area of the base (length multiplied by width), then multiply by the height.
  • Question
    How do I calculate the volume of a rectangular prism if there are two different heights?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    A rectangular prism would not have two different heights. If you're asking about a non-rectangular prism, the volume formula would involve finding the average height of some of the sides.
  • Question
    How do I find the volume of a circular prism?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    The volume of a cylinder is found by squaring the radius and then multiplying by the product of pi and the height of the cylinder. (V = πr²h.)
  • Question
    How do I find the volume of a prism?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    As with any right prism, you calculate the area of the base and then multiply by the height.
  • Question
    How to find the volume of a rectangular box without knowing the height?
    Community Answer
    That's not possible, unless you're given some clue to figure out the height.
  • Question
    How do I find the volume of a hexagonal prism?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Multiply the height of the prism by the area of the hexagonal base. See the wikiHow article, Calculate the Area of a Hexagon .
  • Question
    How do I find the volume of a rhombic prism?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Multiply the area of the base by the height.
  • Question
    What is the volume of a rectangular pyramid?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    The volume is one-third of the product of the length, width, and height. Put another way, it's the area of the base, multiplied by the height and divided by 3.
  • Question
    How do I find the volume of a diamond prism?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Multiply the area of the diamond by the height of the prism.
  • Question
    How do I find the volume of a heptagonal prism (a seven-sided 3D shape)?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Multiply the area of the base by the height. To find the area, see [[Find the Area of Regular Polygons]].
  • Question
    How do I calculate the volume and surface area of a sphere with a radius of 4 cm?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Volume = (4/3)(πr³). Surface area = 4πr².
  • Question
    In the formula for the volume of a hexagonal prism, why is the square root used?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Because the formula for the area of a hexagon involves the square root of 3.
  • Question
    Does it matter which face is the base?
    Community Answer
    No. In all cases, you find the area of whichever surface you're designating the base and then multiply by the dimension perpendicular to the base (the "height.")
  • Question
    How do I find the volume of a square?
    Community Answer
    A square doesn't have a volume because it's a two-dimensional object. If you mean a cube, then it's the length multiplied by the width multiplied by the height (LxWxH).
  • Question
    I have a base rectangle of 60' x 31', a top rectange of 10' x 39' with a height of 3.5'. What is the volume?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Find the area of each base. Add the two areas together. Divide by 2. Multiply by the height. That's the volume.
  • Question
    How do you know what a prism looks like?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Think of it as a box. However, boxes come in various shapes, so you have to be told the shape of the base (or cross-section) before you can know exactly what the prism looks like.
  • Question
    What is the formula for pentagonal pyramid?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    For a pyramid with a base consisting of a regular pentagon, the volume formula is V = (0.573)(L²)(h), where L is a side length of the base, and h is the pyramid's height. There is no formula available when the base pentagon is not regular.
  • Question
    How to find the volume of a parallelogram prism?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    First find the area of the parallelogram. See Find the Area of a Parallelogram . Then multiply that area by the height of the prism.
  • Question
    How can I find the volume of irregular pentagonal prism?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    First you would have to know most or all of the dimensions and angles of the prism. Then you would subdivide the prism into smaller prisms whose dimensions are known, calculate the smaller volumes, and then add the smaller volumes together.
  • Question
    If you are only given the perimeter and the height of a pentagonal prism, how do you find the volume?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    First find the area of the pentagonal base. (If it's a regular pentagon, see Find the Area of a Regular Pentagon .) Then multiply by the prism's height.
  • Question
    What is an easy way to do the pentagon one? This one is very complicated.
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    There is no easier method than the one shown above.
  • Question
    How do I find the apothem of a pentagon?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    The formula for the apothem of a regular pentagon is a = s / 2 tan (36°), where a is the apothem, and s is the length of a side. So the length of the apothem equals the length of one side divided by twice the tangent of 36°. (That tangent is 0.727.)
  • Question
    How do I find the volume of a triangular prism?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Calculate the area of the triangular base, then multiply that by the height of the prism.
  • Question
    How do you find the volume of a square pyramid?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
  • Question
    How to find surface area and volume of a rectangular pyramid?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
  • Question
    How do you find the volume of a triangle?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    If you're asking about a prism with a triangular base, find the area of the triangle, then multiply by the height (length) of the prism.
  • Question
    How do I find the volume of a parallelogram prism?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Find the area of the parallelogram. Then multiply by the height of the prism.
  • Question
    How do I calculate the volume of an irregular shape? I have an arrow-shaped prism that I need to find the volume of, and none of the websites have it.
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    First you must find the area of the arrow. Subdivide it into smaller, regular shapes (such as squares, rectangles and triangles). Calculate the areas of each smaller area, and add them together. Once you know the total area of the arrow, multiply it by the height of the prism. That gives you the prism's volume.
  • Question
    How do I find the volume of a triangular prism if I don't know the length of the base?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    You have to find the area of the triangle. There are ways to do that without knowing the length of the triangle's base. See Calculate the Area of a Triangle .
  • Question
    What about a pentagonal prism?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    The process is the same as with any other prism. You need the area of the pentagon. See Find the Area of a Regular Pentagon . If the pentagon is not regular, see Find the Area of a Shape .
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