How do you figure out volume?

Answer 1

To figure out volume you must multiply: Base(you need area of base so you would also multiply width) x Height.

Usually you would say b x w x h because as a I said you need the area of the base then you multiply by height.

With triangular prisms is different because you again need area of base but to figure out area of a triangle the formula is 1/2 x base x height so after you do that you multiply by height.

For the rectangular formula is base x width x height.

Example:

A rectangular prism has a base of 4 cm a width of 5 cm and a height of 7 cm. What is the volume?

Just multiply 4 x 5 x 7= 140 cm^3.

You put the little 3 on top because it is a 3 dimensional shape and also because you are using three measurements to figure it out.

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The above answer is OK as far as it goes but it is incomplete and downright misleading in some cases.

The volume of a pyramid or cone is NOT the area of the base multiplied by the heigh, but one third of that. The volume of a sphere is 4/3*pi*r^3.