how to find volume of a rectangular prism

Rectangular prisms

Introduction

To find out how much concrete is needed to pour the footpath in this photo you need to know how to calculate the volume of a rectangular prisim.

Photo of a footpath boxed and ready for concrete to be poured.

Do you know how to calculate the volume of rectangular prisms?

Image of a rectangular prisim with a length of 2 m, height of 1 m and width of 1 m.

Calculating volume

The formula for calculating volume is:
Volume = Area by height
V = A X h

The formula for calculating area of a rectangle is:
Area = length by width
A = l X w

So the volume of a rectangular prism can be calculated using the formula:
Volume = length by width by height
V = l X w X h

For the rectangular prism in the diagram:
V = 2 m X 1 m X 1 m
V = 2 m³ (cubic metres)

Image of a rectangular prisim with a length of 2 m, height of 1 m and width of 2 m.

Exercise 1

Calculate the volume of this rectangular prism.

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m³ Submit

Image of a rectangular prisim with a length of 3 m, height of 3 m and width of 2 m.

Exercise 2

Calculate the volume of this rectangular prism.

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m³ Submit

Image of a rectangular prisim with a length of 6 m, height of 4 m and width of 3 m.

Exercise 3

Calculate the volume of this rectangular prism.

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m³ Submit

Image of a rectangular prisim with a length of 5 m, height of 3.5 m and width of 2.5 m.

Exercise 4

Calculate the volume of this rectangular prism.

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m³ Submit

Image of a rectangular prisim with a length of 3500 mm, height of 2700 mm and width of 2400 mm.

Exercise 5

Calculate the volume of this rectangular prism (measurements in millimetres).

Before doing calculations convert millimetres to metres.

Length = 3.5 m
Width = 2.4 m
Height = 2.7 m

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m³ Submit

Image of a rectangular prisim with a length of 3500 mm, height of 2700 mm and width of 2400 mm.

Exercise 6

Calculate the volume of this rectangular prism (measurements in millimetres).

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m³ Submit

Shapes made of combined rectangular/square prisms

Image of a shape made up of of combined rectangular prisms.

To calculate the volume of this shape you can break it into two rectangular prisms (RP₁ and RP₂ ).

Select this link to see RP₁ and RP₂.

Method to use:

Volume total = Volume RP₁ plus Volume RP₂
Vt = V RP₁ + V RP₂
Vt = (l X w X h) + (l X w X h)
Vt = (2 X 1 X 1) + (1 X 1 X 1)
Vt = 3 + 1
Vt = 3 m³.

Image of a shape made up of of combined rectangular prisms.

Exercise 7

Calculate the volume of this object.

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Type in your answer and select submit for feedback.

m³ Submit

Image of a shape made up of of combined rectangular prisms.

Exercise 8

Calculate the volume of this object.

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Type in your answer and select submit for feedback.

m³ Submit

Image of a shape made up of of combined rectangular prisms.

Exercise 9

Calculate the volume of this object.

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Type in your answer and select submit for feedback.

m³ Submit

Summary

This is the end of the section on Rectangular prisms.

Key points to remember are:

the formula for volume is:
Volume = Area by height
volume of a rectangular prism is calculated using the formula:
Volume = length by width by height
break combined rectangular/square prisms into individual prisms
calculate the volume of each prism, then add the volumes together.

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