Geometry
Volume of
Rectangular
and Triangular Prisms
Volume
Volume the amount of space occupied
by an object.
Example:
The VOLUME of
this cube is all the
space contained by
the sides of the
cube, measured in
cube units (units3).
Volume
Volume To calculate the volume of a prism, we first
need to calculate the area of the BASE of the prism.
Example: The
AREA of the base
of this rectangular
prism is l x w.
Volume
Volume Once we know the area of the
base, this is then multiplied by the height to
determine the VOLUME of the prism.
We find that:
h
Volume = Area of Base x Height
Volume = (l x w) x
Volume
Volume (rectangular prism)
Formula:
h
V =
V = lxw x h
Volume
Find the volume of this prism
Formula:
V = B x h
V = lxw x h
7 cm
5 cm
4 cm
Volume
Find the volume of this prism
Formula:
V = B x h
V = lxw x h
7 cm
V = 5cm x 4cm x 7cm
5 cm
4 cm
Volume
Find the volume of this prism
Formula:
V = B x h
V = lxw x h
7 cm
V = 5cm x 4cm x 7cm
5 cm
4 cm
V =
140cm3
Volume
Does it matter which side is the base?
Formula:
V = B x h
V = lxw x h
5 cm
4 cm
7 cm
V = 7cm x 4cm x 5cm
Volume
Volume of a Triangular Prism
Volume
The same principles apply to the
triangular prism.
h
b
To find the volume of
the triangular prism,
we must first find the
area of the triangular
base (shaded in
yellow).
Volume
To find the area of the Base
Area (triangle) = b x h
2
h
b
This gives us the Area
of the Base (B).
Volume
Now to find the volume
We must then multiply
the area of the base
(B) by the height (h) of
the prism.
This will give us the
Volume of the Prism.
Volume
Volume of a Triangular Prism
Volume
(triangular prism)
B
V =
B x h
Volume
Together
Volume
V =
B x h
Volume
Together
Volume
V =
V=
B x h
(8 x 4) x 12
2
Volume
Together
Volume
V = B
V = (8 x 4) x 12
2
V = 16
x 12
Volume
Together
Volume
V = B x h
V = (8 x 4) x 12
2
V = 16
x 12
V =
192 cm3
Volume
Your turn
Find the Volume