Geometry Formulas:

Surface Area & Volume

A formula is just a set of instructions. It tells you exactly what to do!

All you have to do is look at the picture and identify the parts. Substitute numbers for the variables and do the math. Thats it!

Lets start in the beginning Before you can do surface area or volume, you have to know the following formulas.

Rectangle

A = lw

Triangle
Circle

A = bh
A = r C = d

TRIANGLES
You can tell the base and height of a triangle by finding the right angle:

CIRCLES
You must know the difference between RADIUS and DIAMETER.

r d

Lets start with a rectangular prism.

Surface area can be done using the formula

SA = 2 lw + 2 wl + 2 lw

you can find the area OR for each surface and add them up.

Either method will gve you the same answer.

Volume of a rectangular prism is V = lwh

Example:
7 cm

4 cm
8 cm Front/back 2(8)(4) = 64 V = lwh V = 8(4)(7) V = 224 cm

Left/right

2(4)(7) = 56

Top/bottom 2(8)(7) = 112 Add them up! SA = 232 cm

To find the surface area of a triangular prism you need to be able to imagine that you can take the prism apart like so:

Notice there are TWO congruent triangles and THREE rectangles. The rectangles may or may not all be the same. Find each area, then add.

Example:
8mm

Find the AREA of each SURFACE

1. Top or bottom triangle: A = bh

9mm

A = (6)(6)
A = 18

6 mm

6mm

2. The two dark sides are the same.

A = lw
3. The back rectangle A = 6(9) is different A = 54 A = lw A = 8(9) A = 72 ADD THEM ALL UP! 18 + 18 + 54 + 54 + 72

SA = 216 mm

SURFACE AREA of a CYLINDER.

Imagine that you can open up a cylinder like so:

You can see that the surface is made up of two circles and a rectangle. The length of the rectangle is the same as the circumference of the circle!

EXAMPLE: Round to the nearest TENTH. Top or bottom circle A = r A = (3.1) A = (9.61) A = 30.2 Rectangle C = length C=d C = (6.2) C = 19.5

Now add: 30.2 + 30.2 + 234 =

Now the area

A = lw A = 19.5(12) A = 234

SA = 294.4 in

There is also a formula to find surface area of a cylinder.

Some people find this way easier:

SA = 2rh + 2r
SA = 2(3.1)(12) + 2(3.1) SA = 2 (37.2) + 2(9.61)

SA = (74.4) + (19.2)
SA = 233.7 + 60.4 SA = 294.1 in The answers are REALLY close, but not exactly the same. Thats because we rounded in the problem.

Find the radius and height of the cylinder. Then Plug and Chug

Just plug in the numbers then do the math.

Remember the order of operations and youre ready to go.

The formula tells you what to do!!!!

2rh + 2r means multiply 2()(r)(h) + 2()(r)(r)

Volume of Prisms or Cylinders

You already know how to find the volume of a rectangular prism: V = lwh

The new formulas you need are:

Triangular Prism V = ( bh)(H)

h = the height of the triangle and
H = the height of the cylinder

Cylinder V = (r)(H)

Volume of a Triangular Prism

We used this drawing for our surface area example. Now we will find the volume.

V = ( bh)(H)

V = (6)(6)(9)
This is a right triangle, so the sides are also the base and height.

V = 162 mm

Height of the prism

Try one:
Can you see the triangular bases?

V = ( bh)(H) V = ()(12)(8)(18)

V = 864 cm

Notice the prism is on its side. 18 cm is the HEIGHT of the prism. Picture if you turned it upward and you can see why its called height.

Volume of a Cylinder
We used this drawing for our surface area example. Now we will find the volume.

V = (r)(H)

V = ()(3.1)(12)
optional step!

V = ()(3.1)(3.1)(12) V = 396.3 in

Try one: 10 m

V = (r)(H)
d=8m

V = ()(4)(10) V = ()(16)(10)

Since d = 8,
then r = 4 r = 4 = 4(4) = 16

V = 502.7 m

Here are the formulas you will need to know:

A = lw

SA = 2rh + 2r
V = ( bh)(H)

A = bh
A = r C = d

V = (r)(H)

and how to find the surface area of a prism by adding up the areas of all the surfaces