Student resources
Grades 5-9
Volume Formulas for Students
Volume measures the amount of space inside a 3D shape. Volume answers use cubic units, such as cubic centimeters or cubic inches.
Key ideas
- Rectangular prism volume = length x width x height.
- Cube volume = side x side x side.
- Cylinder volume = pi x radius squared x height.
- Use the same unit for every measurement before calculating.
Common Volume Formulas
| Shape | Formula | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Rectangular prism | l x w x h | Box volume |
| Cube | s x s x s | Equal side lengths |
| Cylinder | pi x r x r x h | Can or pipe |
| Cone | pi x r x r x h / 3 | Cone-shaped container |
Practice questions
Find the volume of a box that is 4 by 5 by 6.
Calculation: 4 x 5 x 6 = 120
Answer: 120 cubic units
Find the volume of a cube with side length 3.
Calculation: 3 x 3 x 3 = 27
Answer: 27 cubic units
Find the volume of a cylinder with radius 2 and height 5 using pi = 3.14.
Calculation: 3.14 x 2 x 2 x 5 = 62.8
Answer: 62.8 cubic units
What unit should volume use if length is measured in centimeters?
Calculation: Volume is three-dimensional, so centimeters become cubic centimeters
Answer: cubic centimeters