Regardless of your needs, for example sending a package or passing an exam, calculating the volume of a container is a very simple procedure. The volume measures the space occupied by a three-dimensional object, therefore the volume of a box measures the available space inside it. In order to calculate it, you need to perform some simple measurements and then multiply the values obtained together.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Calculate the Volume of a Rectangular Box
Step 1. In this case, the volume is equal to the product of length, width and height
If the box in question has a rectangular or square shape, the only data you need are its length, width and height. Once you have this information, you need to multiply it together to get the volume. This equation is often written as follows: V = a x b x h (where "a" and "b" represent length and width).
- Example problem: if I have a box with a length of 10 cm, a width of 4 cm and a height of 5 cm, what is its volume?
- V = a x b x h
- V = 10cm x 4cm x 5cm
- V = 200 cm3
- In some cases, "height" may be referred to as "depth". For example: calculate the volume of a box having a length of 10 cm, a height of 4 cm and a depth of 5 cm.
Step 2. Measure the length of the box
If you look at the box from above, the top face looks like a normal rectangle, so the length corresponds to the longest side of that figure. Note the number and indicate it as "length".
Make sure you use the same unit of measurement to collect all the necessary data; if you express the measurement of one side in centimeters, you must do the same for all the other measurements as well
Step 3. Measure the width of the box
In our case, this data corresponds to the side of the rectangle contiguous to the one you measured in the previous step. Looking at the side of the box you measured earlier, the width corresponds to the side that forms an "L" with it. Note the number and indicate it as "width".
The width is always represented by the shortest side
Step 4. Measure the height of the box in question
This is the last side you didn't measure and identifies the distance between the top face of the box and the ground. Make a note of the number, then indicate it as "height".
Depending on the orientation of the box, the side you identify as "height" or "length" may be different from what is indicated. However, which side you use to describe the length of your box is irrelevant to our purpose, the important thing is to get the measurements of the three sides of the container
Step 5. Multiply the measurements of the three sides together
Remember that the formula for calculating the volume is V = a x b x h (where "a" and "b" represent the length and the width), so you just have to calculate the product of the three data at your disposal. Be sure to include the units you used as well, so you don't forget the meaning of the numbers you get.
Step 6. Express the volume in drives3".
Volume is a quantity that measures the space occupied by an object, but if a unit of measurement is not specified, this value will be meaningless. The correct way to describe volume is to use cubic units of measure. For example, if you expressed your box measurements in centimeters, your final answer must be followed by cm3".
- Example problem: if I have a box with a length of 2m, a width of 1m and a height of 3m, what is its volume?
- V = a x b x h
- V = 2 m x 1 m x 3 m
- V = 8 m3
- Note: The reason for this notation is that the volume expresses the number of cubes that can be contained inside the box. The result obtained in our last example means that 8 cubes with 1 m side can be packed inside the box in question.
Method 2 of 2: Calculate the Volume of Boxes of Different Shapes
Step 1. Calculate the volume of a cylinder
Cylinders are tubes whose ends are enclosed by two circles. To calculate the volume of a cylinder, the equation V = π x r is used2 x h, where π = 3, 14, r corresponds to the radius of the circle at the base of the cylinder, while h is the height.
To calculate the volume of a cone or a pyramid with a circular base, use the same equation by dividing the result by 3. Hence, Volume of a Cone = 1/3 (π x r2 x h).
Step 2. Calculate the volume of a pyramid
The pyramid has a flat face, or base, and sides that start from the base and all converge in a single point called the vertex. To calculate the volume, multiply the area of the base by the height, then dividing the result by 3. Thus, Volume of a Pyramid = 1/3 (area of the base x height).
Most pyramids have a square or rectangular base. In this case, multiply its width and length together to calculate the area of the base
Step 3. To calculate the volume of complex objects, add together the individual volumes of the known geometric figures that compose them
For example, if you need to calculate the volume of an "L" shaped box, you need to measure more than three sides. If you break the box into two smaller containers, you can calculate the volume of each container and add them together to get the total volume. In the case of an "L" -shaped box, for example, you can break it down into a rectangular box, which identifies the vertical line of the "L", and a square, which identifies the remaining part of the horizontal line.
