This topic makes use of formulae for perimeters, areas and volumes of shapes and solids.

If you need help with

working with formulae see the topic Formulae and Algebra in the menu to the left of the screen before reviewing
this topic.
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You can scroll down to read all the help in this topic or click on one of the links below to go straight to a specific
area.
Click on one of these links to go to help on working with perimeter, area and volume, alternatively you may want to
check a particular formula, click on any of the following to go straight to it:
Calculating
Circumference of a circle , Circumference of an ellipse
Area of square/rectangle, triangle, parallelogram, trapezium, any other polygon, circle
Volume of cube/cuboid, pyramid, cone, cylinder, sphere
Perimeter
What is perimeter?


The perimeter is the distance or length around the outside of a
shape.
It is calculated by adding the lengths of all the sides together, ie in
diagram (left):
Perimeter = 2 + 6+ 4+ 6

= 18 cm

As perimeter is a length or distance it is measured in units of
length, eg mm, cm, etc.
It may help if you think of it as how far you would have to walk, to
go all the way round the edges of the shape. Also if you are working
out the perimeter of a complicated shape, it may help to mark your
starting point (see left). This way you can be sure that you add all
the sides once and once only.
What is circumference? The perimeter of a circle, and also an ellipse (or oval), is called its
circumference.
The perimeter of shapes with straight edges can be measured using
a ruler and adding the sides together as explained above. However,
it is not possible to accurately measure a curve using a straight
ruler. A different method is used to work out the circumferences of
circles and ellipses.
Calculating the circumference of a circle.

The circumference of a circle is calculated using the following
formula:
Circumference = 2 r

where:
r = the radius of the circle.
This is sometimes written as:
Circumference = d

where:
d = the diameter of the circle.
NB The radius of the circle is the distance from the centre to the
edge (see diagram left). The diameter of the circle is the length of
a line going from one edge to another, passing through the centre.
This is the same as twice the radius.
What is ? (pi) is the number that represents the ratio between the radius
and diameter of a circle to its circumference and area. It has an
endless number of decimal places. Here it is shown rounded to 8
decimal places
3.14159265.

If you have a scientific calculator you will have a ' ' button on it.
Example 1
Calculate the circumference of a circle
whose radius is 3 cm.
Using the formula:
Circumference = 2 r
In the example, r = 3.
So:
Circumference = 2 x 3.14159265 x 3

= 18.8495559

= 18.8496 cm (4 dp)
For more help with rounding decimals and decimal places see the
sub-topic Decimals in the menu to the left of the screen.
Circumference of an ellipse. The circumference of an ellipse is difficult to calculate exactly. If
you require the formula for the best approximation of this, look in a
mathematics study dictionary. One is recommended in the
'Resources You Can Use' for this topic.
Area
What is area?

The area is the surface space contained within the edges of a 2-D
shape (see coloured area of shape left).
Area is measured as the number of squares of a particular unit, eg
mm
2
, cm
2
, m
2
etc.
Calculating the area of a square or
rectangle.

The shape, left, has been divided into squares. Each square is 1
cm
2
(1 cm x 1 cm).
The area of the rectangle is calculated using the formula:
Area = l x b

where:
l = length
b = breadth.
Here, l = 5 cm and b = 2 cm.
So:
Area = 5 x 2

= 10 cm
2


You can check the answer by counting how many 1 cm
2
squares there
are within the shape.
The same formula is used for the area of a square. As all the sides
of a square are the same length, this will be a number multiplied by
itself.
Example 2
What is the area of a square with
sides 6 cm?
Using the formula Area = l x b
where:
l = length
b = breadth.
Here, l and b both equal 6 cm.
So:
Area = 6 x 6

= 36 cm
2

This is the same as 6
2
(this is said as 'six squared' or 'six to the
power two'). For help with powers see the sub topic Powers and
Roots in the menu to the left of the screen.
Calculating the area of a triangle.

The area of a triangle is calculated using the formula:
Area = x b x h
where:
b = the length of the base of triangle
h = the perpendicular height of triangle see the diagram left.
Example 3
What is the area of a triangle with a base
length of 5 cm and perpendicular height
of 3 cm?
Using the formula:
Area = x b x h

In the example, b = 5 and h = 3.
So:
Area = x 5 x 3

= 7.5 cm
2

Calculating the area of a parallelogram.

A parallelogram is a four-sided shape where both pairs of opposite
sides are parallel. This means that they are always the same
distance apart and can never meet however far they are extended.
The area of a parallelogram is calculated using the formula:
Area = b x h

where:
b = the length of the base of the parallelogram
h = the perpendicular height of parallelogram

see the diagram left.
Example 4
What is the area of a parallelogram with
base length 6 cm and perpendicular
height 2 cm?

Using the formula Area = b x h
In the example, b = 6 and h = 2.
So:
Area = 6 x 2

= 12 cm
2

Calculating the area of a trapezium.

A trapezium is a four-sided shape with one pair of parallel sides.
The area of a trapezium is calculated using the formula:
Area = (b + p) x h

2
where:
b = the length of the base of trapezium
p = the length of the parallel edge
h = the perpendicular height of trapezium.
NB. The base of the trapezium need not be the bottom of the
shape, but it should be one of the parallel sides. Therefore when
calculating the area, (b + p) means add together the lengths of the
two parallel sides.
Example 5
What is the area of a trapezium with
parallel sides of length 8 cm and 6 cm?
Its perpendicular height is 3 cm.


Using the formula:
Area = (b + p) x h

2

In the example, b = 8, p = 6 and h = 3.
So:


Area = (8 + 6) x 3

2

= 14 x 3

2

= 21 cm
2


Calculating the area of other polygons. A polygon is a 2-D shape enclosed by three or more sides. Triangles,
squares, rectangles etc are all polygons. Shapes with more than four
sides, eg. pentagon (5 sides), hexagon (6 sides), octagon (8 sides)
etc. are also polygons.
Each of these have special rules for calculating their area, if you
need to calculate one of these look in a mathematics study
dictionary. One is recommended in the 'Resources You Can Use' for
this topic.
Calculating the area of a circle.

The area of a circle is calculated using the following formula
Area = r
2


where:
r = the radius of the circle.


This is sometimes written as:
Area =
1
/
4
( d
2
)

where:
d = the diameter of the circle.
is explained above in the section about calculating the
circumference of a circle.
Example 6
What is the area of a circle with a radius
of 5cm?

Using the formula Area = r
2


In the example, r = 5.
So:
Area = 3.14159265 x (5)
2


= 3.14159265 x 25

= 78.5398125

= 78.54 cm
2
(2 dp)
For help with rounding decimals and decimal places see the sub topic
Decimals in the menu to the left of the screen.
Volume.
What is volume?

The volume, or capacity, of a 3-D shape is how much space is
contained within the shape. It may help to think of the 3-D shape
(called a solid) as a vessel that can be filled with a certain volume of
liquid.
Volume is measured as the number of cubes of a particular unit, eg
mm
3
, cm
3
, m
3
etc.
Calculating the volume of a cube or cuboid.

A cube is a solid shape with 6 square faces. A cuboid is a solid shape
with 6 faces that are either all rectangles, or a mixture of
rectangles and squares, see diagram left. Boxes are the most
common examples of cubes and cuboids.
The volume of a cuboid is calculated using the formula:
Volume = l x b x w

where:
l = length
b = breadth
w = width.
The volume of a cube is calculated in the same way, however,
because all the faces are square each of these lengths will be the
same.
Example 7
What is the volume of a cube, where each
square face has sides 4 cm by 4 cm?
Using the formula: Volume = l x b x w
where:
l, b, w all equal 4 cm.
So:
Volume = 4 x 4 x 4

= 64 cm
3

NB. This is the same as 4
3
(this is said as 'four cubed' or 'four to
the power three'). For help with using powers see the sub topic
Powers and Roots in the menu to the left of the screen.
Calculating the volume of a pyramid.

A pyramid is a solid. All but one of its faces must be triangles that
meet a point. The base of a pyramid can be a triangle but does not
have to be. The most common base of a pyramid is a square.
However the base can be any straight-sided shape, ie any polygon.
The number of faces a pyramid has depends on the number of sides
of the base. A square-based pyramid is shown left.
The volume of a pyramid is calculated using the formula:
Volume =
1
/
3
Ah

where:
A = area of the base
h = perpendicular height.
NB The perpendicular height of a pyramid is the distance from the
apex (top point) straight down to the base (see h on the diagram
left)
Example 8
A pyramid has a square base with an area
of 9 cm
2
(ie. the lengths of the sides of
the square are each 3 cm). It has a
perpendicular height of 2 cm. What is its
volume?

Using the formula:
Volume =
1
/
3
Ah


In the example, A = 9 and h = 2.
So:
Volume =
1
/
3
x 9 x 2

= 6 cm
3

Calculating the volume of a cone.

The volume of a cone is calculated using the same formula as for a
pyramid:
Volume =
1
/
3
Ah

where:
A = area of the base
h = perpendicular height.

The base of a cone is a circle, so:
Area of the base = r
2


where:
r = radius of the circle.


Therefore the formula can also be written as:
Volume =
1
/
3
r
2
h

where:
r = radius of the circular base
h = perpendicular height

is explained above in the section about calculating the
circumference of a circle.
Example 9
What is the volume of a cone with
perpendicular height of 5 cm? The radius
of the circular base is 3 cm.
Using the formula:
Volume =
1
/
3
r
2
h
In the example, r = 3 and h = 5.
So:
Volume =
1
/
3
x 3.14159265 x (3)
2
x 5

=
1
/
3
x 3.14159265 x 9

x 5

= 47.12388975

= 47.1239 cm
3
(2 dp)
For more help with rounding decimals and decimal places see the
subtopic Decimals in the menu to the left of the screen.
Calculating the volume of a cylinder.

The most common cylinders are cans and tubes.
The volume of a cylinder is calculated using the formula:
Volume = r
2
h

where
r = radius of one circular end (both ends of a cylinder will
have the same radius)
h = height of the cylinder
NB This is the same as multiplying the area of one of the circular
faces by the height of the cylinder.
is explained above in the section about calculating the
circumference of a circle.
Example 10
What is the volume of a cylinder 4 cm
high, whose circular face has a radius
of 2cm?
Using the formula:
Volume = r
2
h

In the example, r = 2 and h = 4.
So:
Volume = 3.14159265 x (2)
2
x 4

= 3.14159265 x 4 x 4

= 50.2654824

= 50.27 cm
3
(2 dp)
For more help with rounding decimals and decimal places see the
subtopic Decimals in the menu to the left of the screen.
Calculating the volume of a sphere.

A ball is the most common type of sphere seen in everyday life.
The volume of a sphere is calculated using the formula:
volume =
4
/
3
r
3


where:
r = the radius of the sphere.
This is sometimes written as:
Area =
1
/
6
d
3


where:
d = the diameter of the sphere.
NB The radius of a sphere is the distance from the centre of the
sphere to the outer edge. The diameter of a sphere is the distance
from one edge to another, going through the centre. This is the
same as twice the radius.
is explained above in the section about calculating the
circumference of a circle.
Example 11
What is the volume of a sphere with a
radius of 7 cm?
Using the formula Volume =
4
/
3
r
3

In the example, r = 7.
So:
Volume =
4
/
3
x 3.14159265 x (7)
3

Volume =
4
/
3
x 3.14159265 x 343

= 1436.7550386

= 1436.76 cm
3
(2 dp)

For more help with rounding decimals and decimal places see the sub
topic Decimals in the menu to the left of the screen.