Surface aarea and volume formuulas are part of the mathh used in coommon sciennce calculattions.

You mayy need to calculate suurface area and volum me to determ mine densitty, pressure and
concentraation, for exxample. Whhile it's a good idea to mmemorize thhese formulaas, here a liist of
surface aarea and volu
ume formulaas to use as a handy referrence.

Trianglle

A trianglle is a three sided

s closed figure.
The perppendicular diistance from the base to the
t oppositee highest poinnt is called the
t height ( h ).

Perimeteer = a + b + c
Area = ½
½bh
 

Parallellogram

A paralleelogram is a quadrangle where oppossite sides aree parallel to each other.

The perimmeter ( P ) iss the distance around thee outside of the
t paralleloogram.

P = 2a + 2b

The heighht ( h ) is thee perpendicuular distancee from one paarallel side to

t it's opposiite side.

Area = b x h

It is impoortant to meaasure the corrrect side in this calculattion. In the figure,

f the heeight is
measuredd from side b to the oppoosite side b, so the Area is calculatedd as b x h, no ot a x h. If thhe
height waas measuredd from a to a,, then the Arrea would bee a x h. Convvention conssiders the sidde
the heighht is perpend
dicular to is called
c the 'baase' and usuaally denoted with a b.
 

Square

A squaree is a quadranngle where all

a four sidess are of equaal length.

Perimeteer = 4s
Area = s2
Rectanggle

A rectangle is a speciall type of quaddrangle where all the interrior angles aree equal to 90
0° and all oppo
osite 
sides are tthe same length. 
The perimmeter ( P ) is the distance aaround the ou
utside of the rrectangle. 
 
2w 
P = 2h + 2
Area = h xx w 

Trapezooid

 A trapezo
oid is anotherr special quad
drangle wheree only two siddes are paralllel to each other. 
The perpeendicular disttance betweeen the two parallel sides is called the heeight ( h ). 
 
Perimeter = a + b1 + b2 + c 
Area = ½(( b1 + b2 ) x h 

Circle

 A circle iss an ellipse where the distaance from thee center to thhe edge is con nstant. 
Circumferrence ( c ) is the distance aaround the ou utside of the ccircle. 
Diameter ( d ) is the distance of thee line through the center o of the circle from edge to e
edge. 
Radius ( r ) is the distannce from the center of thee circle to thee edge. 
The ratio between the circumferencce and the diameter is equ ual to the nummber π. 
The univeersal pi= π Vallue is 22/7 orr 3.14159265
d = 2r 
c = πd = 22πr 
Area = πr2 
Ellipse

An ellipsee or oval is a figure that is ttraced out wh
here the sum of the distan nces between two fixed po oints 
is a constaant. 
The shortest distance b between the center of an ellipse to thee edge is calleed the semimiinor axis ( r1 ) 
The longeest distance between the ccenter of an eellipse to the edge is called d the semimajor axis ( r2 )
 
Area = πr1r2 

Hexagoon

 A regularr hexagon is aa six sided pollygon where eeach side is o h is also equal to 
of equal length. This length
the radiuss ( r ) of the hexagon. 
 
Perimeter = 6r 
Area = (3√√3/2 )r2 

Octagon
n

 A regularr octagon is a eight sided p
polygon wherre each side iss of equal length. 
 
Perimeter = 8a 
2 + 2√2 )a2 
Area = ( 2
Rectanggular Solid
d

 Surface AArea = 2(lh) ++ 2(lw) + 2(wh
h) 
Volume == l x h x w 
 
where 
l = length 
h = heightt 

Prism

A prism can be descrribed as a staack of shapes. The figuree shows a prrism of triang
gles stackedd d
thick, butt any shape could
c be useed.

Surface area = 2A + Pd

where
A = area of the base shape
meter of basee shape
P = perim
d = heighht of prism

Volume = Ad
 

Cylindeer

A cylindeer is a prism
m with a circuular base.

Area = 2πr2 + 2πrh

Surface A
Volume = πr2h
Sphere

A spheree is a shape where

w the disstance from the center too the edge is the same in all directionns.
This distaance is calleed the radius ( r ).

Surface area = 4πr2

Volume = 4/3πr3

Pyramiid

A pyramid is a solid figure with a polygonal base and triangular facees that meet at a a commonn
point oveer the center of the base.
The heighht ( h ) is thee distance from the base to the apex or top of thee pyramid.
The side length ( s ) isi the heightt of the face triangles.
The perimmeter ( P ) and
a the area ( A ) of the base
b is calcuulated accordding to the shhape of the bbase.

Surface A
Area = ( ½ x P x s ) + A
Volume = 1/3 Ah

The figurre shows a pyramid

p withh a square baase ( a = b ) with
w equilateeral triangless for faces.

Surface area = a2 + √3( a2 )

Volume = √5(a3/6)

Cone

A cone iss a pyramid with a circullar base of raadius ( r ) annd the side leength ( s ) is the length of
o
the side.

s = √( r2 + h2 )

Area = πr2 + π( r x s )
Surface A
2