Volume of Prisms

Using formulas to find the volumes

of rectangular and triangular prisms
Suppose your teacher had a bag of
your favorite candy, but you are
only allowed to take the amount of
candy that will fit in one of the
following bowls. Which bowl would
you take and why?

Bowl A Bowl B Bowl C

Objective

• Given a rectangular or
triangular prism, you will
find its volume.
Purpose

• Companies that export products

overseas need to know how many
items can fit inside a container.
• Knowing volume is a 6th and 7th
grade standard.
• There is one item on the CAHSEE
related to volume.
How many cubes are needed to fill this
container?
How many cubes are needed to fill this
container?

Skip animation Answer

How many cubes are needed to fill this
container?

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How many cubes are needed to fill this
container?

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How many cubes are needed to fill this
container?

Skip animation Answer

How many cubes are needed to fill this
container?

Skip animation Answer

How many cubes are needed to fill this
container?

Skip animation Answer

How many cubes are needed to fill this
container?

Skip animation Answer

How many cubes are needed to fill this
container?

Skip animation Answer

How many cubes are needed to fill this
container?

Skip animation Answer

How many cubes are needed to fill this
container?
What is volume?

• Volume is the number of

cubic units needed to fill
a three-dimensional
figure.
Which of the following is a
description of volume?

1. The amount of wrapping

paper used to wrap a box.
2. The amount of tile used on
a floor.
3. The number of dice needed
to fill a box.
Volume of a rectangular prism

V  l  w  h or V  l wh
where l is the length, w is the
width, and h is the height.

w
l
Volume of a Prism or Cylinder

V  B  h or V  Bh
where B is the area of the base and
h is the height.

h h
B

B B
Name that formula

1. Determine who will be partner A

and partner B.
2. Partner A will name one of the
following: rectangular prism,
triangular prism or cylinder.
3. Partner B will describe the formula
used to find the volume of the
object Partner A names.
4. After naming all three objects
switch roles.
These are containers…
Container Cargo
• The Port of Long Beach is
the 12th busiest container
cargo port in the world.
In 2006, the Port of Long
Beach handled:

• More than 7.3 million containers

(TEUs)
• Cargo valued at more than $100
billion
• More than 85 metric tons of cargo
• On average, the equivalent of
19,900 20-foot containers (TEUs)
each day
• 5,300 vessel calls
The Port’s loaded containers
account for:

• 33 percent moving through all

California ports
• 26 percent moving through all
West Coast ports
• 13 percent moving through all
U.S. ports
Find the volume of the
rectangular prism
Step 1: Use the formula for
the volume of a rectangular
prism

V  l wh
Step 2: Identify l , w, and h
l  20 ft
w  8 ft
8.6 ft h  8.6 ft
Step 3: Substitute 20 for l ,
20 ft 8 for w, and 8.6 for h.

8 ft V  (20)(8
(20) wh)(8.
(20)(8) h 6)
V  1,376 ft
Step 4: Simplify 3
Finding the volume of a
rectangular prism

1. Determine who will be partner A and

partner B.
2. Partner A will describe how to find
the volume of prism A.
3. Partner B will describe how to find
the volume of prism B.
5yd
3yd

4cm
Prism A 9yd Prism B
2cm
12cm
Find the volume of the
rectangular prism
Step 1: Use the formula for
the volume of a rectangular
prism

8.6 ft
V  l wh
Step 2: Identify l , w, and h
l  40 ft
w  8 ft
8 ft
40 ft h  8.6 ft
Step 3: Substitute 40 for l ,
8 for w, and 8.6 for h.

V  (40)(8
(40) wh)(8.
(40)(8) h 6)
Step 4: Simplify

Check my answer
Need a hint?
Press the spacebar V  2,752 ft 3
Find the volume of the
rectangular prism

The volume
of the
rectangular
prism is
2,752 ft3.

Try again
Find the volume of the rectangular prism
formed by four containers
Step 1: Use the formula for
the volume of a rectangular
prism

V  l wh
Step 2: Identify l , w, and h
17.2 ft
l  40 ft
w  16 ft
16 ft
h  17.2 ft
40 ft Step 3: Substitute 40 for l ,
16 for w, and 17.2 for h.

V  (40)(16
(40)(16)
(40) wh)(1
h 7.2)
Need a hint? Step 4: Simplify

V  11,008 ft 3
Check my answer Press the spacebar
Find the volume of the rectangular prism
formed by four containers

The volume
of the
rectangular
prism is
11,008 ft3.

Try again
Find the volume of the rectangular prism
formed by nine containers

Step 1: Use the formula for

the volume of a rectangular
prism

25.8 ft
V  l wh
Step 2: Identify l , w, and h
l  40 ft
24 ft
40 ft w  24 ft
h  25.8 ft
Step 3: Substitute 40 for l ,
24 for w, and 25.8 for h.
V  (40)(24)
(40)(24
(40) wh )(2
h 5.8)
Step 4: Simplify
Need a hint?

V  24,768 ft 3
Check my answer Press the spacebar
Find the volume of the rectangular prism
formed by nine containers

The volume
of the
rectangular
prism is
24,768 ft3.

Try again
Find the volume of the triangular
prism
Step 1: Use the formula for
the volume of a prism

V  Bh
Step 2: Identify B and h.
B  35 ft 2
12 ft 12 ft 50 ft
7 ft Area of a triangle h  50 ft
Remember B is the area
1 Step 3: Substitute 35 for B,
of the base. In this case,
10 ft
A  bh and 50 for h.
the area of the triangle!!
2 V  (35)
(35)(50)
h
The area
1 Step 4: Simplify
Aofthe(1
(10
(5)(
35 0)(
)h7)
base
7)
2 2
is 35 ft . V  1,750 ft 3
Finding the volume of a triangular
prism

1. Determine who will be partner A and

partner B.
2. Partner A will describe how to find
the volume of prism A.
3. Partner B will describe how to find
the volume of prism B.
Prism A Prism B

10cm 18cm 13 ft 13 ft 36 ft
6cm 9 ft

8cm 8 ft
Find the volume of the triangular
prism

Step 1: Use the formula for

the volume of a prism

V  Bh
25m Step 2: Identify B and h.
B  14,030m 2
h  25m
Step 3: Substitute 14,030 for B,
and 25 for h.
The area
of the base V  (14,030)
(14,030)(2
h 5)
2 Step 4: Simplify
is 14,030m .
Need a hint?
Check my answer Press the spacebar
V  350,750m 3
Find the volume of the triangular
prism

The volume of the

triangular prism is
Try again 350,750 m .3
Find the volume of the triangular
prism

Step 1: Use the formula for

the volume of a prism

7.5in
V  Bh
9in
Step 2: Identify B and h.

18.5in B  83.25in 2
h  7.5in
Remember B is the area
of the base. In Step
this case,
3: Substitute 83.25 for B,
the area of the and
triangle!!
7.5 for h.
V  (83.25)
(83.25)(7.
h 5)
The area Step 4: Simplify
1
A 
of
A the base
83.25
(9.2
(185)(
.5))9)
(18.5 (h9)
2 Need a hint?
Check my in
is 83.25 2
answer . Press the spacebar V  624.375in 3
Find the volume of the triangular
prism

The volume of the

triangular prism is
624.375 in3.
Try again
This is a Petroleum Coke Shed at
the Port of Long Beach

Aerial
view

This pet coke

shed is a
triangular prism
Petroleum Coke
• AKA pet coke
• The Port of Long Beach is
the largest pet coke
exporting facility on the
West Coast
Petroleum Coke
• Dry bulk cargo
• A byproduct of oil refining
• Used in many countries as
an industrial fuel source
• Used in the manufacture of
dry cells and electrodes
 Find the volume of the triangular
prism

Step 1: Use the formula for

Aerial the volume of a prism

V  Bh
view 479.4 ft

100.6 ft
Step 2: Identify B and h.
B  6584.27 ft 2
130.9 ft
h  479.4 ft
Step 3: Substitute 6584.27 for B,
Remember andB479.4
is thefor
area
h.
of the base. In this case,
V  (6584.27
(6584.27))(47
h 9.4)
the area of the triangle!!
The area Step 4: Simplify
1 1
A(65.45)(100.6)
AAof the base
6,584.27
(130.9
(130 .9)h0.6)
)(10
V  3,156, 499.038 ft
2 2 Need a hint? 3
2
is 6584.27
Check ft . Press the spacebar
my answer
 Find the volume of the triangular
prism

Aerial
view

The volume of the

triangular prism is
Try again
3,156,499.038 ft3.
Find the volume of each prism
6m
1. 2. 4m

13mm 18mm
5mm 11m
12mm

VV357.84
VVVV
V
V 
540
264
384
540
357.84
264 mm
mm
mmyd
in
 384inyd
3 3 33
333 3

3. 4.
5.6yd
5in 5in
8in 16in
3yd
21.3yd
6in
Let’s wrap it up!

Give a brief explanation of how to

find the volume of the following
prism:

19ft