PreAP GEOMETRY

Notes: Properties of Pyramids

(section 12.3)

EXAMPLE

Volume of Pyramids and Cones

(section 12.5)
In our short course unfortunately there is no time to prove the formula for
the volume of the pyramid. On the figure below there are some clues what help
you to understand why the formula looks like it looks. But it cannot be considered
as a key idea for the regular proof. If you look carefully at the picture of the
triangular prism, try to recognize three pyramids inside.

Once the formula for the volume of the prism is

- where B is the
area of the base and H is the length of the height, then it is possible to represent the
volume of the prism as if it consists of three pyramids:

From which it follows the formula for the volume of the pyramid:

EXAMPLE

The formula for the volume of the cone looks like: