A box measures 5 cm × 4 cm × 3 cm.
- V = 5 × 4 × 3.
- Volume = 60 cm³, or 60 mL.
Volume of right prisms
Stack congruent layers of a base.
Volume counts cubic units
Use base area times perpendicular length to calculate prism volume.
For a right prism V = Bh, with B the area of a base and h the perpendicular distance between the bases. Rectangular prisms are a special case: V = lwh.
Explore the dimensions
Predict first, then change one dimension. Diagrams are schematic; results use the entered values. Rounded values are marked ≈.
The base need not be on the bottom
Either congruent parallel face can be called a base. For a triangular prism, find the triangular base area first, then multiply by the prism length.
Capacity and units
A cubic centimetre equals one millilitre; 1000 cm³ = 1 L. Convert lengths before cubing: 1 m³ = 1,000,000 cm³.
Worked examples
Triangular base 8 cm by 3 cm; prism length 10 cm.
- B = 8 × 3 ÷ 2 = 12 cm².
- V = 12 × 10 = 120 cm³.
Guided Practice
A prism has base area 15 cm² and length 7 cm. Find its volume.
A first hint
Multiply base area by the perpendicular length.
Compare your reasoning
V = 15 × 7 = 105 cm³.
Practice
Fresh questions · useful feedback
Build fluency, one decision at a time.
Work through eight questions. Two independent correct answers introduce a harder version; supported answers bring the next question back to the foundation. You can use hints at any time.
0 of 8 questions completed
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Connections
How does a prism’s volume change if all three dimensions double?
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