A cone is a familiar shape, if in no other way than from trips to the ice cream stand. As a regular, three-dimensional geometric solid, it has a specific formula you can use to determine its volume. For instance, if you want to figure the cubic feet in a cone for a home or other purpose, all you need is some basic measurements and a calculator to quickly arrive at the solution to your query. Once that is done, you can use the information and apply it to your problem or project.
- Measuring tape
- Calculator
Measure the diameter of the cone. You want the diameter at the base; this will be the very widest part of the cone.
Divide the diameter by 2. This yields the radius. For example, if the diameter is 54 inches, the radius is 27 inches.
Square the radius. In this example, the result is 729.
Measure the height of the cone.
Multiply the squared radius by the height. If your height is 83 inches, the result is 60,507.
Multiply the result from the previous step by pi. Use 3.14 for pi. For very accurate figuring, use a pi figure with more decimal points. In this example, the result is 189,991.98.
Divide the figure from the previous step by 3. In this example, the result is 63,330.66.
Divide your figure from Step 7, which indicates the volume in cubic inches, by 1,728. This provides the volume in cubic feet. The result here is 36.65.
Things You'll Need
References
About the Author
Bill Brown has been a freelance writer for more than 14 years. Focusing on trade journals covering construction and home topics, his work appears in online and print publications. Brown holds a Master of Arts in liberal arts from St. John's University and is currently based in Houston.
Photo Credits
road cone image by timur1970 from Fotolia.com