How to Calculate the Volume of a Cylinder

A cylinder is a three-dimensional solid with 2 bases, 2 edges and 3 faces. You measure the volume of a cylinder in cubic units of measurement. You can calculate the volume of a cylinder using these short and simple steps.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Cylinder
• Formula for volume of a cylinder, V =(Pi)(h)(r)(r)
• Calculator (if needed)

1. Measure the height (h) of the cylinder. Height is sometimes referred to as the length.

2. Measure the radius (r) of the cylinder. Radius is the distance from the outer edge to the center of the circle.

3. Multiply the height by Pi.

4. Square the radius. (Multiply the radius by itself.)

5. Multiply the product from Step 3 by the product of Step 4.

6. Write you answer in the proper cubic unit of measurement.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure you use the same unit of measurement for each dimension.

• For a complicated shape, break it down into smaller parts. Determine the volume of smaller parts, and then combine them (by adding) to find the volume of the entire shape.