How to Calculate the Base of a Cone

The volume of a cone is proportionate to the area of its base.

The base of a cone forms a perfect circle. Like all circles, the cone's base has an area proportionate to the square of its radius. Specifically, the area is the product of this squared radius and pi. If you do not, however, know the base's radius, you can calculate the base's area from the cone's total volume. The volume is one-third of the product of the base's area and the cone's height.

Instructions

1. Measure the cone's height. For this example, imagine a cone with a height of 10 inches.

2. Divide the cone's volume by its height. If, for instance, the cone has a volume of 40 cubic inches, 40 / 10 = 4 square inches.

3. Multiply the result by 3 -- 4 x 3 = 12 square inches. This is the area of the cone's base.

References

• Andrews University: Lateral & Surface Areas, Volumes
• North Carolina State University: What dx Actually Means

Resources

• The University of Tennessee: Volumes
• Philadelphia University: Cones and Pyramids