How to Figure the Volume of a Cylindrical Glass Vase

Several hyacinths fill a cylindrical vase.

A cylindrical glass vase has a round bottom and is the same size at the bottom and the top. A vase has an open top, but this does not affect the volume. Of course, a vase also has thickness; that is, the glass in the vase is not infinitely thin; the volume is based on the interior size of the vase.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape

Instructions

1. Measure the diameter of the vase. Be sure to measure the interior diameter. That is, measure from one inside edge of the vase to the inside edge directly across from the vase, crossing its center. For example, it might be 6 inches.

2. Divide this by 2. This is the radius of the vase. In the example, 6/2 = 3 inches.

3. Square this number. In the example, 3 inches squared = 3 inches * 3 inches = 9 square inches.

4. Measure the height of the vase. Again, measure on the inside of the vase. It might be 8 inches.

5. Multiply the squared radius by the height. In the example, 9 square inches * 8 inches = 72 cubic inches.

6. Multiply this by pi, which is approximately 3.1415. The result is the volume of the vase. Concluding the example, 72*3.1415 = 226.19 cubic inches.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember that volumes are in cubic measurements, whether the unit is cubic inches, cubic centimeters or some other measure.

• If the vase is not exactly cylindrical, the result will be approximate.

References

• Interactive Maths Series Software: Volume of a Cylinder