How Do You Calculate The Volume Of A Prism?
• Identify the base face. If there are any non-rectangular faces, then those are the bases (the top & bottom). If all the faces are rectangular, then any two congruent faces can serve as the top and bottom. • Keep in mind that the prism may be laying “on its side” so that the front & back act as the base faces. • Identify the measurements of the base face. • If it’s a rectangle, you’ll need the length & width. • A square needs the length of one side. • A triangle needs its base and height (see “warnings” for more information on “base” vs. “base face”). • A trapezoid will need both bases (the two parallel edges) and the height between them. • A parallelogram will need base & height. • Regular polygons (octagons, hexagons, etc.) will need the apothem and perimeter. • Calculate the area of the base face. For more information on how to do this, consult the article How to Find Area. • Multiply by the height of the prism. The height of a prism is the distance between its two base faces. Usua
