How to Calculate the Volume of a Cube
Find the length of one side of the cube., Cube the length of the side., Label your answer with cubic units.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Find the length of one side of the cube.
Often, in problems asking you to find the volume of a cube, you'll be given the length of one of a cube's sides.
If you have this information, you have all you need to solve for the cube's volume.
If you're not solving an abstract math problem but are instead attempting to find the volume of a real-life object shaped like a cube, use a ruler or measuring tape to measure the side of the cube.
To better understand the process of finding the volume of a cube, let's follow along with an example problem as we go through the steps in this section.
Let's say the side of the cube is 2 inches (5.08 cm) long.
We'll use this information to find the volume of the cube in the next step. , When you've found the length of one of the cube's sides, cube this number.
In other words, multiply it by itself twice.
If s is the length of the side, you would multiply s × s × s (or, in simplified form, s3).
This will give you the volume of your cube! This process is essentially the same as finding the area of the base and then multiplying it by the cube's height (or, in other words, length × width × height), since the area of the base is found by multiplying its length and its width.
Since the length, width, and height of a cube are equal, we can shorten this process by simply cubing any of these measurements.
Let's proceed with our example.
Since the length of the side of our cube is 2 inches, we can find the volume by multiplying 2 x 2 x 2 (or 23) =
8. , Since volume is the measure of three-dimensional space, your answer should be in cubic units by definition.
Often, on math schoolwork, neglecting to label your answer with the right units can cause you to lose points on a problem, so don't forget to use the correct label! In our example, since our original measurement was in inches, our final answer will be labelled with the units "cubic inches" (or in3).
So, our answer of 8 becomes 8 in3.
If we had used a different initial unit of measurement, our final cubic units would differ.
For instance, if our cube had sides with lengths of 2 meters, rather than 2 inches, we would label it with cubic meters (m3). -
Step 2: Cube the length of the side.
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Step 3: Label your answer with cubic units.
Detailed Guide
Often, in problems asking you to find the volume of a cube, you'll be given the length of one of a cube's sides.
If you have this information, you have all you need to solve for the cube's volume.
If you're not solving an abstract math problem but are instead attempting to find the volume of a real-life object shaped like a cube, use a ruler or measuring tape to measure the side of the cube.
To better understand the process of finding the volume of a cube, let's follow along with an example problem as we go through the steps in this section.
Let's say the side of the cube is 2 inches (5.08 cm) long.
We'll use this information to find the volume of the cube in the next step. , When you've found the length of one of the cube's sides, cube this number.
In other words, multiply it by itself twice.
If s is the length of the side, you would multiply s × s × s (or, in simplified form, s3).
This will give you the volume of your cube! This process is essentially the same as finding the area of the base and then multiplying it by the cube's height (or, in other words, length × width × height), since the area of the base is found by multiplying its length and its width.
Since the length, width, and height of a cube are equal, we can shorten this process by simply cubing any of these measurements.
Let's proceed with our example.
Since the length of the side of our cube is 2 inches, we can find the volume by multiplying 2 x 2 x 2 (or 23) =
8. , Since volume is the measure of three-dimensional space, your answer should be in cubic units by definition.
Often, on math schoolwork, neglecting to label your answer with the right units can cause you to lose points on a problem, so don't forget to use the correct label! In our example, since our original measurement was in inches, our final answer will be labelled with the units "cubic inches" (or in3).
So, our answer of 8 becomes 8 in3.
If we had used a different initial unit of measurement, our final cubic units would differ.
For instance, if our cube had sides with lengths of 2 meters, rather than 2 inches, we would label it with cubic meters (m3).
About the Author
David Pierce
Specializes in breaking down complex creative arts topics into simple steps.
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