Volume of Rectangular Prism and Cube
Learn how to calculate the space inside 3D shapes!
1. What is Volume?
Definition
Volume is the amount of space inside a 3D (three-dimensional) shape.
Key Points:
- Volume measures how much space an object takes up
- We measure volume in cubic units (like cm³, m³)
- Think of it as counting how many unit cubes fit inside
- Volume is different from area (2D) and perimeter (1D)
Interactive visualization — available in the full lesson
Interactive: A rectangular prism made of 24 unit cubes (3 × 2 × 4 = 24)
2. Volume of a Rectangular Prism
The Formula
V = a × b × c
or
V = length × width × height
Dimensions:
- a (length) - how long the shape is
- b (width) - how wide the shape is
- c (height) - how tall the shape is
Interactive visualization — available in the full lesson
Rectangular prism with length (a), width (b), and height (c)