Volume of Rectangular prism: Calculation, Examples

Geometrically, a rectangular prism is a three-dimensional, polyhedron figure that has two equal and parallel bases. The six faces of a rectangular prism are paired in a way that they remain opposite, yet congruent. It is also referred to as a cuboid by many. The opposite faces of a rectangular prism are usually identical, with three dimensions – length, breadth and height. Every three-dimensional figure automatically has its own surface area and volume, much like a rectangular prism in this case.

Key Takeaways: Prism, Rectangle, Rectangular Prism, geometry, length, breath, width

What is a Rectangular Prism?

[Click Here for Sample Questions]

A rectangular prism, in geometry, is a three-dimensional polyhedron that has six faces, and twelve edges. It is usually referred to as a cuboid by many. The faces of a rectangular prism are paired in a way that it remains parallelly situated, yet congruent to one another. A rectangular prism has six faces in total – which means, it has three pairs of identically parallel faces. A rectangular prism can be best depicted by several equipment people use on a daily basis, much like storage sheds, monitors, bricks and more. It is typically known as a prism because it has a cross-section along its length.

What is a Rectangular Prism

[Click Here for Sample Questions]

We can determine the volume of a rectangular prism by multiplying its dimensions – length, breadth, and height of the prism. Therefore, the volume of a rectangular prism can be obtained by following formula,

Volume of a Rectangular Prism = l * b * h

Wherein,

1. “l” refers to the length of the rectangular prism.
2. “b” refers to the breadth of the rectangular prism.
3. “h” refers to the height of the rectangular prism.

Also Read:

The Volume Formula of Rectangular Prism

The volume of a three-dimensional object can be determined by the amount of space it has occupied. In simple words, it means that the amount of space a rectangular prism has occupied is its volume. The unit of volume is denoted by “cubic unit.” The determined solution with the formula can be further expressed in several values in cubic units, much like cm3, m3, in3, and others. We can determine the volume of a rectangular prism by multiplying its length, width and height. The base of a rectangular prism is typically a rectangle itself, which gives the area as “l * b”.

That being said, the formula for the volume of a rectangular prism can be acquired by: (V) = l × w × h.

Besides, the area of Rectangular prism can be evaluated by the following formula: (S) = 2(lw + lh + wh)

Calculation of Volume of a Rectangular Prism

Prior to evaluating the volume of a rectangular prism, it is vital to ensure whether the dimensions are equally of the same unit. After determining, the following steps should be used to obtain the volume of a rectangle,

1. Primarily, it is important to recognize the base and equally also determine the area by using the formula mentioned above. 
2. After evaluating its area, you can jump onto identifying the height of the prism, which is usually found perpendicular from the top vertex, connecting with the base.
3. Following the same, you can multiply the area (length * breadth) and height of the base of the respective prism to obtain the volume of the rectangular prism. The answer is typically derived in cubic units. Hence, the Volume of a Rectangular Prism = l * b * h.

Types of Rectangular Prism

[Click Here for Sample Questions]

There are two major types of rectangular prisms,

Right Rectangular Prism

It is a type of rectangular prism that has all the angles in a right angle. Simply, a right rectangular prism can be defined as a prism that occupies bases perpendicular to one another.

Oblique Rectangular Prism

It is a form of rectangular prism that does not comprise of angles that all form a right angle. In simple words, an oblique rectangular prism is typically known to have bases that are not perpendicular to one another.

Properties of Rectangular Prism

There are several properties of a rectangular prism, some of them are:

• A rectangular prism occupies 6 faces, 12 edges and 8 vertices.
• A rectangular prism also has dimensions similar to a cuboid, namely length, width and height.
• Usually, the top most area alongside the base always forms a rectangle.
• The opposite faces of a rectangular prism are typically identical or congruent.
• A rectangular prism also generally has a rectangular cross-section.
• The laterally located faces usually form a right rectangular prism. The laterally located faces are in the shape of a parallelogram in oblique rectangular prisms.

Also Read:

Points to Remember

Following are some important points:

• A rectangular prism is a three-dimensional, polyhedron figure that can be constructed using two equal and parallel bases.
• It is found that the opposite faces of a rectangular prism are generally identical, with three dimensions of its own – length, breadth and height. 
• The Volume of a Rectangular Prism can be acquired by the following formula = (V) = l × w × h; where l signifies length, w signifies width and h refers to its height.
• The area of Rectangular prism can be calculated by the following formula: (S) = 2 (lw + lh + wh).
•  The amount of space a rectangular prism has occupied is its volume. The unit of volume can be denoted by “cubic unit.” In this case, the cubic units typically used are cm3, m3, in3, and others.
• There are two types of rectangular prisms: Right Rectangular Prism and Oblique Rectangular Prism.