Everything Maths Grade 11

CHAPTER 16. GEOMETRY 16.2

Volume of a Pyramid: The volume of a pyramid is found by:

V =

1

3

A. h

where A is the area of the base and h is the perpendicular height.

A cone is like a pyramid, so the volume of a cone is given by:

V =

1

3

πr^2 h.

A square pyramid has volume

V =

1

3

a^2 h

where a is the side length of thesquare base.

See video: VMfqj at http://www.everythingmaths.co.za

Example 2: Volume of a Pyramid

QUESTION

What is the volume of asquare pyramid, 3 cm high with a side length of 2 cm?

SOLUTION

Step 1 : Determine the correctformula

The volume of a pyramid is

V =

1

3

A. h,

where A is the area of the base and h is the height of the pyramid. For a square

base this means

V =

1

3

a. a. h

where a is the length of the sideof the square base.

2 cm^2 cm

3 cm

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