Volume of Pyramid
The volume of pyramid is space occupied by it (or) it is defined as the number of unit cubes that can be fit into it. A pyramid is a polyhedron as its faces are made up of polygons. There are different types of pyramids such as a triangular pyramid, square pyramid, rectangular pyramid, pentagonal pyramid, etc that are named after their base, i.e., if the base of a pyramid is a square, it is called a square pyramid. All the side faces of a pyramid are triangles where one side of each triangle merges with a side of the base. Let us explore more about the volume of pyramid along with its formula, proof, and a few solved examples.
| 1. | What is Volume of Pyramid? |
| 2. | Volume of Pyramid Formula |
| 3. | Volume Formulas of Different Types of Pyramids |
| 4. | FAQs on Volume of Pyramid |
What is Volume of Pyramid?
The volume of a pyramid refers to the space enclosed between its faces. It is measured in cubic units such as cm3, m3, in3, etc. A pyramid is a three-dimensional shape where its base (a polygon) is joined to the vertex (apex) with the help of triangular faces. The perpendicular distance from the apex to the center of the polygon base is referred to as the height of the pyramid. A pyramid's name is derived from its base. For example, a pyramid with a square base is referred to as a square pyramid. Thus, the base area plays a major role in finding the volume of a pyramid. The volume of the pyramid is nothing but one-third of the product of the base area times its height.
Volume of Pyramid Formula
Let us consider a pyramid and prism each of which has a base area 'B' and height 'h'. We know that the volume of a prism is obtained by multiplying its base by its height. i.e., the volume of the prism is Bh. The volume of a pyramid is one-third of the volume of the corresponding prism (i.e., their bases and heights are congruent). Thus,
Volume of pyramid = (1/3) (Bh), where
- B = Area of the base of the pyramid
- h = Height of the pyramid (which is also called "altitude")
Note: The triangle formed by the slant height (s), the altitude (h), and half the side length of the base (x/2) is a right-angled triangle and hence we can apply the Pythagoras theorem for this. Thus, (x/2)2 + h2 = s2. We can use this while solving the problems of finding the volume of the pyramid given its slant height.
Volume Formulas of Different Types of Pyramids
From the earlier section, we have learned that the volume of a pyramid is (1/3) × (area of the base) × (height of the pyramid). Thus, to calculate the volume of a pyramid, we can use the areas of polygons formulas (as we know that the base of a pyramid is a polygon) to calculate the area of the base, and then by simply applying the above formula, we can calculate the volume of pyramid. Here, you can see the volume formulas of different types of pyramids such as the triangular pyramid, square pyramid, rectangular pyramid, pentagonal pyramid, and hexagonal pyramid and how they are derived.
FAQs on Volume of Pyramid
What Is Meant By Volume of Pyramid?
The volume of a pyramid is the space that a pyramid occupies. The volume of a pyramid whose base area is 'B' and whose height is 'h' is (1/3) (Bh) cubic units.
What Is the Volume of Pyramid With a Square Base?
If 'B' is the base area and 'h' is the height of a pyramid, then its volume is V = (1/3) (Bh) cubic units. Consider a square pyramid whose base is a square of length 'x'. Then the base area is B = x2 and hence the volume of the pyramid with a square base is (1/3)(x2h) cubic units.
What Is the Volume of Pyramid With a Triangular Base?
To find the volume of a pyramid with a triangular base, first, we need to find its base area 'B' which can be found by applying a suitable area of triangle formula. If 'h' is the height of the pyramid, its volume is found using the formula V =(1/3) (Bh).
What Is the Volume of Pyramid With a Rectangular Base?
A pyramid whose base is a rectangle is a rectangular pyramid. Its base area 'B' is found by applying the area of the rectangle formula. i.e., if 'l' and 'w' are the dimensions of the base (rectangle), then its area is B = lw. If 'h' is the height of the pyramid, then its volume is V =(1/3) (Bh) = (1/3) lwh cubic units.
What Is the Formula To Find the Volume of Pyramid?
The volume of a pyramid is found using the formula V = (1/3) Bh, where 'B' is the base area and 'h' is the height of the pyramid. As we know the base of a pyramid is any polygon, we can apply the area of polygons formulas to find 'B'.
How To Find Volume of Pyramid With Slant Height?
If 'x' is the base length, 's' is the slant height, and 'h' is the height of a regular pyramid, then they satisfy the equation (the Pythagoras theorem) (x/2)2 + h2 = s2. If we are given with 'x' and 's', then we can find 'h' first using this equation and then apply the formula V = (1/3) Bh to find the volume of the pyramid where 'B' is the base area of the pyramid.
Why is There a 1/3 in the Formula for the Volume of Pyramid?
A cube of unit length can be divided into three congruent pyramids. So, the volume of pyramid is 1/3 of the volume of a cube. Hence, we have a 1/3 in the volume of pyramid.