Example exercise: volume and surface area of a cube We have a cube whose length is 2 2 2 cm and we are asked to find its volume and surface area.
Finding the volume of a cube The volume of a cube is equal to length × width × height.
Since the length, width and height of a cube are all equal, in our case the width and height of our given cube will also be 2 2 2 cm. Therefore,
8 = 2 × 2 × 2 8=2\times2\times2 8 = 2 × 2 × 2
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Finding the surface area of a cube To find the total surface area of a cube, we will first find the surface area of one of its faces and then multiply the result by 6 (remember that cubes are composed of six identical square faces).
The area of each square is4 = 2 × 2 4=2\times2 4 = 2 × 2
Therefore, the surface area of the cube will be:
4 × 6 = 24 cm 4×6=24\operatorname{cm} 4 × 6 = 24 cm
Example exercises Example exercise 1
Given that:
The length of each side of the given cube is equal to 3 3 3 cm.
Question:
What is the volume of the cube?
Solution:
The volume of a cube (and the volume of a cuboid) is equal to:
Length × Width × Height
Therefore the volume of the cube: = 3 3 = 27 =3^3=27 = 3 3 = 27
Answer:
27 c m 3 27~cm³ 27 c m 3
Do you know what the answer is?
Example exercise 2 Given that:
Given a cube in which each face has a surface area of 6 6 6 cm.
Assignment:
What is the total surface area of the cube?
Solution:
The total surface area of the cube is the combined area of all of its faces, ie:
Face area
6 × 6 = 36 6\times6=36 6 × 6 = 36
Answer:
36 c m 2 36~cm² 36 c m 2
Example exercise 3
Given that:
In the given cube, the length of each edge is equal to 3 3 3 cm.
Question:
What is the length of the diagonal of the face?
Solution:
To solve this question we will use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the length of the diagonal of the face:
A 2 + B 2 = C 2 A^2+B^2=C^2 A 2 + B 2 = C 2
Or, in our case:
E d g e 2 + E d g e 2 = D i a g o n a l 2 Edge^2+Edge^2=Diagonal^2 E d g e 2 + E d g e 2 = D ia g o na l 2
= 3 2 + 3 2 =3^2+3^2 = 3 2 + 3 2
= 18 =18 = 18
18 = 3 × 2 = d i a g o n a l \sqrt{18}=3\times\sqrt{2}=diagonal 18 = 3 × 2 = d ia g o na l
Answer:
3 2 3\sqrt{2} 3 2
Check your understanding
Question 2 b It is not possible to calculate.
Example exercise 4
Given a cube whose edge length is equal to 5 5 5 cm.
Task:
Find the volume of the cube.
Solution:
The volume of the cube is equal to the length of the face of the cube to the power of 3 3 3
We can write it like this:
5 3 = 125 5^3=125 5 3 = 125
Answer:
125 c m 3 125~cm³ 125 c m 3
Example exercise 5
Given a cube whose volume is equal to 112 112 112 cm³
Question:
How many whole cubes with a volume of 10 10 10 cm³ can fit inside the given cube?
Solution:
We divide the volume of the large cube into 10 10 10 to find out how many cubes of 10 10 10 cm³ fit into the given cube:
112 10 = 11 1 5 \frac{112}{10}=11\frac{1}{5} 10 112 = 11 5 1
Since we are only asked about whole cubes, it is possible to enter 11 11 11 cubes into the cube whose volume is 112 112 112 cm³.
Answer:
11 11 11 cubes.
Do you think you will be able to solve it?
Review questions What is a cube? A cube is a cuboid with six square, equal faces (all the sides are equal).
How do we find the surface area of a cube? To find the total surface area of a cube, all we need is the value of one of its sides (since all sides are equal).
Then, we find the surface area of one face by multiplying the side to the power of three.
Lastly, we multiply the surface area of one face by six (since cubes have six equal sides).
Example exercise Task. Find the total surface area of the following given cube, which has a side length of 7 cm 7\operatorname{cm} 7 cm
Solution:
Let's start by finding the area of just one face:
A r e a = 7 cm × 7 cm = 49 c m 2 Area=7\operatorname{cm}\times7\operatorname{cm}=49\operatorname{cm^2} A re a = 7 cm × 7 cm = 49 c m 2
Now, let's multiply the area of one face by six to find the total surface area:
49 c m 2 × 6 = 294 c m 2 49\operatorname{cm^2}\times6=294\operatorname{cm^2} 49 c m 2 × 6 = 294 c m 2
Answer:
= 294 c m 2 =294 \operatorname{cm^2} = 294 c m 2
What is the formula used to find the volume of a cube? The find the volume of a cube, we multiply its three sides.
Remember: since each face is square, all its sides have the same length.
= = = ,× \times ×
This formula can also be expressed as:
V = L 3 V=L^3 V = L 3
since all the sides are equal.
Finding the volume of a cube: additional practice Example 1 Task. Find the volume of a cube with a side length of4 cm 4\operatorname{cm} 4 cm
Solution:
Using our formula, we get:
V = L 3 V=L^3 V = L 3
V = ( 4 cm ) 3 = 64 c m 3 V=\left(4\operatorname{cm}\right)^3=64\operatorname{cm^3} V = ( 4 cm ) 3 = 64 c m 3
Answer
V = 64 c m 3 V=64\operatorname{cm^3} V = 64 c m 3
Example 2 Task. Find the volume of a cube with a side length of 8 cm 8\operatorname{cm} 8 cm
Solution:
Again, we will use our formula to find the volume:
V = L 3 V=L^3 V = L 3
V = ( 8 cm ) 3 = 512 c m 3 V=\left(8\operatorname{cm}\right)^3=512\operatorname{cm^3} V = ( 8 cm ) 3 = 512 c m 3
Answer
V = 512 c m 3 V=512\operatorname{cm^3} V = 512 c m 3
Do you know what the answer is?
Examples with solutions for Cubes Exercise #1 How many faces does a cube have?
Video Solution Answer Exercise #2 Given the cube
How many edges are there in the cube?
Video Solution Answer Exercise #3 A cube has edges measuring 3 cm.
What is the volume of the cube?
3 3 3
Video Solution Answer Exercise #4 Look at the cube below.
Do all cubes have 6 faces, equaling its surface area?
Video Solution Answer Exercise #5 A cube has a total of 14 edges.
Video Solution Answer