What you’ll learn
Volume of prisms.
Key idea
Prism volume is base area times distance between bases; the triangular base requires half the leg product.
Volume is triangular base area times prism length, not full rectangular leg product or surface area; square and cubic units differ.
Worked example
Enter the exact value or ordered values in the format requested below.
A right triangular prism has base perpendicular legs 6,8cm, third side 10cm, prism length 8cm. Enter its volume as a number of cubic cm.
- The perpendicular base legs give triangular area 6×8/2=24cm²; supplied third side is 10cm.
- Multiply base area by prism length: 24×8=192cm³.
Answer: 192
Quick Check
Evaluate a worked attempt at volume of prisms, identify the first invalid step, and provide the correction.
Right triangular prism base perpendicular legs 10,24cm, third side 26cm, length 6cm. Step1 computes triangular base area=240cm² without halving. Step2 multiplies by 6, giving 1440cm³. Locate the first invalid step and correct volume.