Pre-Algebra Practice Questions: Finding the Volume of Prisms and Cylinders

To find the volume of a prism or cylinder, you can use the following formula, where A_b is the area of the base and h is the height:

V = Ab x h

Practice questions

1. Find the volume of a prism with a base that has an area of 6 square centimeters and a height of 3 centimeters.
2. Figure out the approximate volume of a cylinder whose base has a radius of 7 millimeters and whose height is 16 millimeters.

Answers and explanations

1. 18 cubic centimeters

   V = Ab x h = 6cm2 x 3cm = 18cm3

2. Approximately 2,461.76 cubic millimeters

   First, use the area formula for a circle to find the area of the base:

   Ab = π x r2
         ≅ 3.14 x (7mm)2
         = 3.14 x 49mm2
         = 153.86mm2

   Plug this result into the formula for the volume of a cylinder:

   V = Ab x h
       = 153.86mm2 x 16mm
       = 2,461.76mm3