Think in three dimensions

Make room for another dimension.

Explore the space inside a solid and the surface that wraps around it.

RectangleChange a dimension to explore
A = w × hDimensions shown in the selected unit

Give your shape a size.

Use the same unit for every dimension. Changing the unit relabels the measurements; it does not convert them.

From dimensions to an answer

A little question. A clearer picture.

Volume and surface area questions

Wondering about the why? Start here.

How are volume and surface area different?

Volume is the three-dimensional space inside a solid, measured in cubic units. Surface area is the area of its outer surfaces, measured in square units. Filling a box concerns volume; covering it concerns surface area.

Compare volume and surface area
Does the calculator include the bases in surface area?

Yes. It reports total surface area: both circular bases for a closed cylinder, the circular base for a cone, and all six faces for a rectangular prism. An open container needs a separate adjustment for any missing face.

See the cylinder formulas
Which height should I enter for a cone?

Enter the perpendicular height from the circular base to the tip, not the sloping distance along the side. For the right circular cone used here, the calculator derives slant height as √(r² + h²) when finding total surface area.

Explore the cone calculator