About this calculator
Choose a solid, enter its measurements, and get its volume and surface area with the working shown.
It covers cuboids, cubes, cylinders, cones, spheres and square-based pyramids. Use any one unit for everything.
Worked examples
Real numbers, worked out by the same calculator. Press “Use these numbers” to try one above.
Cylinder, radius 3 and height 10
- Volume
- 282.743339
- Surface area
- 245.044227
The cylinder has a volume of 282.743339 cubic units and a surface area of 245.044227 square units.
Show the working
- Volume = πr²h = 3.141593 × 3² × 10 = 282.743339.
- Surface area = 2πr × (r + h) = 2 × 3.141593 × 3 × (3 + 10) = 245.044227.
Sphere of radius 1
- Volume
- 4.18879
- Surface area
- 12.566371
The sphere has a volume of 4.18879 cubic units and a surface area of 12.566371 square units.
Show the working
- Volume = 4⁄3 × πr³ = 4⁄3 × 3.141593 × 1³ = 4.18879.
- Surface area = 4πr² = 4 × 3.141593 × 1 = 12.566371.
Box 5 × 4 × 3
- Volume
- 60
- Surface area
- 94
The cuboid has a volume of 60 cubic units and a surface area of 94 square units.
Show the working
- Volume = length × width × height = 5 × 4 × 3 = 60.
- Surface area = 2 × (lw + lh + wh) = 2 × (20 + 15 + 12) = 94.
Volume and surface area formulas
- Cuboid: V = lwh; surface = 2(lw + lh + wh)
- Cube: V = s³; surface = 6s²
- Cylinder: V = πr²h; surface = 2πr(r + h)
- Cone: V = ⅓πr²h; surface = πr(r + slant), where slant = √(r² + h²)
- Sphere: V = 4⁄3πr³; surface = 4πr²
- Square pyramid: V = ⅓b²h
Volume versus surface area
Volume is the space inside a solid, in cubic units. Surface area is the total area of its outside, in square units. Paint needed depends on the surface area; how much a tank holds depends on the volume.
From volume to litres
One cubic metre is 1,000 litres and one cubic centimetre is one millilitre. A cylinder of radius 3 cm and height 10 cm holds about 282.74 cm³, or 282.74 mL. Use the volume converter for other units.
Frequently asked questions
What is the volume of a cylinder?
Volume = π × radius² × height.
What is the volume of a sphere?
Volume = 4⁄3 × π × radius³.
What is the difference between volume and capacity?
Volume is the space a solid takes up. Capacity is how much a container can hold inside, usually in litres.
Why does a cone hold a third of a cylinder?
A cone with the same base and height as a cylinder has exactly one third of its volume.
Formulas tested against hand-worked answers. Last reviewed 29 September 2026. These calculators do arithmetic only; they are not financial, tax or legal advice.