How To Calculate Volume Of A Circular Cylinder

Volume is a three-dimensional extension of the two-dimensional measurement of area. The area of a circle is determined by the formula pi x radius squared (?r2). Giving height to a circle creates a cylinder, and the formula for the volume of the cylinder adapts by multiplying the area of the circle with the height of the cylinder. This gives a formula for the volume of a right circular cylinder as pi times the radius squared times the height (? x r2 x h).

Step 1

Measure the radius of the cylinder. The radius is half the diameter or the distance from the center of the cylinder to the side.

Step 2

Measure the height of the cylinder. Use the same units of measurement used to measure the radius.

Step 3

Calculate the volume according to the formula pi times the radius squared times the height (v = ? x r2 x h). For example, a cylinder with a radius of three centimeters and a height of five centimeters would have a volume of 141 cubic centimeters (? x 3 cm x 3 cm x 5 cm = 141 cm3).