CHAPTER 4: SOLID GEOMETRY

Polyhedron
2. Hexahedron or Cube
A Polyhedron is a solid figure bounded by A hexahedron is a polyhedron with 6 equal
many plane surfaces. Each of the flat faces. Each face of a hexahedron is a square.
surfaces is called a face. A straight line It has twelve edges and eight vertices.
segment bounding a face is called an edge. A
point at the end of an edge is called a vertex.
If the faces of the Polyhedron are all congruent
regular polygons, the polyhedron is said to be
regular, otherwise it is irregular.

vertex

edge
V = a3 and A = 6a2,
where a is the length of an edge.
face
3. Octahedron
An Octahedron is a polyhedron with eight
equal faces. Each face of an Octahedron is
Regular Polyhedron an equilateral triangle. It has twelve edges
and six vertices.

2 3
V a and A  2 3 a2 ,
Irregular Polyhedron 3
where a is the length of an edge.
 Regular Polyhedrons
1. Tetrahedron 4. Dodecahedron
A tetrahedron is a polyhedron with four A Dodecahedron is a polyhedron with
equal faces. Each face of a tetrahedron is an twelve equal faces. Each face of a
equilateral triangle. It has six edges and four Dodecahedron is a pentagon. It has thirty
vertices. edges and twenty vertices.

2 3
V a and A  3 a2 ,
12 V = 7.66a3 and A = 20.65a2
where a is the length of an edge.
where a is the length of an edge.

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5. Icosahedron
An Icosahedron is a polyhedron with twenty
equal faces. Each face of an Icosahedron is
an equilateral triangle. It has thirty edges and
twelve vertices.
 Prism
A Prism is solid figure bounded by two
equal and parallel planes and all other faces
are parallelograms. The two equal and parallel
planes are called the bases and all the
parallelograms are called the lateral faces.
The intersections of the lateral faces are called
the lateral edges and are parallel to each
other. The perpendicular distance between
the bases is called the altitude of the Prism.

1. Right Prism – if the lateral edges are

parallel to the plane of the base.

V = 2.18a3 and A  5 3 a2 ,

where a is the length of an edge.

lateral
height ( h ) edge
Example 1: Find the volume and surface area lateral
of a regular tetrahedron whose edge is 3 m. face

Solution: base ( Ab )
base edge
2 3
V a A  3 a2
12 Volume: V = Abh
2 3 Lateral Area: AL = Pbh
V 3 A  3 3 
2
12 Total Surface Area: AT = AL + 2Ab
V = 3.18 m 3
A = 15.59 m 2

2. Oblique Prism – the lateral edges are not

Example 2: The volume of a dodecahedron is parallel to the plane of the base.
957.89 cubic inches. Find the measure of an
edge of the dodecahedron.

Solution:
Slant
V = 7.66a3 height
959.89 = 7.66a3 height ( h )
a3 = 125
a = 5 in

Example 3: Each face of a regular

icosahedron is 10 cm2. Find the total surface
area of the icosahedron.
Volume: V = Abh
Solution: Lateral Area: AL = ( Alateral faces )
A = 20( area of one face ) Total Surface Area: AT = AL + 2Ab
A = 20( 10 )
A = 200 cm2

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3. Rectangular Parallelepiped – a Solution:
rectangular prism

H
h=8

W
L
a=5
Volume:
V = LWH Consider the hexagonal base as
Lateral Area: shown below. When the hexagon is
AL = 2LH + 2WH divided into 6 equal triangles, each
is an equilateral triangle.
Total Surface Area:
AT = 2LH + 2WH + 2LW

4. Truncated Prism – a prism with the lateral

edges are of unequal lengths.

60o
5 5

h3
h2 1. AB = 6( area of triangle )
h1 1 2
AB = 6  (5) sin 60 o
h4 2
AB = 64.95
V = ABh
V = ( 64.95 )( 8 )

Volume: V  Ab
 heights V = 519.62 cm3
n

Lateral Area: A L  Pb
 heights 2. A L = P bh
n AL = 6( 5 )( 8 )
Total Surface Area: AT = Ab + AL AL = 240 cm2

Example 4: The base of a right prism is a

regular hexagon with sides 5 cm and the
altitude of the prism is 8 cm.
1. Compute its volume.
2. Compute its lateral area
Example 5: Find the volume of a truncated
square prism, the length of each side of the
base is 20 in and whose lateral edges are 40
in, 50 in, 30 in, and 20 in.

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Solution:  Pyramid

A Pyramid is solid figure bounded by three

or more triangular faces which have a
common vertex, and one other plane face, is
any polygon, which intersects each of the
h2 = 50
triangular faces at its edges.

h3 = 30 1. Right Pyramid
h1 = 40
h4 = 20 vertex
a = 20

a = 20 lateral edge
height( h )
lateral face
V  AB
h L
n
40  50  30  20
V  (20 )2 base
4
V = 14,000 in3
1
Volume: V= Abh
Example 6: Find the volume of a rectangular 3
parallelepiped, the dimensions of whose base 1
are 14 in and 9 in and with the area of its Lateral Area: AL = PbL ( with reguar base )
2
entire surface is 620 in2.
AL = ( Alateral faces ) ( irregular base )
Solution:
Total Surface Area: AT = AL + Ab

H 2. Oblique Pyramid

W=9

( h ) height
L = 14

A = 2LW + 2LH + 2WH

620 = 2( 14)( 9 ) + 2( 14 )H + 2( 9 )H
368 = 46H
H=8 1
Volume: V ABh
V = LWH 3
V = ( 14 )( 9 )( 8 ) Lateral Area:
V = 1,008 in 3 A L    areas of triangular faces 
Total Surface Area: AT = AL + Ab

Where L = slant height

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3. Frustum of a Pyramid 1. Consider the base:

upper base ( A1 ) 12
72o

( h ) height 36o a
6

6
tan 36 o 
lower base ( A2 ) a
a = 8.26

Volume: V 
h
3
A 1  A 2  A 1A 2  AB = 5
1
128.26 
2
AB = 247.75
Lateral Area:
1
AL   (areas of the faces) V
3
A Bh

For Frustum with regular bases: 1

V  (247 .75 )(32)
3
1
AL  P1  P2 L , V = 2,642.67 cm3
2
where P1 and P2 are the perimeter of the 2. L2 = h2 + a2
bases and L is the slant height. L2 = ( 32 )2 + ( 8.26 )2
L = 33.05
Example 7: A pyramid has a regular pentagon
as base with sides 12 cm and the altitude 1
AL  PBL
measures 32 cm. 2
1. Find the volume of the pyramid. 1
2. Find the lateral area of the pyramid. A L  (12)(5)(33.05 )
2
3. Find the total surface area.
AL = 991.50 cm2
Solution:
3. AT = AB + AL

( L ) Slant height AT = 247.75 + 991.50

AT = 1,239.25 cm2

h = 32 L2 = h2 + a2
h = 32
L2 = ( 32 )2 + ( 8.26 )2
L = 33.05

s = 12 Example 8: A frustum of a pyramid has an

upper square base x in by x in, a lower square
base 16 in by 16 in, and altitude of 12 in.
1. Compute the upper base edge x if the
volume is 1,792 in3.

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2. Compute the total surface area. A Circular Cylinder is a cylindrical surface
whose directrix is a circle.
Solution:

x axis
x
r

L
12 generator

4
16

16
Circle ( directrix )

1. V
h
3

A 1  A 2  A 1A 2 
A solid bounded by a cylindrical surface and
12  2 2 2 2  two parallel directrices at each end is called a
1,792  16  x  16  x 
3   Cylinder. The directrix is called the base, the
448 = 256 + x2 + 16x bounding cylindrical surface is called the
lateral surface, and the perpendicular
x2 + 16x – 192 = 0 distance between the bases is called the
( x – 8 )( x + 24 ) = 0 altitude of the cylinder.
x = 8 and x = - 24
A Right Circular cylinder is a solid
bounded by a cylindrical surface and with
Therefore the upper base edge is 8 in.
circular base.

2. L2 = ( 12 )2 + ( 4 )2
L = 12.65

Lateral surface
1
AL   P1  P2 L h ( altitude )
2
1 r
A L   4( 16 )  4( 8 )  12.65 
2

AL = 607.20 cm2

Volume:
Solids bounded by Curved Surfaces 1 2
V = r2h or V= d h ,
4
 Cylindrical Surface and Cylinder
Lateral Area:
A Cylindrical Surface is a surface
AL = 2rh or A = dh,
generated by moving a line and tracing a fixed
curve on a plane perpendicular to it. The
generating line is called the generator and the Total Surface Area:
curve traced is called the directrix. AT = AB + AL

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Example 9: The volume of a right circular Solution:
cylinder is 2,880 m3 and its lateral area is
480 m2. 1. Consider the cross – section:
1. Find the radius of the cylinder.
2. Find the altitude of the cylinder.
3. Find the total surface area of the cylinder.
x
Solution: 
0.5 0.25

1. From the lateral area: 

A = 2rh
480 = 2rh
240
h ------- ( 1 )
r  0.25
cos   = 360o – 120o
From the volume: 2 5
4
V = r2h  = 120o  = 240o or radians
3
2,880 = r2h
r2h = 2,880 ------- ( 2 ) Area of cross – section ( A ):
1 2
Substitute ( 1 ) to ( 2 ): A r   sin 
2
 240 
r 2    2,880 1  4 
 r  A (0.5)2   sin 120 o 
2  3 
r = 12 m
A = 0.63 m2

2. Substitute to ( 1 ): V = AL
V = ( 0.63 )( 3 )
240
h V = 1.89 m3
r
240
h x
12
2. sin 60 o  2
h = 20 m 0 .5
x = 0.866 m

3. AT = 2[( 12 )2 ] + 480 Area of surface = 0.866( 3 )

AT = 768 m2 Area of surface = 2.598 m2

Example 10: A cylindrical gasoline tank, lying 3. Consider the tank in vertical position:
horizontally is 1 m in diameter and 3 m long is
filled to a depth of 0.75 m.
1. Find the volume of gasoline it contains.
2. Find the area of the surface of gasoline.
3. If the tank is placed in vertical position,
how deep is the gasoline in the tank.

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 V = r2h r
1.89 = ( 0.5)2h
h = 2.406 m

L
 Conical Surface and Cone h
A Conical Surface is a surface generated
by moving an oblique line about an axis
intersecting it at one end and tracing a fixed
curve on a plane intersecting it on the other
end. The generating line is called the R
generator and the curve traced is called the
directrix. The intersection between the Volume:
generator and the axis is called the apex or
vertex.
V
3

h 2 2
R  r  Rr 
A Right Circular Cone is a solid bounded
by a conical surface and with circular base. Lateral Area:
Figure 32 shows a Circular Cone.
1
axis
AL  C1  C2 L or AL = L( R + r ),
2
vertex
Total Surface Area:
lateral surface
AT = A1 + A2 + AL
(altitude) h
L (slant height)
generator Example 11: A cone is to be constructed by
joining the two bounding radii of a sector
having a radius of 36 cm and a central angle
of 210o.
1. Find the height of the cone.
r
2. Find the lateral area of the cone.
Circle ( directrix ) 3. Find the volume of the cone.

Volume: Solution:
1 1
V  r 2h or V= d2h , 1. Consider the sector:
3 12
The circumference of the base is equal to the
Lateral Area: length of the arc of the sector.
dL
AL = rL or AT  ,
2
Total Surface Area:
AT = AB + AL R = 36
 = 210o S
Frustum of a Cone is a part of a cone
that is included between its base and a section
parallel to its base.

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 r2 + 10r – 96 = 0
( r + 16 )( r – 6 ) = 0
L=R r = -16 and r = 6
h Therefore the radius of the upper
base is 6 units.
r
r

S = R
 h = 18
S  (36 )(210 o ) 
180 o
S = 131.95 cm L

C = 2r
131.95 = 2r
R = 10
r = 21 cm

L2 = h2 + r2 2. L2 = h2 + ( BC )2
( 36 ) = h + ( 21 )
2 2 2
L2 = ( 18 )2 + ( 4 )2
h = 29.24 cm L = 18.44 units

2. A = rL
3. A = L( R + r )
A = ( 21 )( 36 )
A = ( 18.44 )( 10 + 6 )
A = 2,375.04 cm2
A = 926.90 sq. units

1 2
3. V r h  Sphere
3
A sphere is a solid figure formed by
1
V   ( 21 )2 ( 29.24 ) revolving a semicircle about its diameter. The
3 center is at C and with radius r. The surface of
V = 13,503.44 cm3 a sphere is the set of all points equidistant
from its center.
Example 12: The volume of a frustum of a
right circular cone 1,176 cubic units. The
altitude is 18 and the radius of the lower base interior
is10.
1. Find the radius of the upper base. r
2. Find the slant height of the frustum. C
3. Find the lateral area of the frustum.
surface
Solution:

1. V
h 2
3

R  r 2  Rr  Volume: V=
4 3
r .
3
1176  
 ( 18 )
3

( 10 )2  r 2  10r  Surface Area: A = 4r2.

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 The intersection of a plane with a sphere is
a circle. If the plane passes through the
center of the sphere, the intersection is a
great circle; otherwise the intersection is a
small circle.
 Spherical Wedge and Spherical Lune
A spherical wedge is a solid cut from a
sphere that is bounded by two semi great
circles. The radius of the wedge is equal to
the radius of the sphere. The angle between
the surfaces of the semicircles in the interior of
the wedge is called the central angle.

r

great circle
(a)

small circle

r 3 
Volume: V (  in degrees )
270 o
2
V  r 3 (  in radians )
3

Spherical lune is the part of the surface of the

sphere between the arcs of the two
(b)
semicircles.
r 2
Example 12: Three metal spheres of radii x, Area: A (  in degrees )
2x, and 3x respectively, are melted to form a 90o
new big sphere of radius R. The ratio of the
A  2r 2 (  in radians )
surface area to the volume of the new sphere
is 0.1817.
1. Compute the value of x. Example 13: A spherical lune has an area of
2. Compute the value of R. 2
200 m2 and a central angle of radians.
3
Solution: Find the volume of the spherical wedge.

a) V=
4
3
4
3

 R 3 =  x 3  ( 2 x )3  ( 3 x )3  Solution:

R = 3.30193x -------- ( 1 ) From the area of the lune:

S 4 3.30193 x 
2 A  2r 2
  0.1817
V 4  3.30193 3  2 
3 200 = 2r2  
 3 
x=5
r = 13.82 m
b) Substitute to ( 1 ):
Solving for the volume:
R = 3.30193( 5 )
2 3
R = 16.51 V r 
3

77
 2  2  Example 14: A hemispherical tank having a
V (13.82)3   radius of 2 meters contains 2.05 cubic meters
3  3  of water. Find the depth of water in the tank.
V = 3,685.46 m3
Solution:
r=2
 Spherical Segment and Spherical
Zone

A. Spherical Segment with one base is a

part of a sphere bounded by one small circle
called its base and a zone of the sphere. The
perpendicular distance from the center of the h
base to a point on the surface is its altitude
( h ).
zone
h2
V (3r  h)
h 3
h2
r
2.05  3(2)  h
3
By calculator: h = 6.02 m

Example 15: A frustum of a sphere ( spherical

segment ) has diameters of the bases 10.8 cm
h2 and 24.4 cm. The thickness of the frustum is 6
Volume: V (3r  h) cm.
3
1. Find the volume of the frustum.
Area of the zone: AZ = 2rh 2. Find the radius of the sphere.
3. Find the area of the zone of the frustum.
B. Spherical Segment with two bases is a
Solution:
part of a sphere bounded by two parallel small
circles called the bases. The perpendicular
distance between the bases is called the
altitude of the segment ( h ).
1. V=
h
6
2 2
3r1  3r2  h 2 
r2
V=
 6 
6

3 5.4   3 12.2   6 2
2 2

zone
h V = 1,791 cm3

r1 2.
r
r2 = 12.2 r1 = 5.4

h=6
R
Volume: V
h
6
 2 2
3(r1  r2 )  h2  x
R

Area of the zone: AZ = 2rh

78
 x2 + ( r2 )2 = R2
x2 + ( 12.2 )2 = R2
x2 + 148.84 = R2 -------- ( 1 )

( x + h )2 + ( r1 )2 = R2
( x + 6 )2 + ( 5.4 )2 = R2
x2 + 12x + 36 + 29.16 = R2
x2 + 12x + 65.16 = R2 ------- ( 2 )

Substitute ( 1 ) to ( 2 ):
x2 + 12x + 65.16 = x2 + 148.84
12x = 83.68
x = 6.97

Substitute to ( 1 ):
( 6.97 )2 + 148.84 = R2
R = 14.05 cm

3. A = 2Rh
A = 2( 14.05 )( 6 )
A = 530 cm2

79