Volume of pyramid base 6 by 4 height 5

Step by step

The question

Question: find the volume of a pyramid with a rectangle base 6 by 4 and height 5.

1 Area of the base

The base is a rectangle, 6 by 4.

Its area is length times width: A = 6 × 4.

6 times 4 is 24.

So the base is A = 24 square units.

2 A third of the box

Draw a box around the pyramid, with the same base and the same height.

Fill the pyramid with sand 3 times.

That fills the box exactly.

So the pyramid is one third of the box.

The box is A times height.

So the pyramid is V = ⅓ × A × height.

Now put the numbers in: A = 24 and height = 5.

Keep the numbers small: divide 24 by 3 first.

24 divided by 3 is 8.

So V = 8 × 5.

8 times 5 is 40.

So the volume is 40 cubic units.

Let's look back.

First: area of the base.

Last: a third of the box.