Solid Mensuration

Solid Mensuration deals primarily

with the various solids. The formulas
developed are used extensively in
railway engineering, in road and
bridge construction, in chemical and
physical analyses, and in large
variety
of
commercial
and
engineering projects.

Solid Mensuration
Part 1
Part 2

- Triangle
- Circle

Part 3 - Quadrilateral
Part 4 - Polygons
Part 5 - Solids with Plane Surfaces
Part 6 - Solids with Curve Surfaces
Part 7 - Spheres and its Families
Part 8 - Solids of Revolution

Definition:
Triangle a three sided polygon.

Types of Triangles

Isosceles Triangle - a triangle

having two sides equal in
length
Scalene Triangle - a triangle
having all sides unequal in
length

==

==

==

Equilateral
or
Equiangular
Triangle - a triangle having three
sides equal in length and all
interior angles equal to 60

==

==

Types of Triangles
Right Triangle - a triangle
having one right angle
Oblique Triangle - a triangle
having no right angle
Obtuse Triangle - a triangle
having one obtuse angle
Acute Triangle - a triangle
having all interior angles, acute
angles

Types of Triangle Centers

Centroid the point where the three medians of
the triangle meet.

Orthocenter the point wherein the three

altitudes of the triangle meet.

Types of Triangle Centers

Circumcenter the point wherein the three
perpendicular bisectors of the triangle meet.

Incenter the point wherein the three angle

bisectors of the triangle meet.

Areas of Triangles
Given: base and height
1
Area bh
2

Given: three sides

a

Given: two sides &

included angle
1
Area ab sin
2

Area s(s a )(s b)(s c)

where:

abc
2

Areas of Triangles
Triangle inscribed in a
circle
a

abc
Area
4r

Triangle circumscribing
a circle
a

Area rs
where:

abc
2

r
b

Triangle escribed
in a circle

a
b

Area r (s a )
where:

abc
s
2

Areas of Triangles
Sample Problem:
Find the area of the largest circular garden
which can be made from a triangular lot
measuring 5, 7 and 10 m respectively.
5m

7m

Solution :
A t rs

10 m

A t s s a s b s c
5 7 10
s
11
2
A t 1111 511 7 11 10
A t 16.248

circular
garden

16.248 r 11
r 1.477 m
A garden 1.477

A garden 6.853 m 2

Areas of Triangles
Sample
Problem:
Find the area of a circle circumscribing an

m.

10
c

c
10

m.

equilateral triangle having each side measuring

10 cm.

Solution :
abc
At
4r
A t s s a s b s c
10 10 10
15
2
A t 1515 10 15 10 15 10

A t 25 3

10 cm.

1010 10
4r
r 5.77 cm

25 3

A circle 5.77

A circle 104.593 cm 2

Similar Triangles
A

A1 A

A2 a

B
b

C
c

H
h

Sample Problem:
The corresponding sides of two similar triangles are
in the ratio 3:2. What is the ratio of their areas?

Solution :
A1 3
R

A2 2

Circle
Circle

d 2
A
r 2
4

d
r

Circumference = d = 2r

Sector of a Circle
1
1 2
A rs r ( rad )
2
2

r 2(deg)

360

S r ( rad )

r(deg)
180

Segment of a Circle

Asegment Asec tor A triangle

Sample Problem:

The area of the sector of a circle having a

central angle of 60 is 24. Find the
perimeter of the sector.
Solution :

Perimeter r r s
solve for r :
r

r
60o

A sec tor

solve for s :
1 2 o

r x
2
180o

1 2 o

r 60 x
2
180 o
r 12

24

s r

s 12 60o x
12.566
o
180

P 12 12 12.566
P 36.566

Circles

Other Properties:
1] Inscribed angle is one-half of the central angle.

Right

2] The product of the segments of two intersecting

chords are equal.
c
b

a
d

ab = cd

3] Relation between two secant lines and their

external segments.
D

Secant Lines

C
P

(PA)(PB) = (PC)(PD)
B
A

4] Relation between a tangent line, a secant line and

its external segment.
Secant Line

Tangent Line

(PA) = (PC)(PD)
2

Sample Problem:
An oblique triangle is inscribed in a circle. If
one side of the triangle has a length of 5 cm
and the angle subtended by that side is 15,
determine the area of the circle.
Solutio
n:

Solve for r:

15

15

2.5
r
r 9.659 cm.

sin 15o

30
2.5 cm

Solve for Ac:

5 cm.

A c r 2
9.659

A c 293.099 cm 2

Sample Problem:
The vertices A and B of a quadrilateral lie on a circle and
are collinear with an external point P. A secant is drawn to
the circle intersecting at C and D. Angle BPC = 30. If
secants PA and PD have lengths of 100 m and 90 m,
respectively and the external segment PB is 50 m,
determine the area of the quadrilateral ABCD.

Solutio
n:

100 m

50
m

30

C
D

PA PB PD PC
100 50 90 PC

90
m

Solve for Area of quadrilateral ABCD:

A ABCD A PAD A PBC

PC 55.556

1
100 90 sin 30o 1 50 55.556 sin 30o
2
2

1,555.55 m 2

A ABCD

Trapezoid

1
A a b h mh
2

Rectangle

A ab

Parallelogram
b

a
b

Square

Aa

d1

d2

Rhombus

1
A d1d 2 ah
2
2
a sin

a
d1
a

d2

A ab sin
bh
1
d1d1 sin
2

Given: diagonals and included angle

d1

d2

1
Area d1d 2 sin
2

Given: four sides & sum of opposite angles

a
C

Area (s a )(s b)(s c)(s d ) abcd cos 2

d
A

D
c

abcd
s
2

AC BD

2
2

Quadrilateral circumscribing a circle

a
b

Area rs
d

Area abcd

abcd
s
2

Cyclic Quadrilateral is a quadrilateral inscribed in

a circle
Area (s a )(s b)(s c)(s d )

a
d2

d1

abcd
s
2

d1d 2 ac bd (Ptolemy' s Theorem)

Problem:

Find the side of a square whose

area is equal to that of a rectangle
with sides 32 m and 18m.
Solutio
n:
18 m

32 m

a 2 3218
a 24 m

Problem:

An isosceles trapezoid has two base

angles of 45 and its bases are 6
and 10. Find its area.
Solutio
n:

45

45

6
10

h
tan 45
2
h 2 tan 45o
h2
therefore :
1
A 6 10 2
2
A 16 sq. units
o

Problem:

If the perimeter of a rhombus is 40

cm and one of its diagonals is 12,
find the other diagonal.
Solutio
n:

sin ce 12 10 2 10 2 , then it is a shorter diagonal

solving for ,

d1

a
d2

4a 40
a 10

12 2 10 2 10 2 210 10 cos
73.74o

then , 106.26o
solving for the other diagonal :
d1 10 2 10 2 21010 cos106.26o
2

d1 16

Polygons
Polygons are named according to
the number of sides.
3 sides =
4 sides =
=
5 sides =
6 sides =
7 sides =
8 sides =
9 sides =
=

Triangle
10 sides =
Quadrilateral
11 sides =
Tetragon
12 sides =
Pentagon
15 sides =
Hexagon
=
Heptagon
16 sides =
Octagon
20 sides =
Nonagon
1000 sides =
Enneagon

Decagon
Undecagon
Dodecagon
Quidecagon
Pentedecagon
Hexadecagon
Icosagon
Chillagon

Polygons

Diagonal Line

Let:
n = number of sides

= interior angle
= exterior angle

Sum of interior angles:

S n n 2 180

Value of each interior angle:

n 2 180

Sum of exterior angles:

S n 360
Value of each exterior angle:

360

n
Number of diagonal lines (N):

n
N n 3
2

Problem:
Determine the value of each interior angle of a
regular octagon?
Solutio
n:

sin ce n 8, then

8 2 180

135O
Problem:
How many diagonals are there in a nonagon?
Solutio
sin ce n 9, then
n:

9
N 9 3
2
N 27 diagonals

Area of a regular polygon inscribed in a circle

of radius r:

1 2 360
A nr sin

2
n

Area of a regular polygon circumscribing a circle

of radius r:

180

A nr tan

Area of a regular polygon having each side

measuring x unit length:

1 2 180
A nx cot

4
n

Problem:

Determine the sum of angles of the

vertices of a regular 5-pointed star
inscribed in a circle.
Solutio
n:

The polygon at the center is a regular

pentagon, so n=5. Then the value of
each interior angle is,

5 2 180

108O

then, 72o
solving for :
180 o
36o

Therefore,
the sum of
the angles of
the vertices
of
the
5pointed star is
5 w/c is
equal to 360o.

Problem:

A circle of radius 10 cm is inscribed

in a regular hexagon. Find the area
of the hexagon.
Solutio
n:

180
2
A nr tan

180 o
A 610 tan

Given:
n = 6 (hexagon)
r = 10 cm

A 346.41 cm 2

Problem:

Find the radius of the circle

circumscribing a regular nonagon of
whose perimeter is 405 cm.
Solutio
n:

Area of nonagon :
180o
1 2
A nx cot

4
n

Given:
P = 405 cm

405 9 x
x 45 cm

180 o
1
2
A 9 45 cot

4
9

A 12518.194 cm 2

Solving for radius of circle :

1 2 360 o
A nr sin

2
n

360 o
1
2
12518.194 9 r sin

2
9

r 65.786 cm

Solids with Plane Surfaces

Polyhedron a solid bounded by planes. The
bounding planes are referred to as the faces
and the intersections of the faces are called the
edges. The intersections of the edges are called
vertices.
Rectangular Parallelepiped
- polyhedron with six faces which
are all rectangles.

V abc

A (surface) 2 ab bc ac

A ( lateral) 2 bc ac

b
a

Cube a polyhedron with six faces which are all

squares.
3

Va
A (surface) 6a 2

A ( lateral) 4a

a
a

Prism a polyhedron having two faces which are equal

polygons in parallel planes and whose other faces are
parallelograms.

V Bh
A ( lateral) PL
A (surafce) A ( lateral) 2B
where:
P = perimeter of base
L = slant height
B = base area

h=L

h
B

Oblique Prism

Right Prism

Truncated Prism

V B

heights

h3

h1

number of heights

h5

h2

h4
B

Pyramid a polyhedron whose base is a polygon of any

number of sides and whose other faces are triangles with a
common vertex.

1
V Bh
3
A ( lateral) A faces
A (surface) A lateral B

Solving for Alateral of a pyramid:

Slant
height

Solving for y:

L
y
/2

y
x

x/2
= central angle

A ( lateral) A faces

If lateral edge (e) is given:

Lateral
edge

A ( lateral) A faces

Frustum of a Pyramid is the portion between

the base of a pyramid and a section parallel to
the base.

h
V A1 A 2 A1A 2
3

A2
h

where: A1 = area of lower base

A2 = area of upper base

A1

Solving for Alateral of a frustum:

A2

A1

y1
x1
L

x2

y2

y2 y1

Regular Polyhedron a solid bounded by

planes whose faces are congruent regular
polygons.
There
are
only
five
regular
polyhedrons namely:
a) Tetrahedron
b) Hexahedron (cube)
c) Octahedron

d) Dodecahedron
e) Icosahedron

Regular Polyhedrons
Name

Tetrahedron

Hexahedron

Octahedron

Dodecahedron

Icosahedron

Type of
Face

Triangle

Square

Triangle

Pentagon

Triangle

No. of
faces

12

20

No. of
Edges

12

12

30

30

No. of
Vertices

20

12

V 7.66x 3

V 2.18x 3

Formulas

for
Volume

2 3
x
12

V x3

2 3
x
3

where: x = length of one face

Lateral Area = (number of faces) (area of one face)

Problem:
The altitude of a parallelepiped is 20 cm
and the base is a rhombus with diagonals
10 and 16 cm respectively. Find its
volume.
Problem:
The lateral area of a right prism is 162 m2
and the base is a rectangle 3 by 6 m. Find the
altitude of the prism.
Problem:
Find the volume of a rectangular square
pyramid if each edge of the base measures
10 in., and the slant height of the pyramid
measures 13 in.

Problem:
The frustum of a regular triangular
pyramid has equilateral triangles for its
bases
measuring
3m
and
9m
respectively. If the bases are 8 m apart,
determine its volume.
Problem:
A solid has a circular base of diameter 20 cm.
Find the volume of the solid if every cutting
plane perpendicular to the base along a given
diameter is an equilateral triangle.
Problem:
Determine the total surface area of an
icosahedron if the length of each edge is 10
cm.

Solids with Curve Surfaces

Cylinder a solid bounded by a closed
cylindrical surface and two parallel bases.

V Bh KL
A ( lateral) PK L 2rh

A (surface) A ( lateral) 2B

K
B

where:
Pk = perimeter of right section
K = area of right section
B = base area
L = slant height

h
B

Cone a solid bounded by a conical surface and

a plane cutting all the elements.

1
V Bh
3
A ( lateral) rL

h
B

Right Cone

Oblique Cone

Frustum of a Cone is that portion

of a cone
bounded by the base and a plane parallel to the base.

h
V A1 A 2 A1A 2
3
A (lateral) R r L
where: L = slant height

A2
L

h
A1

Problem:
The base area of a circular cylinder is 12
cm2 and an element of the cylinder is 10
cm. Find the volume of the cylinder if the
element is inclined to the base at an
angle of 60.
Problem:
Find the volume of the frustum of a right
circular cone whose slant height is 10
cm and whose radii are 3 cm and 9 cm.

Spheres and its Families

Sphere a solid all points on its surface are
equidistant from a point within it.

4 3
V r
3
A (surface) 4r 2

Spherical Lune is that portion of a spherical

surface bounded by the halves of two great
circles.
2

A (surface)

r

90

where: must be in degrees

Spherical Zone is that portion of a spherical

surface between two parallel planes. A spherical
zone of one base has one bounding plane
tangent to the sphere.
h
r

A ( zone) 2rh

Spherical Segment is that portion of a sphere

bounded by a zone and the planes of the zones bases.
h

h 2
3r h
V
3

h 2
V
3a h 2
6

h 2
3a 3b 2 h 2
6

r
b

Spherical Wedge is that portion of a sphere

bounded by a lune and the planes of the half
circles of the lune.

r 3
V
270

where: must be in degrees

Spherical Cone is a solid formed by the revolution

of a circular sector about its one side (radius of the
circle).
1
h

V A ( zone) r
3
A ( zone ) 2rh

A (surface) A ( zone) A ( lateralofcone )

Spherical Pyramid is that portion of a sphere

bounded by a spherical polygon and the planes
of its sides.

r 3E
V
540

E = spherical excess
= (A+B+C+D+) - (n-2) 180
where: E = spherical excess
n = number of sides of the given spherical polygon

Problem:
Find the volume of a sphere whose
surface area is 64 cm2.
Problem:
A spherical wooden ball 15 cm in
diameter sinks to a depth of 12 cm in a
certain liquid. Determine the area
exposed above the liquid.

Solids of Revolution
Torus (Doughnut) a solid formed by rotating
a circle about an axis not passing the circle.
r

V 22 Rr 2
A (surface) 42Rr

Ellipsoid

4
V abc
3

top view

b
c

Oblate Spheroid a solid formed by rotating

an ellipse about its minor axis. It is a special
ellipsoid with c = a.

4 2
V a b
3

Prolate Spheroid a solid formed by rotating an

ellipse about the major axis. It is a special ellipsoid
with c = b.
4
2

V ab
3

Paraboloid a solid formed by rotating a parabolic

segment about its axis of symmetry.

1 2
V r h
2

r
h

Problem:
If each side of a cube is doubled, by
what percent will its volume be
increased?

Problem:
A paper weight is a pyramid with an altitude
of 4 inches. At what distance from its vertex
must it be cut by a plane parallel to its base
so that two solids of equal weight can be
formed?

Practice Problems
Prob. 1
The angle of elevation of the top of tower B from the top of
tower A is 24 and the angle of elevation of tower A from
the base of tower B is 48. If the height of tower B is 80 m,
find
the2 height of tower A.
Prob.
A, B and C are the interior angles of a triangle. If tan A tan B tan
C = 15 and tan A + tan B = 10, find tan C.
Prob. 3
If 77 + 0.40x = arc tan (cot 0.25x), find x.
Prob. 4
A triangular lot ABC has angles B = 50 and C = 60. Distance
BC = 300 m. A line DE which is 140 m long is laid out parallel to
BC with point D on the side AC and point E on the side AB.
Compute
Prob.
5 the area of triangle ABC.
In triangle ABC, angle C = 70, A = 45 and AB = 40 m. What is
the length of the median drawn from vertex A to side BC?
Prob. 6
A triangle having an area of 216 in2 is inscribed in a circle of
radius 15 in. If one of the sides of the triangle is 30 in, find one of
the other two sides.

Practice Problems

Prob. 7
Two secants AB and AC are drawn from point A outside a
circle which intersects the circle at B and D and C and E.
Point D is colinear with line AB and point E is also colinear
with line AC. AB = 90 cm., AC = 120 cm. The angle
between the two secants is 30. Find the area of the
quadrilateral
Prob.
8
inscribed in the circle BDEC.
Two identical closed conical tanks having an altitude of 6m and
base radius 2m contains equal amount of liquid. The first tank has
its horizontal base at the bottom while the second is at the top.
The liquid in the first tank stands 3 m deep. How deep is the liquid
Prob.
in the second
9
tank?
Find the volume of the largest cube that can be cut from a
sphere of diameter 5 cm.
Prob. 10
ABCD is a square of side 10 cm. Four congruent isosceles
triangles with sides equal to x are cut off from the four
corners so that the remaining portion forms an octagon.
Prob.
11 the value of x.
Compute
Determine the sum of angles of the vertices of a regular
5-pointed star inscribed in a circle.

Practice Problems
Prob. 12
A circle is circumscribed about a hexagon. The area outside
the hexagon but inside the circle is 15 m2. Compute the
area of the hexagon.
Prob. 13
A horizontal cylindrical tank has a radius of 600 mm and a length
of 5 m. Find the volume of the water in the tank if it is 7/8 full.
Prob. 14
A cyclic quadrilateral has the sides AB = 8, BC = 10 and CD
= 12 cm respectively. The fourth side DA is the diameter of
the circle. Find the area of the circle.