Geometry Formulas

(5 3.141592...)
rea Formulas
Note: "ab" means "a" multiplied by "b". "a
2
" means "a squared", which is the same as "a" times "a".
Be careful!! Units count. Use the same units for all measurements. Examples
square a
2

rectangle ab
parallelogram bh
trapezoid h/2 (b
1
b
2
)
circle 5 r
2

ellipse 5 r
1
r
2


triangle


one halI times the base length times the
height oI the triangle

equilateral triangle


triangle given SS (two sides and the opposite angle)
(1/2) a b sin C
triangle given a,b,c |s(s-a)(s-b)(s-c)| when s (abc)/2 (Heron's formula)
regular polygon (1/2) n sin(360/n) S
2

when n # oI sides and S length Irom center to a corner
Units
Area is measured in "square" units. The area oI a Iigure is the number oI squares required to cover it
completely, like tiles on a Iloor.
Area oI a square side times side. Since each side oI a square is the same, it can simply be the length oI one
side squared.
II a square has one side oI 4 inches, the area would be 4 inches times 4 inches, or 16 square inches. (Square
inches can also be written in
2
.)
Be sure to use the same units for all measurements. You cannot multiply Ieet times inches, it doesn't make a
square measurement.
The area oI a rectangle is the length on the side times the width. II the width is 4 inches and the length is 6 Ieet,
what is the area?
NOT CORRECT .... 4 times 6 24
CORRECT.... 4 inches is the same as 1/3 Ieet. Area is 1/3 Ieet times 6 Ieet 2 square Ieet. (or 2 sq. It., or 2
It
2
).
Volume Formulas
Note: "ab" means "a" multiplied by "b". "a
2
" means "a squared", which is the same as "a" times "a".
"b
3
" means "b cubed", which is the same as "b" times "b" times "b".
Be careful!! Units count. Use the same units for all measurements. Examples
cube a
3

rectangular prism a b c
irregular prism b h
cylinder b h 5 r
2
h
pyramid (1/3) b h
cone (1/3) b h 1/3 5 r
2
h
sphere (4/3) 5 r
3

ellipsoid (4/3) 5 r
1
r
2
r
3


Units
Volume is measured in "cubic" units. The volume oI a Iigure is the number oI cubes required to Iill it
completely, like blocks in a box.
Volume oI a cube side times side times side. Since each side oI a square is the same, it can simply be the
length oI one side cubed.
II a square has one side oI 4 inches, the volume would be 4 inches times 4 inches times 4 inches, or 64 cubic
inches. (Cubic inches can also be written in
3
.)
Be sure to use the same units for all measurements. You cannot multiply Ieet times inches times yards, it
doesn't make a perIectly cubed measurement.
The volume oI a rectangular prism is the length on the side times the width times the height. II the width is 4
inches, the length is 1 Ioot and the height is 3 Ieet, what is the volume?
NOT CORRECT .... 4 times 1 times 3 12
CORRECT.... 4 inches is the same as 1/3 Ieet. Volume is 1/3 Ieet times 1 Ioot times 3 Ieet 1 cubic Ioot (or 1
cu. It., or 1 It
3
).
Surface rea Formulas
In general, the surIace area is the sum oI all the areas oI all the shapes that cover the surIace oI
the object.
Cube , Rectangular Prism , Prism , Sphere , Cylinder , Units
Note: "ab" means "a" multiplied by "b". "a
2
" means "a squared", which is the same as
"a" times "a".
Be careful!! Units count. Use the same units for all measurements. Examples

Surface rea of a Cube 6 a
2

(a is the length oI the side oI each edge oI the cube)
In words, the surIace area oI a cube is the area oI the six squares that cover it. The area oI one oI
them is a*a, or a
2
. Since these are all the same, you can multiply one oI them by six, so the
surIace area oI a cube is 6 times one oI the sides squared.

Surface rea of a Rectangular Prism 2ab + 2bc + 2ac
(a, b, and c are the lengths oI the 3 sides)
In words, the surIace area oI a rectangular prism is the area oI the six rectangles that cover it. But
we don't have to Iigure out all six because we know that the top and bottom are the same, the
Iront and back are the same, and the leIt and right sides are the same.
The area oI the top and bottom (side lengths a and c) a*c. Since there are two oI them, you get
2ac. The Iront and
back have side lengths oI b and c. The area oI one oI them is b*c, and there are two oI them, so
the surIace area oI those two is 2bc. The leIt and right side have side lengths oI a and b, so the
surIace area oI one oI them is a*b. Again, there are two oI them, so their combined surIace area is
2ab.

Surface rea of ny Prism
(b is the shape oI the ends)
SurIace Area Lateral area Area oI two ends
(Lateral area) (perimeter oI shape b) * L
SurIace Area (perimeter oI shape b) * L 2*(Area oI shape b)


Surface rea of a Sphere 4 5 r
2

(r is radius oI circle)

Surface rea of a Cylinder 2 5 r
2
+ 2 5 r h
(h is the height oI the cylinder, r is the radius oI the top)
SurIace Area Areas oI top and bottom Area oI the side
SurIace Area 2(Area oI top) (perimeter oI top)* height
SurIace Area 2(5 r
2
) (2 5r)* h
In words, the easiest way is to think oI a can. The surIace area is the areas oI all the parts needed
to cover the can.
That's the top, the bottom, and the paper label that wraps around the middle.
You can Iind the area oI the top (or the bottom). That's the Iormula Ior area oI a circle (5 r
2
).
Since there is both a top and a bottom, that gets multiplied by two.
The side is like the label oI the can. II you peel it oII and lay it Ilat it will be a rectangle. The area
oI a rectangle is the product oI the two sides. One side is the height oI the can, the other side is
the perimeter oI the circle, since the label wraps once around the can. So the area oI the rectangle
is (2 5r)* h.
Add those two parts together and you have the Iormula Ior the surIace area oI a cylinder.
SurIace Area 2(5 r
2
) (2 5r)* h


Tip! Don't forget the units.
These equations will give you correct answers iI you keep the units straight. For example - to Iind
the surIace area
oI a cube with sides oI 5 inches, the equation is:
SurIace Area 6*(5 inches)
2

6*(25 square inches)
150 sq. inches


a circle

Definition: A circle is the locus of all points equidistant
from a central point.
Definitions Related to Circles
arc: a curved line that is part oI the circumIerence oI a circle
chord: a line segment within a circle that touches 2 points on the circle.
circumference: the distance around the circle.
diameter: the longest distance Irom one end oI a circle to the other.
origin: the center oI the circle
pi ( ): A number, 3.141592..., equal to (the circumIerence) / (the diameter) oI any circle.
radius: distance Irom center oI circle to any point on it.
sector: is like a slice oI pie (a circle wedge).
tangent of circle: a line perpendicular to the radius that touches ONLY one point on the circle.
Diameter = 2 x radius of circle
Circumference of Circle = ! x diameter = 2 PI x radius
where ! = = 3.141592...
Area of Circle:
area = PI r
2

Length of a Circular Arc: (with central angle )
if the angle is in degrees, then length = x (PI/180) x r
if the angle is in radians, then length = r x
Area of Circle Sector: (with central angle )
if the angle is in degrees, then area = ( /360)x PI r
2

if the angle is in radians, then area = (( /(2PI))x PI r
2

Equation of Circle: (Cartesian coordinates)

for a circle with center k) and radius r):
x-)
^2
+ -k)
^2
= r
^2

Equation of Circle: (polar coordinates)
for a circle with center (0, 0): r ) = radius
for a circle with center with polar coordinates: (c, ) and radius a:
r
2
- 2cr cos - ) + c
2
= a
2

Equation of a Circle: (parametric coordinates)
for a circle with origin (j, k) and radius r:
xt) = r cost) + t) = r sint) + k

Perimeter Formulas
The perimeter of any polygon is the sum of the lengths of all the sides.
Note: "ab" means "a" muItipIied by "b". "a
2
" means "a squared", which is the same as "a" times "a".
Be carefuI!! Units count. Use the same units for aII measurements. Examples
square = 4a




rectangIe = 2a + 2b
triangIe = a + b + c
circIe = 5 r


circIe = 5 d (where d is the diameter)
The perimeter of a circle is more commonly known as the circumference.
Units
Be sure to only add similar units. For example, you cannot add inches to feet.
For example, if you need to find the perimeter of a rectangle with sides of 9 inches and 1 foot, you must
first change to the same units.
perimeter = 2 ( a + b)
INCORRECT
perimeter = 2(9 + 1) = 2*10 = 20
CORRECT
perimeter = 2( 9 inches + 1 foot)
= 2( 3/4 foot + 1 foot )
= 2(1 3/4 feet)
= 3 1/2 feet