Prism Calculator
Calculate volume and surface area of a triangular prism from base dimensions and length.
About Prism Calculator
A triangular prism has two parallel triangular faces and three rectangular lateral faces. Volume = base area × length. The base area is found via Heron's formula.
Formulas
Volume
V = base area × length
- A_base
- Area of the triangular cross-section
- l
- Prism length
Surface Area
SA = perimeter × length + 2 × base area
- P
- Triangle perimeter
- l
- Prism length
- A_base
- Triangle area
Worked example
With the default values below, Prism Calculator returns Volume of 60.0000. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.
Inputs used
- Triangle Side aminimum 0 units
- 3 units
- Triangle Side bminimum 0 units
- 4 units
- Triangle Side cminimum 0 units
- 5 units
- Prism Lengthminimum 0 units
- 10 units
Results
- Volume
- 60.0000 cu units
- Total Surface Area
- 132.0000 sq units
- Lateral Area
- 120.0000 sq units
- Triangular Base Area
- 6.0000 sq units
Step by step
- 1Base area (Heron's)= 6.0000
- 2Volume= 60.0000
- 3Total SA= 132.0000
Assumptions and limits
- The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
- In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
- Figures are rounded for display to 4 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this work for non-right prisms?
This formula assumes a right prism (lateral edges perpendicular to the base). For oblique prisms, volume is still base area × perpendicular height.
Can I use this for other base shapes?
The formula V = base area × length works for any prism. This calculator uses a triangular base specifically.