Cylinder volume calculator
Enter the base radius and the height, and the calculator works out the volume of the cylinder and its total surface area.
A cylinder with radius 3 and height 10 has a volume of 282.74.
Formula
r is the base radius and h the height. Volume is the area of the base multiplied by the height.
How we got there
The total surface area is 2π r (r + h) — both circular faces plus the curved surface unrolled.
How to work out the volume of a cylinder by hand
- Work out the area of the base
The base is a circle, so π × 3² ≈ 28.27.
- Multiply by the height
28.27 × 10 ≈ 282.74. That is the volume.
- Check the units
Volume is in cubic units, because you are multiplying three dimensions.
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Frequently asked questions
Multiply the area of the base by the height: V = π r² h. For a radius of 3 and height of 10 that is about 282.74.
Add both circular faces to the curved surface: 2π r² + 2π r h, which factorises as 2π r (r + h).
Halve the diameter. Using it directly would overstate the volume fourfold.
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