Volume of a cube: A detailed guide

Imagine you're holding a cube. A cube is a solid shape where all its sides are the same length, just like a perfect dice. To find out how much space this cube takes up, we need to calculate its volume.

Think about a square piece of paper for a moment. The space it covers is called 'surface area', and you can find it by multiplying its length by its width. Since a square has sides of equal length, we can simply say the surface area is "a times a," which is the same as "\(a^2\)."

Now, let's get back to our cube. It's like stacking several of these square sheets on top of each other until they reach a certain height. Here's the key detail: the height is the same as the length and breadth, so it's also "a."

To figure out the total space the cube occupies, we need to find the combined area covered by all these stacked squares. This total area is just the area of one square (the bottom one) multiplied by the height, which is "a." So, the volume of the cube is "\(a^2\) times a," which is written as "\(a^3\)."

In simpler terms, to calculate the volume of a cube, all you have to do is raise the length of one of its sides, represented as "a," to the power of 3. This gives you the formula: Volume of Cube = "\(a^3\)." 

That's all there is to it! 

You've now figured out how much space a cube occupies, knowing that its height is the same as its length and breadth.

The process of calculating the volume of a cube can be broken down into three steps.

1. Measure and record the length, width, and height of the cube. Ensure that all three, i.e. the length, width, and height are the same.

2. Multiply these three numbers together to get the area of each side of the cube. For example, if a cube has a length of 5 cm, width of 5 cm, and height of 5 cm, then the area of each side would be \(5 * 5*5\)  or \(5^3\)= \(125 cm^3\).

3. Write down your answer in cubic units, like \(125 cm^3\) and make sure to double-check your calculation to avoid careless maths mistakes.

How to calculate cube volume when you have been given the length of a side

What makes a cube unique is that all of its sides are of equal length, and it has right angles at every corner.  In this section, we'll explore a straightforward formula to determine the volume of a cube when you have been given the length of one of its sides.

Here are the steps you need to follow when you wish to find out the volume of a cube given the length of one side of a cube.

1. Understand the cube

First, it's essential to know what a cube is. A cube is a three-dimensional geometric shape where all sides are of equal length, and all angles are right angles (90 degrees).

2. Identify the side length (l)

In this formula, "l" represents the length of one side of the cube. You need to measure or know the length of this side. Let's assume it's "l" units.

3. Volume formula for a cube

The formula to find the volume (V) of a cube is straightforward:
V = \(l^3\)
So, you are essentially multiplying the side length (l) by itself twice (\(l * l * l\)).

4. Calculating the volume

To find the volume, simply substitute the value of the side length (l) into the formula. For example, if the side length (l) is 4 units, then:
V = \(4^3\)

V = 4 * 4 * 4

V = 64 cubic units
So, the volume of a cube with a side length of 4 units is 64 cubic units.

5. Units of volume

Always remember to include the units in your answer. In this case, since you measured the side length in units, the volume will be in cubic units (e.g., cubic inches, cubic centimetres, or cubic meters), depending on the unit of measurement used for the side length.

That's it! 

You've successfully found the volume of a cube using the side length (l). It's a straightforward formula that works for any cube, no matter how large or small, as long as you know the length of one of its sides.