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Volume of a Hexagonal Prism
Lesson Contents
Hexagonal Prism Volume Formula
The formula for volume of a hexagonal prism is given as:
V = 3√3⁄2a2h
Where V is the volume, a is the hexagon base’s edge length, and h is the height of the prism.
What is a Hexagonal Prism?
A hexagonal prism is the three-dimensional shape that is created from extending the face of a hexagon upwards into the third dimension. Since a hexagon is two dimensional, it becomes a prism once it extends upwards into the third dimension.
The difference between a hexagonal prism and a rectangular prism is the shape of the cross section. The cross section of a prism is what we see if we cut the prism on a plane that is parallel to its base plane. It will appear as the shape that the base of the prism is made of, which is a hexagon in the case of a hexagonal prism, and a rectangle in the case of a rectangular prism.
Example Problem
Find the volume of a hexagonal prism with a base edge length of 20 and a prism height of 10.
Solution:
1.) We have all values needed to use the volume formula directly. Let’s plug the given dimensions into the volume formula.
2.) V = 3√3⁄2a2h
V = 3√3⁄2(202)(10) = 10,392.3
3.) The volume of the hexagonal prism is 10,392.3.