If you’re sitting in geometry struggling to memorize dozens of formulas to find the area, perimeter, and volume of shapes you’ve never even seen before, you may have begun to harbor some ill will towards the subject. You’re probably also wondering why you would ever need to know such equations outside of math class. Trust me, as someone who was never geometry’s number one fan, I thought the same things. As I grew older, however, I realized that I could use almost any geometric formula in my everyday life. Let’s learn how to calculate the volume of a sphere to see for ourselves.
As a refresher, a sphere is essentially a three-dimensional circle, like a Christmas bulb. Volume refers to the amount of space that can be held within a shape.
The formula to find the volume of a sphere is 4/3(π)r³. R stands for radius, which is the distance from the center of the sphere to the outermost point. Π is an irrational number that goes on forever, but its value is usually simplified to 3.141. To learn about this formula and others, we recommend getting some equations homework help.
So what can we do with this formula? Say your little brother accidentally pops a hole in your basketball, and you want to order a new one of the same size online. There aren’t any markings on your old ball that specify the size, and you don’t want to order the wrong one and have to send it back. Luckily for you, you have the formula to calculate the basketball’s volume, so you can simply match your basketball’s size to a new one.
Start by finding the radius using a tape measurer or ruler, and then cube that value. If the radius is 4 inches, you multiply 4 times 4, times 4 again, which would give you 64 inches³. The next step would be to multiply 64 inches³ and π, which would come out to approximately 201.1 inches³. The last step would be to multiply that value by 4/3. This gives your basketball a grand volume of approximately 268.13 inches³.
See how simple that was? Once you get the hang of the formula, you’ll be able to calculate the volume of any sphere. You’ll be the master of measuring everything from a grape to a volleyball! Read on if you want to learn how to calculate the area of a sphere.