What is the Volume of a Space Figure? Definition and Examples

The volume of a space figure is how much space the figure occupies. For example, as you blow air inside a balloon, the balloon will occupy more and more space. As a result, the volume gets bigger and bigger.

The volume of a figure could also refer to the amount of "stuff" you can put inside a given space. For example, the volume of a water tank is the amount of space the water occupies within the tank.

In order to find the volume of a space figure, the figure must be a three-dimensional figure such as a cube, a pyramid, a cylinder, ...

The formula or method used to calculate the volume depends on the shape of the figure. 

Example Showing How to Find the Volume of Space Figure

The dimensions of a water tank shaped like a rectangular prism are length = 12 feet, width = 3 feet, and height = 6 feet. Find the volume of the tank.

Volume of the water tank = length × width × height

Volume of the water tank = 12 × 3 × 6

Volume of the water tank = 216 cubit feet = 216 ft³