Enter the base side and the height of a square pyramid to get its volume, slant height and total surface area. The page also has rectangular and hexagonal pyramids, and a square frustum for a pyramid with its tip cut off.
24 solids in six groups. Enter the dimensions and the model updates instantly.
Prices are in whatever currency you use. The material price needs a material or density above.
Export the shape at your real size for 3D printing, or print a flat net you can cut out and fold into a paper model.
Choose Square pyramid for a square base, or pick Rectangular pyramid or Hexagonal pyramid from the shape list. Enter the base side(s) and the vertical height from base to tip.
This page is the square pyramid view of the full 3D Shape Calculator, which covers 24 solids. Every shape button is still available, so you can compare solids without leaving the page.
In every formula, r is a radius, h is a height or depth, and all measurements must use the same unit. The result is in that unit cubed for volume and squared for area.
The Great Pyramid of Giza had an original base side of roughly 230.3 m and a height of about 146.6 m. The formula gives (1/3) × 230.3² × 146.6 ≈ 2.59 million m³, which shows how much stone a pyramid of that size contains in total.
Pyramids matter in architecture and construction (roofs, monuments, glass atria), in packaging, in engineering models and in geometry lessons. Roofers use the slant height and face area to estimate material for a pyramid-shaped roof.
What is the formula for the volume of a pyramid? V = (1/3) × base area × height. For a square base of side a this is (1/3) × a² × h.
What is the difference between height and slant height? The height is the vertical distance from the middle of the base to the tip. The slant height is measured along the middle of a triangular face and is longer. The surface area uses the slant height.
How do I find the volume of a rectangular pyramid? Multiply the two base sides to get the base area, multiply by the height and divide by three. Select Rectangular pyramid in the calculator to do it automatically.
What if the top of the pyramid is cut off? That solid is a frustum. Use the Square frustum shape, where you enter the bottom side, the top side and the height.