Year 8 - Maths
Volume of cylinders
Perimeter, area and volume
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit pupils extend their knowledge of shapes by exploring the properties of circles and composite shapes before developing understanding of 3-D shapes including surface area and volume.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to use the constant cross-sectional area property of cylinders to determine their volume.
Key Notes
- A cylinder is not a prism but has a similar structure.
- The formula for the volume of a cylinder can be derived by using the formula for a prism.
- This can be used to find the volume of any cylinder.
- Unknown lengths can be found when the volume of a cylinder is known.
Vocabulary To Learn
- Prism: a polyhedron with a base that is a polygon and a parallel opposite face that is identical joined by parallelograms.
- Radius: any line segment that joins the centre of a circle to its circumference.
- Cylinder: 3D shape with a base that is a circle and a parallel opposite face that is identical and uniform cross-section.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils may multiply the length and radius before squaring.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Solve this in steps: explain the method from this lesson and why each step matters.
A cylinder is not a prism but has a similar structure. The formula for the volume of a cylinder can be derived by using the formula for a prism.
2. Use this key word in a maths sentence and explain it clearly. 'Prism'
a polyhedron with a base that is a polygon and a parallel opposite face that is identical joined by parallelograms. Use this word when showing your method, then check your final answer is reasonable.
3. Spot and fix this common maths mistake.
Mistake: Pupils may multiply the length and radius before squaring. Correction: Remind students of the order of operations and link to the volume of a prism formula: finding the area of the cross-section first.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Area of a circle Study Guide
- Area of composite shapes Study Guide
- Checking understanding of area Study Guide
- Checking understanding of perimeter Study Guide
- Circumference of a circle Study Guide
- Finding a length in composite shapes Study Guide
- Multiplicative relationships in circles Study Guide
- Perimeter of composite shapes Study Guide
- Problem solving with perimeter, area and volume Study Guide
- Properties of prisms Study Guide
- Surface area of cuboids Study Guide
- Surface area of cylinders Study Guide
- Surface area of prisms Study Guide
- Using the formula for the area of a circle Study Guide
- Volume of prisms Study Guide
Browse all guides in the Year 8 Maths guide library.