I have a report on triangular prisms. It tells me to print this out and find the surface area and volume of it. I have that done that, and now it wants me to do this:
Do you think the formulas for surface area and volume would work for other prisms? Why?
I'm not even sure what i'm supposed to be doing...

Question

I have a report on triangular prisms. It tells me to print this out and find the surface area and volume of it. I have that done that, and now it wants me to do this:
Do you think the formulas for surface area and volume would work for other prisms? Why?
I'm not even sure what i'm supposed to be doing...

ragingsquirrel · Answer

attachment

mikey · Answer

Well....the general method for finding the area of a prism is 2 times the area of the base +the perimeter of the base times the height.  So as long as your equation takes that form...it should apply to all prisms.

mikey · Answer

I meant the the surface area...sorry.

ragingsquirrel · Answer

What about the volume?

mikey · Answer

The volume is the area times the height.  So check to see that your equation matches that form.

mikey · Answer

Area of the base to be exact.

ragingsquirrel · Answer

So that would be a yes to the question?

mikey · Answer

I believe so.

ragingsquirrel · Answer

How do I answer this...

ragingsquirrel · Answer

sorry... i'm just a bit confused

mikey · Answer

I am too actually. :)  As long as your both your formulas fit the general form of the equations, which they should. Then the answer is yes.  And the reason why would be because They are general form equations that fit for all prisms.

mikey · Answer

Somehow you just need to show that your equations work for other prisms.