Geometry GlanceSources

Cylinder calculator

cm

Centre to the circular edge.

cm

Advanced

Changing a measurement unit keeps its number: 3 cm becomes 3 m. Unit for all measurements applies to every input and the result. Result unit converts only the answers.

Right circular cylinder. Height is perpendicular to the bases; no wall thickness.

Number format

Use a decimal point or comma, without thousands separators. Up to 15 significant digits and 64 characters; no fractions or expressions.

Cylinder schematic. Right circular cylinder. Height is perpendicular to the bases; no wall thickness.rh

Not to scale

Enter your measurements to see the results.

No personal result is available. These are the right circular cylinder formulas and conditions.

Formulas and conditions

Right circular cylinder

A right circular cylinder with equal parallel circular bases. Radius r runs from the upper base center to its edge. Dashed height h joins the base centers, perpendicular to the bases, with a right-angle mark. The rear lower rim is dashed.rh
Volume
V=πr2h
Lateral area
LA=2πrh
Closed surface area
SA=2πr2+2πrh
Open-top area
A=πr2+2πrh

r base radius · d diameter = 2r · h perpendicular height · V volume · LA lateral area · SA closed surface area · A open-top area

Right circular cylinder; r, h > 0. No wall thickness.

Closed: two bases. Open top: one base. Lateral: no bases.

Diagrams are schematic, not to scale.

For a right circular cylinder, height is perpendicular to the two equal circular bases. If the circular measurement is a diameter, halve it to obtain r.

The curved side unrolls to a rectangle of width 2πr and height h. Lateral area counts no bases, open-top area counts one, and closed surface area counts two. No wall thickness is included.

Use the same length unit throughout a formula. Convert mixed measurements first. Length and perimeter use units such as cm; area uses cm²; volume uses cm³. Decimal examples below are rounded to at most six significant figures, with ≈ marking an approximation.

Worked example: Radius 3 cm and height 5 cm

  1. V = π × 3² × 5 = 45π cm³ ≈ 141.372 cm³.
  2. LA = 2π × 3 × 5 = 30π cm² ≈ 94.2478 cm².
  3. Closed SA = 30π + 2 × 9π = 48π cm² ≈ 150.796 cm².
  4. Open-top A = 30π + 9π = 39π cm² ≈ 122.522 cm².

Each circular base contributes 9π cm². Calling the curved-side result the closed surface area would omit both bases.

Formula sources

Formulas are checked against these references. The explanation, diagrams and worked calculations here are authored for Geometry Glance.