Imperial and U.S. customary measurement systems use the cubic foot to measure volume. Cubic feet help to calculate the capacity or size of something in three-dimensional space. This measurement commonly uses in various fields like construction, architecture, and engineering to measure the capacity of an object or space.
We are going to discuss the definition and formula of cubic feet. We will learn how to compute the volume of three-dimensional shapes in cubic feet. In the example section, we will solve some examples of finding volume in cubic feet.
Table of Contents
Definition of Cubic Feet
Cubic feet are a measuring unit used to calculate the volume of three-dimensional objects. The Cubic foot is the volume occupied by a cube whose sides measure one foot each. Thus, if you have an object that has a cubic shape with each side measuring one foot, its volume will be expressed in cubic feet.
It is commonly abbreviated as “ft3” or “cu ft” Cubic feet are used in the United States and the United Kingdom as a unit of volume. It is derived by multiplying the length, width, and height of the object or space, with each measurement represented in feet.
The formula of Cubic feet
The formula for finding volume in cubic feet is:
Volume in Cubic feet = length (In feet) × width (In feet) × height (In feet)
Where:
- The length represents the measurement of the longest side of the object.
- The width refers to the dimension that is perpendicular to the length.
- Height is the dimension of the object that is perpendicular to both length and width.
Applications of Cubic Feet
There are several uses for cubic feet in many fields. Let’s explore some of the common applications of cubic feet:
- Real estate: Cubic feet are used to measure the volume of a house, apartment, or other types of property. This information helps buyers and sellers to decide the cost of the property.
- Construction and Architecture: Cubic feet are used to determine the volume of materials needed, such as concrete, steel, and lumber. Contractors can use this info to calculate project costs. Moreover, understanding cubic feet is vital for calculating the capacity of tanks, swimming pools, and other structures.
- Shipping and storage: Cubic feet play a crucial role in the shipping and storage industries. Transporting goods requires estimating the volume they occupy to determine the appropriate container size and the number of items that can fit.
- Appliance Shopping: When purchasing furniture or appliances, knowing the cubic feet is essential for ensuring that the items will fit properly in your home. Whether it is a refrigerator, a sofa, or a wardrobe, understanding the cubic feet help you gauge whether it will fit in specific rooms.
- Gardening and Landscaping: When working on gardening or landscaping projects, cubic feet help measure soil, mulch, or other materials needed to fill garden beds, planters, or raised beds.
Calculation steps of the cubic feet
Here are the steps you can follow to calculate the cubic feet of an object or space:
- Measure the length, width, and height of the object or space in feet. If the measurements are given in different units, convert them to feet. You can convert different units into feet in the following ways:
- To convert a measurement from inches to feet, divide it by 12.
- To change centimeters (cm) to feet, divide the measurement by 30.48.
- To convert a measurement from yards to feet, multiply it by 3.
- To convert a measurement from meters to feet, multiply it by 3.281.
- Multiply a measurement by 5280 to convert miles to feet.
- Take the length, width, and height measurements and multiply them together.
- The result of the multiplication is the volume of the object, expressed in cubic feet (ft3).
Some Solved Examples of finding volume in Cubic Feet
Here are a few examples of finding the volume in cubic feet:
Example 1
A refrigerator that measures 8 feet in length, 3 feet in width, and 4 feet in height. Find the volume of this refrigerator in cubic feet.
Solution:
Given
Length = 8 ft, Width = 3 ft, Height = 4 ft
∴Cubic feet = Length × Width × Height
Put the given values in the cubic feet formula.
Volume of refrigerator in Cubic feet = 8 × 3 × 4 = 96 ft3
Example 2
A student has a rectangular box with dimensions measured at a length of 9 inches, a width of 7 inches, and a height of 5 inches; find the volume of this box in cubic feet.
Solution:
Here,
Length = 9 inches,
Width = 7 inches,
Height = 5 inches
∴ to change inches to feet, divide the measurement by 12.
Length in feet = 9 / 12 = 0.75 feet
Width in feet = 7 / 12 ≅ 0.5833 feet
Height in feet = 5 / 12 ≅ 0.4167 feet
∴ Volume = Length × Width × Height
Volume of the box in feet = 0.75 × 0.5833 × 0.4167 ≅ 0.1823 ft3
Conclusion
In this article, we talked about cubic feet in depth. We did discuss the formula of cubic feet. We have discussed different applications of cubic feet. We learned how to find the volume of the given object in cubic feet. Moreover, we did solve some examples of cubic feet. After reading this article, you can determine the volume of any three-dimensional object.
