Surface area and volume

About this lab: Surface area and volume

Interactive simulation for Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics 0580 topics 5.4 and 5.5: slide a cross-section through cuboids and prisms, unroll a cylinder into its net, pour cones and pyramids into a cylinder and cuboid to see the one third, work out volumes and surface areas of spheres and hemispheres, and split compound solids and a frustum into parts, with answers in terms of pi.

IGCSE Mathematics 0580, topics 5.4 and 5.5. Prisms, cylinders, pyramids, cones, spheres and hemispheres, compound solids and the frustum.

Surface area and volume is a free, browser-based simulation for Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics 0580 (topic 5 Mensuration, sections 5.4 Surface area and volume, 5.5 Compound shapes and parts of shapes). The course is assessed in Paper 1 (Core non-calculator), Paper 2 (Extended non-calculator), Paper 3 (Core calculator), Paper 4 (Extended calculator). Syllabus for examination in 2025-2027. There are 5 tabs, each a self-contained experiment with its own controls and live readings, and nothing to install: it runs on a laptop, tablet or classroom projector.

Syllabus coverage

• 5.4 Surface area and volume. Lessons: Surface area and volume: prisms and cylinders, Surface area and volume: cones, pyramids and spheres.
• 5.5 Compound shapes and parts of shapes. Lessons: Compound shapes and parts of shapes.

Full syllabus map: IGCSE Mathematics 0580 topic 5.

How to use this simulation

1. 1. Prisms.
2. 2. Cylinders.
3. 3. Pyramids and cones.
4. 4. Spheres.
5. 5. Compound solids.
6. The buttons at the end of the tab strip give the scene the whole window (Full screen, Hide controls) and, on a dark stage, a projector-friendly palette (Light scene). Many scenes also have drag handles: drag them to change the set-up directly.

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