Rectangular Prism Formulas, Types and Real-world Examples

All rectangular prisms consist of eight vertices that are connected by 12 edges ending at right angles. However, there are some differences between these types of three-dimensional shapes.

Regular Right Rectangular Prism

Right rectangular prisms are the most common, with real-life examples including buildings, shoe boxes and pretty much any other three-dimensional object resembling a four-sided fish tank.

Oblique Rectangular Prism

An oblique rectangular prism is a special case that allows us to draw parallelograms in three dimensions. These shapes closely resemble a regular right rectangular prism that is tipped off its axis to lean sideways.

For prisms, all the sides extend upward from the base area before being capped with a top face like a flat roof on a large building. Use the following formula variations to solve for both volume and surface area.

Volume of a Rectangular Prism

You can find the volume of a rectangular prism by multiplying its length, width, and height:

Once you calculate the volume of a three-dimensional shape with rectangular bases and six faces, ensure the measurement is recorded in cubic units to accommodate the object's three dimensions (e.g., inches³ or cm³).

Volume of a Rectangular Prism Calculator

Surface Area of a Rectangular Prism

Remember that the total surface area includes all the faces of the prism. There are six rectangular faces, so you must account for the lateral surface area of the sides with the addition of top and bottom faces. This is illustrated mathematically as:

Surface Area of a Rectangular Prism Calculator

Once you know what to look for, you'll start noticing rectangular prisms everywhere. Here are some everyday items that typically qualify as rectangular prisms.