Volume of a Rectangular Prism: Investigation

Topic:
Prism, Volume

STUDENTS:

Interact with the applet below for a few minutes. Then answer the questions that follow. To explore this resource in Augmented Reality, see the directions beneath the questions listed below.

1.

In the activity above, create a rectangular prism that has its first layer measuring 3 units long by 4 units wide. Suppose this rectangular prism is 2 layers high. How many cubes make up this prism?

2.

In the above activity, create a rectangular prism that has its first layer measuring 5 units long by 3 units wide. How many cubes make up this prism if this prism is 2 layers high? 3 layers high? 10 layers high?

3.

How can we EASILY determine the number of cubes that fit inside ANY rectangular prism? Describe.

TO EXPLORE IN AUGMENTED REALITY:

1) Open up GeoGebra 3D app on your device. 2) Go to the MENU (horizontal bars) in the upper left corner. Select OPEN. In the Search GeoGebra Resources input box, type dp6ghmvv (Note this is the resource ID = last 8 digits of the URL for this resource.) 3) In the resource that uploads, zoom out and/or adjust the LENGTH, WIDTH, & HEIGHT sliders to create a prism with dimensions you like. Press the AR button in the lower right corner of your 3D screen. Follow the directions that appear.