The volume of a cone
I can calculate the volume of a cone.
The volume of a cone
I can calculate the volume of a cone.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- The volume of a cone can be found by displacement.
- Putting a cone into a cylinder filled with water displaces the water.
- When the cone is removed, the water level drops.
- The volume of the cone is the difference between the volume of the cylinder and water.
- There is a formula you can use to calculate the volume of a cone.
Keywords
Cone - A circular cone is a 3D shape that has a circular base and one curved surface that narrows from the base to a fixed point called the apex/vertex.
Right cone - A line drawn through the apex and centre of the base of a right circular cone will be perpendicular to the base.
Volume - Volume is the amount of space occupied by a closed 3D shape.
Common misconception
Pupils may confuse the slant height (which is needed to find the curved surface area of the cone) with the perpendicular height (which is needed to find the volume of the cone).
Remind pupils that for any volume calculation, three perpendicular lengths are multiplied and the slant height is not perpendicular to the base in a right cone. They may need to use Pythagoras' theorem to find the perpendicular height.
To help you plan your year 11 maths lesson on: The volume of a cone, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 maths lesson on: The volume of a cone, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 maths lessons from the 2D and 3D shape: surface area and volume (pyramids, spheres and cones) unit, dive into the full secondary maths curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Licence
Lesson video
Starter quiz
6 Questions
8 cm
6𝜋 cm
24𝜋 cm²
Exit quiz
6 Questions
