dopecalc

Cube Calculator

Calculate the surface area, volume, face diagonal, and space diagonal of a cube from its side length.

About this Calculator

Calculate the surface area, volume, face diagonal, and space diagonal of a cube from its side length.

Formula & Calculations

Formula

Surface Area = 6s²; Volume = s³; Face Diagonal = s√2; Space Diagonal = s√3
Where:
  • s=Side length of the cube
  • SA=Total surface area (sum of all 6 faces)
  • V=Volume of the cube
  • d_face=Face diagonal (diagonal across a single square face)
  • d_space=Space diagonal (diagonal through the center of the cube)

Assumptions

  • The cube is a regular hexahedron with all six faces being identical squares.
  • All edges are equal in length.
  • Face diagonals lie in a plane; space diagonals pass through the center of the cube.

Calculation Examples

Example 1

Inputs:Side Length = 3
Result:Surface Area = 54, Volume = 27, Face Diagonal = 4.2426, Space Diagonal = 5.1962

SA = 6 × 9 = 54. V = 27. d_face = 3 × √2 ≈ 4.2426. d_space = 3 × √3 ≈ 5.1962.

Example 2

Inputs:Side Length = 5
Result:Surface Area = 150, Volume = 125, Face Diagonal = 7.0711, Space Diagonal = 8.6603

SA = 6 × 25 = 150. V = 125.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between face diagonal and space diagonal?

A face diagonal connects two opposite corners on the same face of the cube, lying flat on one surface. A space diagonal connects two opposite corners through the interior of the cube, passing through the center. The space diagonal is always √(3/2) ≈ 1.225 times longer than the face diagonal.

How do you derive the space diagonal formula?

The space diagonal is the hypotenuse of a right triangle formed by an edge s and a face diagonal s√2. Applying the Pythagorean theorem: d_space = √(s² + (s√2)²) = √(s² + 2s²) = √(3s²) = s√3.