A cone is a solid that has a circular base and a a single vertex. If the vertex is over the center of the base, it is called a right cone. If it is not, it is called an oblique cone. An object that is shaped like a cone is said to be 'conical'.

Volume of a cone

The volume of a cone is given by the formula where r is the radius of the circular base, and h is the height - the perpendicular distance from the base to the vertex.

For more on this see Volume of a cone

Surface area of a cone

The surface area of a cone is given by the formula

Where r is the radius of the circular base, and s is the slant height of the cone.

For more, see Surface area of a cone

Right and Oblique cones

• If the apex is directly over the center of the base as it is above, it is called a right cone.
• If the apex is not over the center of the base, it is called an oblique cone. See Oblique cone definition.

Relationship to a pyramid

Another way to think of a cone is as a pyramid with an infinite number of faces. In the figure below is a pyramid with 8 faces. If you keep clicking on 'more', you will see that is looks more and more like a cone.

Related topics

• Definition and properties of a cube
• Volume enclosed by a cube
• Surface area of a cube

• Definition and properties of a pyramid
• Oblique and right pyramids
• Volume of a pyramid
• Surface area of a pyramid

• Cylinder - definition and properties
• Oblique cylinders
• Volume of a cylinder
• Surface area of a cylinder

• Prism definition
• Volume of a prism
• Surface area of a prism

• Volume of a sphere
• Surface area of a sphere

• Definition of a cone
• Oblique and Right Cones
• Volume of a cone
• Surface area of a cone
• Derivation of the cone area formula
• Slant height of a cone

• Icosahedron (20 faces each an equilateral triangle)