Python program to find volume, surface area and space diagonal of a cuboid

In this article, we will discuss how to compute the volume, surface area, and space diagonal of a cuboid. A cuboid is a 3D geometric shape that resembles a rectangular box, also called a rectangular prism. It has six rectangular faces with twelve edges, where length, breadth, and height are different (unlike a cube where all sides are equal).

Understanding Cuboid Formulas

Before implementing the code, let's understand the key formulas ?

• Volume: length × breadth × height
• Surface Area: 2 × (l×b + b×h + h×l)
• Space Diagonal: ?(l² + b² + h²)

Method 1: Using Functions

This approach uses separate functions for each calculation ?

import math

def calculate_volume(length, breadth, height):
    """Calculate the volume of a cuboid"""
    return length * breadth * height

def calculate_surface_area(length, breadth, height):
    """Calculate the surface area of a cuboid"""
    return 2 * (length * breadth + breadth * height + height * length)

def calculate_space_diagonal(length, breadth, height):
    """Calculate the space diagonal of a cuboid using Pythagorean theorem"""
    return math.sqrt(length ** 2 + breadth ** 2 + height ** 2)

# Example with dimensions
length = 8
breadth = 5
height = 6

volume = calculate_volume(length, breadth, height)
surface_area = calculate_surface_area(length, breadth, height)
space_diagonal = calculate_space_diagonal(length, breadth, height)

print(f"Cuboid dimensions: {length} × {breadth} × {height}")
print(f"Volume: {volume}")
print(f"Surface Area: {surface_area}")
print(f"Space Diagonal: {space_diagonal:.2f}")

Cuboid dimensions: 8 × 5 × 6
Volume: 240
Surface Area: 236
Space Diagonal: 11.18

Method 2: Using Object-Oriented Approach

This method encapsulates all calculations within a Cuboid class ?

import math

class Cuboid:
    def __init__(self, length, width, height):
        """Initialize cuboid with dimensions"""
        self.length = length
        self.width = width
        self.height = height
   
    def calculate_volume(self):
        """Return the volume of the cuboid"""
        return self.length * self.width * self.height
   
    def calculate_surface_area(self):
        """Return the surface area of the cuboid"""
        return 2 * (self.length * self.width + self.width * self.height + self.height * self.length)
   
    def calculate_space_diagonal(self):
        """Return the space diagonal of the cuboid"""
        return math.sqrt(self.length ** 2 + self.width ** 2 + self.height ** 2)
    
    def get_all_measurements(self):
        """Return all measurements as a dictionary"""
        return {
            'volume': self.calculate_volume(),
            'surface_area': self.calculate_surface_area(),
            'space_diagonal': self.calculate_space_diagonal()
        }

# Example usage
cuboid = Cuboid(11, 4, 7)

print(f"Cuboid dimensions: {cuboid.length} × {cuboid.width} × {cuboid.height}")
print(f"Volume: {cuboid.calculate_volume()}")
print(f"Surface Area: {cuboid.calculate_surface_area()}")
print(f"Space Diagonal: {cuboid.calculate_space_diagonal():.2f}")

Cuboid dimensions: 11 × 4 × 7
Volume: 308
Surface Area: 298
Space Diagonal: 13.64

Comparison

Practical Applications

These calculations are useful in various scenarios ?

• Architecture: Calculating room volumes and wall areas
• Packaging: Determining box capacities and material requirements
• 3D Modeling: Computing object properties in graphics applications
• Education: Teaching geometry and spatial reasoning

Conclusion

Both approaches effectively calculate cuboid properties using standard geometric formulas. Use functions for simple one-time calculations, and classes when working with multiple cuboids or when you need organized, reusable code.