5.1 Units of measure and converting between them
Convert 2 litres to cm³.
- 2,000
- 200
- 200,000
- 20,000
Show the answer
2,000. 1 litre = 1000 cm³. 2 × 1,000 = 2,000.
Huh Lab Maths › IGCSE Maths › Mensuration
IGCSE Maths: Mensuration
Topic 5 of the Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics (0580) syllabus: units, perimeter, area, surface area and volume. Here is what each part asks, a practice question for each, and the mistakes that cost the most marks.
The 5 parts of the topic
Each part with one practice question, made by the same engine your child plays. Parts marked Extended are for the Extended paper only.
5.2 Area and perimeter of rectangles, triangles, parallelograms and trapezia
A rectangle has an area of 60 cm². One side is 12 cm.
Find its perimeter.
- 34 cm
- 60 cm
- 5 cm
- 17 cm
Show the answer
34 cm. The other side is 60 ÷ 12 = 5 cm. Perimeter = 2 × (12 + 5) = 34 cm.
5.3 Circles, arcs and sectors
A sector has radius 12 cm and angle 60°.
Find the arc length, in terms of π.
- 4π cm
- 24π cm
- 2π cm
- 8π cm
Show the answer
4π cm. 60/360 of the circumference: 1/6 × 2 × π × 12 = 4π cm.
5.4 Surface area and volume of prisms, cylinders, pyramids, cones and spheres
A pyramid has a square base of side 7 cm and a height of 9 cm.
Find its volume. (V = ⅓ × base area × height)
- 21 cm³
- 441 cm³
- 147 cm³
- 1323 cm³
Show the answer
147 cm³. Base area 7 × 7 = 49 cm². ⅓ × 49 × 9 = 147 cm³.
5.5 Compound shapes and parts of shapes
A solid is a cylinder (radius 3 cm, height 12 cm) with a cone of radius 3 cm and height 3 cm on top.
Find its volume in terms of π.
- 99π cm³
- 108π cm³
- 117π cm³
- 135π cm³
Show the answer
117π cm³. Cylinder: π × 9 × 12 = 108π. Cone: (1/3)π × 9 × 3 = 9π. Total 117π cm³.
The mistakes that cost the most marks
Huh Lab checks every wrong answer against known mistakes like these, and goes back to the step behind the one your child keeps making.
Forgets the fraction in the volume formula
A cone is a THIRD of the cylinder around it, and a sphere has 4/3. Write the formula first.
Finds volume instead of surface area
Surface area is the wrapping paper (cm²). Volume is what fits inside (cm³).
Leaves out some of the faces
Count the faces before adding: a cuboid has 6, a closed cylinder has two circles and the curved part.
Forgets to halve for a triangle
A triangle is half of the rectangle around it.
Leaves a part out of a compound solid
List the pieces first (cylinder, cone...), find each volume, then add.
Thinks half the height is half the volume
The cut-off cone is half as tall AND half as wide: its volume is only 1/8 of the big one.
Subtracts lengths instead of volumes
A frustum is a big cone take away a small cone: work out BOTH volumes, then subtract.
Mixes up perimeter and area
Perimeter is the fence around it. Area is the grass inside.
Other IGCSE Maths topics
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