# Cubic volume question - builder stuff? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 19, 2002, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cubic-volume-question-builder-stuff/143778 "2002-12-19T12:54:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dylan\_73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecccb3/32.png) [@dylan\_73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dylan_73)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cubic-volume-question-builder-stuff/143778/1 "2002-12-19T12:54:26Z")
I found a rather crytic note waiting for me this morning. It reads: > [@](#): > > Would appreciate your mathematical wisdom! > > Area Size:- > 11.8m x 12.2m x 14.1m x 4.6m > > Area Depth:- > 200mm > > Need to know cubic mass. Ta! John. Ok, I guess he means volume. But I don’t get it. This can’t be a cuboid since two of the area numbers should be the same, yes? I’m too hungover to decipher this properly. Any ideas? The guy is a painter/plasterer/builder type, if that gives a clue what he’s on about… ---
**Author:** ![mrcrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@mrcrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrcrow)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cubic-volume-question-builder-stuff/143778/2 "2002-12-19T13:03:29Z")
sound like some sizes taken for a 200 slab and he wants cubes of concrete to pour a bit irregular in shape though about 20 cu.m ---
**Author:** ![dylan\_73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecccb3/32.png) [@dylan\_73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dylan_73)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cubic-volume-question-builder-stuff/143778/3 "2002-12-19T13:06:40Z")
Umm…Ok. What are those areas sizes then? Not sure how you arrived at 20m[sup]3[/sup] either. As I said before, I’m a bit hungover after Christmas party, so you have to explain with small words 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cubic-volume-question-builder-stuff/143778/4 "2002-12-19T13:11:39Z")
Maybe it’s meant to say: 11.8m x 12.2m **+** 14.1m x 4.6m (maybe the slab is to be L shaped) ?? ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cubic-volume-question-builder-stuff/143778/5 "2002-12-19T13:15:42Z")
It’s just a typo. 11.8 x 12.2 _plus_ 14.1 x 4.6, depth 0.2. Equals 41.8 cubic metres. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cubic-volume-question-builder-stuff/143778/6 "2002-12-19T13:16:54Z")
Note to self. Always preview. ---
**Author:** ![mrcrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@mrcrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrcrow)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cubic-volume-question-builder-stuff/143778/7 "2002-12-19T13:17:41Z")
i thought it might have been a garage hardstanding rregular shape i thought the 4.6 and 11.8 might be at right angles and the other two sort of bisecting each other somewhere 4.6 x 11.8 = 55 and if the other are roughly taken as the sides of a triangle (14.1 - 4.6) x 11.8 roughly /2 = 58 55 + 58 = 113 x 0.2 = 22.6 and add 10% =25 like is said 20 :smack: ---
**Author:** ![mrcrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@mrcrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrcrow)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cubic-volume-question-builder-stuff/143778/8 "2002-12-19T13:20:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Desmostylus \* > \*\*It’s just a typo. 11.8 x 12.2 _plus_ 14.1 x 4.6, depth 0.2. > > Equals 41.8 cubic metres. \*\* i think i would go with this. it seems a bit more sensible. was typo-ing my reply as this appeared. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dylan\_73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecccb3/32.png) [@dylan\_73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dylan_73)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cubic-volume-question-builder-stuff/143778/9 "2002-12-19T13:40:54Z")
I’ll go with this then. Seems I need to know the shape otherwise. Thanks folks. ---
**Author:** ![dylan\_73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecccb3/32.png) [@dylan\_73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dylan_73)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cubic-volume-question-builder-stuff/143778/10 "2002-12-30T15:00:30Z")
For the sake of completeness, I’ve since discovered that it was actually this shape: ```auto |\ | \ | \ | \ 14.1m | \ 11.8m | \ | \ | \ | | | |4.6m | | | _______________ | 12.2m ``` …so **mrcrow** was right with the 20m[sup]3[/sup] ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cubic-volume-question-builder-stuff/143778/11 "2002-12-30T15:15:36Z")
Thanks, **dylan\_73**. I wondered how that turned out. **mrcrow** ’s guess at the shape _was_ right. Hope you’ve explained to John about the guessing, and how to avoid it in future. 🙂