Chapter 12CBSE Class 10 Maths100% Free

Surface Areas and Volumes — CBSE Class 10 Maths Important Questions

13 CBSE Class 10 Maths practice questions on Surface Areas and Volumes, each with a full model answer, covering 5 topics from the chapter in the question formats used in the exam.

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Reviewed by Classmate AI Team · 30 September 2026

Last updated 25 October 2026

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Surface Areas and Volumes — CBSE Class 10 Maths Important Questions

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Quick answer

For a combined solid, volumes always add, but for surface area you add only the exposed curved/plane surfaces (never the hidden joining faces). For a cone always find the slant height first: l=r2+h2l=\sqrt{r^2+h^2}l=√(r²+h²). When a part is scooped out, subtract its volume but add the curved surface of the cavity.

About Surface Areas and Volumes

This chapter combines the standard solids (cylinder, cone, sphere, hemisphere) into real objects such as toys, tents, capsules, ice-cream cones and containers, and also covers solids with a part scooped out. The single most common mistake is forgetting the slant height l=r2+h2l=\sqrt{r^2+h^2}l=√(r²+h²) for cones and wrongly including hidden faces in surface area.

Surface area of a combination of solidsVolume of a combination of solidsSlant height of a cone $l=\sqrt{r^2+h^2}$Solids with a part scooped outSolids cut from other solids (largest cone in a cube)

Key concepts & formulas

Standard formulas

Cylinder: CSA =2πrh=2\pi rh=2π rh, Volume =πr2h=\pi r^2h=π r²h. Cone: CSA =πrl=\pi rl=π rl, Volume =13πr2h=\dfrac{1}{3}\pi r^2h=1/3π r²h. Sphere: SA =4πr2=4\pi r^2=4π r², Volume =43πr3=\dfrac{4}{3}\pi r^3=4/3π r³. Hemisphere: CSA =2πr2=2\pi r^2=2π r², TSA =3πr2=3\pi r^2=3π r², Volume =23πr3=\dfrac{2}{3}\pi r^3=2/3π r³.

Combining solids

Volume of a combined solid === sum of the volumes of its parts. Surface area === sum of the exposed surfaces only; the shared or joined faces are not counted.

Slant height

For any cone (or the conical part of a solid), l=r2+h2l=\sqrt{r^2+h^2}l=√(r²+h²). It is needed for CSA of a cone =πrl=\pi rl=π rl. Compute it before finding surface area.

Scooping out

When a part is removed from a solid, subtract its volume. For surface area, remove the flat face it covered and add the curved surface of the cavity, e.g. a hemisphere scooped from a cylinder removes a circle of area πr2\pi r^2π r² and adds 2πr22\pi r^22π r².

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Important questions with answers

Try each on paper first, then reveal the model answer to check your method.

Multiple-choice questions (1 mark)

Q1MCQEasy1 mark

The total surface area of a solid hemisphere of radius 7 cm7\ \text{cm}7 cm is:

  1. (a)

    462 cm2462\ \text{cm}^2462 cm²

  2. (b)

    308 cm2308\ \text{cm}^2308 cm²

  3. (c)

    154 cm2154\ \text{cm}^2154 cm²

  4. (d)

    231 cm2231\ \text{cm}^2231 cm²

Show model answer

Answer: (a) 462 cm2462\ \text{cm}^2462 cm²

TSA of a solid hemisphere =3πr2=3×227×49=462 cm2.=3\pi r^2=3\times\dfrac{22}{7}\times 49=462\ \text{cm}^2.=3π r²=3× 22/7× 49=462 cm².

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Q2MCQModerate1 mark

The volume of the largest right circular cone that can be cut out of a cube of edge 4.2 cm4.2\ \text{cm}4.2 cm is:

  1. (a)

    19.404 cm319.404\ \text{cm}^319.404 cm³

  2. (b)

    58.212 cm358.212\ \text{cm}^358.212 cm³

  3. (c)

    9.702 cm39.702\ \text{cm}^39.702 cm³

  4. (d)

    74.088 cm374.088\ \text{cm}^374.088 cm³

Show model answer

Answer: (a) 19.404 cm319.404\ \text{cm}^319.404 cm³

The largest cone has radius r=2.1 cmr=2.1\ \text{cm}r=2.1 cm (half the edge) and height h=4.2 cmh=4.2\ \text{cm}h=4.2 cm (the edge).

V=13πr2h=13×227×2.12×4.2=19.404 cm3.V=\dfrac{1}{3}\pi r^2h=\dfrac{1}{3}\times\dfrac{22}{7}\times 2.1^2\times 4.2=19.404\ \text{cm}^3.V=1/3π r²h=1/3× 22/7× 2.1²× 4.2=19.404 cm³.

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Q3MCQModerate1 mark

The curved surface area of a cone of radius 7 cm7\ \text{cm}7 cm and height 24 cm24\ \text{cm}24 cm is:

  1. (a)

    550 cm2550\ \text{cm}^2550 cm²

  2. (b)

    704 cm2704\ \text{cm}^2704 cm²

  3. (c)

    154 cm2154\ \text{cm}^2154 cm²

  4. (d)

    275 cm2275\ \text{cm}^2275 cm²

Show model answer

Answer: (a) 550 cm2550\ \text{cm}^2550 cm²

l=72+242=625=25 cm.l=\sqrt{7^2+24^2}=\sqrt{625}=25\ \text{cm}.l=√(7²+24²)=√625=25 cm. CSA =πrl=227×7×25=550 cm2.=\pi rl=\dfrac{22}{7}\times 7\times 25=550\ \text{cm}^2.=π rl=22/7× 7× 25=550 cm².

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Q4MCQModerate1 mark

A hemispherical depression of diameter 7 cm7\ \text{cm}7 cm is cut out of one face of a cubical block of edge 7 cm7\ \text{cm}7 cm. The surface area of the remaining solid is:

  1. (a)

    332.5 cm2332.5\ \text{cm}^2332.5 cm²

  2. (b)

    294 cm2294\ \text{cm}^2294 cm²

  3. (c)

    371 cm2371\ \text{cm}^2371 cm²

  4. (d)

    255.5 cm2255.5\ \text{cm}^2255.5 cm²

Show model answer

Answer: (a) 332.5 cm2332.5\ \text{cm}^2332.5 cm²

The cut removes a flat circle of area πr2\pi r^2π r² but exposes a curved hemisphere of area 2πr22\pi r^22π r²:

SA=6a2−πr2+2πr2=6(49)+πr2=294+227×3.52=294+38.5=332.5 cm2.\text{SA}=6a^2-\pi r^2+2\pi r^2=6(49)+\pi r^2=294+\dfrac{22}{7}\times 3.5^2=294+38.5=332.5\ \text{cm}^2.SA=6a²-π r²+2π r²=6(49)+π r²=294+22/7× 3.5²=294+38.5=332.5 cm².

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Assertion–Reason questions (1 mark)

Q5Assertion–ReasonEasy1 mark

Assertion (A): The total surface area of a solid hemisphere of radius rrr is 2πr22\pi r^22π r².

Reason (R): The curved surface area of a hemisphere is 2πr22\pi r^22π r².

  1. (a)

    Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A

  2. (b)

    Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A

  3. (c)

    A is true but R is false

  4. (d)

    A is false but R is true

Show model answer

Answer: (d) A is false but R is true.

The curved surface area of a hemisphere is 2πr22\pi r^22π r² (R is true), but its total surface area also includes the flat circular base, giving 2πr2+πr2=3πr22\pi r^2+\pi r^2=3\pi r^22π r²+π r²=3π r²; hence A is false.

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Very short answer questions (2 marks)

Q6Very ShortEasy2 marks

A cone and a cylinder have equal bases and equal heights. Write the ratio of their volumes. Also, if the volume of the cylinder is 360 cm3360\ \text{cm}^3360 cm³, find the volume of the cone.

Show model answer

Volume of coneVolume of cylinder=13πr2hπr2h=13\dfrac{\text{Volume of cone}}{\text{Volume of cylinder}}=\dfrac{\frac{1}{3}\pi r^2h}{\pi r^2h}=\dfrac{1}{3}(Volume of cone)/(Volume of cylinder)=1/3π r²hπ r²h=1/3, so the ratio is 1:3.1:3.1:3.

Volume of cone =13×360=120 cm3.=\dfrac{1}{3}\times 360=120\ \text{cm}^3.=1/3× 360=120 cm³.

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Q7Very ShortModerate2 marks

Two cubes each of volume 64 cm364\ \text{cm}^364 cm³ are joined end to end. Find the surface area of the resulting cuboid.

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Each cube has side =643=4 cm.=\sqrt[3]{64}=4\ \text{cm}.=3√64=4 cm. The cuboid formed has dimensions 8×4×4 cm.8\times 4\times 4\ \text{cm}.8× 4× 4 cm.

Surface area =2(lb+bh+hl)=2(8×4+4×4+4×8)=2(32+16+32)=2×80=160 cm2.=2(lb+bh+hl)=2(8\times 4+4\times 4+4\times 8)=2(32+16+32)=2\times 80=160\ \text{cm}^2.=2(lb+bh+hl)=2(8× 4+4× 4+4× 8)=2(32+16+32)=2× 80=160 cm².

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Short answer questions (3 marks)

Q8Short AnswerModerate3 marks

A toy is in the form of a cone mounted on a hemisphere of the same radius 3.5 cm3.5\ \text{cm}3.5 cm. The total height of the toy is 15.5 cm15.5\ \text{cm}15.5 cm. Find the total surface area of the toy.

CBSE Class 10 Maths — Surface Areas and Volumes: A toy is in the form of a cone mounted on a hemisphere of the same radius 3.5\ \text{cm}. The total height of the toy is 15.5\ \tex
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Radius r=3.5 cm.r=3.5\ \text{cm}.r=3.5 cm. Height of cone =15.5−3.5=12 cm.=15.5-3.5=12\ \text{cm}.=15.5-3.5=12 cm.

Slant height l=r2+h2=3.52+122=12.25+144=156.25=12.5 cm.l=\sqrt{r^2+h^2}=\sqrt{3.5^2+12^2}=\sqrt{12.25+144}=\sqrt{156.25}=12.5\ \text{cm}.l=√(r²+h²)=√(3.5²+12²)=√(12.25+144)=√156.25=12.5 cm.

TSA =CSA of cone+CSA of hemisphere=πrl+2πr2=πr(l+2r)=\text{CSA of cone}+\text{CSA of hemisphere}=\pi rl+2\pi r^2=\pi r(l+2r)=CSA of cone+CSA of hemisphere=π rl+2π r²=π r(l+2r)
=227×3.5×(12.5+7)=11×19.5=214.5 cm2.=\dfrac{22}{7}\times 3.5\times(12.5+7)=11\times 19.5=214.5\ \text{cm}^2.=22/7× 3.5×(12.5+7)=11× 19.5=214.5 cm².

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Q9Short AnswerModerate3 marks

A medicine capsule is in the shape of a cylinder with a hemisphere stuck to each of its ends. The length of the entire capsule is 14 mm14\ \text{mm}14 mm and its diameter is 5 mm5\ \text{mm}5 mm. Find its surface area.

Show model answer

Radius r=2.5 mmr=2.5\ \text{mm}r=2.5 mm. Length of the cylindrical part h=14−2×2.5=9 mm.h=14-2\times 2.5=9\ \text{mm}.h=14-2× 2.5=9 mm.

SA=CSA of cylinder+2×CSA of hemisphere=2πrh+4πr2=2πr(h+2r)\text{SA}=\text{CSA of cylinder}+2\times\text{CSA of hemisphere}=2\pi rh+4\pi r^2=2\pi r(h+2r)SA=CSA of cylinder+2× CSA of hemisphere=2π rh+4π r²=2π r(h+2r)
=2×227×2.5×(9+5)=220 mm2.=2\times\dfrac{22}{7}\times 2.5\times(9+5)=220\ \text{mm}^2.=2× 22/7× 2.5×(9+5)=220 mm².

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Q10Short AnswerModerate3 marks

A wooden pen stand is a cuboid 15 cm×10 cm×3.5 cm15\ \text{cm}\times 10\ \text{cm}\times 3.5\ \text{cm}15 cm× 10 cm× 3.5 cm with four conical depressions to hold pens. Each depression has radius 0.5 cm0.5\ \text{cm}0.5 cm and depth 1.4 cm1.4\ \text{cm}1.4 cm. Find the volume of wood in the entire stand.

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Volume of cuboid =15×10×3.5=525 cm3.=15\times 10\times 3.5=525\ \text{cm}^3.=15× 10× 3.5=525 cm³.

Volume of one conical depression =13×227×0.52×1.4=0.367 cm3=\dfrac{1}{3}\times\dfrac{22}{7}\times 0.5^2\times 1.4=0.367\ \text{cm}^3=1/3× 22/7× 0.5²× 1.4=0.367 cm³ (to 3 d.p.), so four depressions =1.467 cm3.=1.467\ \text{cm}^3.=1.467 cm³.

Volume of wood =525−1.467=523.53 cm3.=525-1.467=523.53\ \text{cm}^3.=525-1.467=523.53 cm³.

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Long answer questions (5 marks)

Q11Long AnswerModerate5 marks

From a solid cylinder of height 2.4 cm2.4\ \text{cm}2.4 cm and diameter 1.4 cm1.4\ \text{cm}1.4 cm, a conical cavity of the same height and same diameter is hollowed out. Find (i) the total surface area and (ii) the volume of the remaining solid.

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Radius r=0.7 cmr=0.7\ \text{cm}r=0.7 cm, height h=2.4 cmh=2.4\ \text{cm}h=2.4 cm, slant height l=0.72+2.42=0.49+5.76=6.25=2.5 cm.l=\sqrt{0.7^2+2.4^2}=\sqrt{0.49+5.76}=\sqrt{6.25}=2.5\ \text{cm}.l=√(0.7²+2.4²)=√(0.49+5.76)=√6.25=2.5 cm.

(i) TSA =CSA of cylinder+area of base+CSA of cone=2πrh+πr2+πrl=πr(2h+r+l)=\text{CSA of cylinder}+\text{area of base}+\text{CSA of cone}=2\pi rh+\pi r^2+\pi rl=\pi r(2h+r+l)=CSA of cylinder+area of base+CSA of cone=2π rh+π r²+π rl=π r(2h+r+l)
=227×0.7×(4.8+0.7+2.5)=2.2×8.0=17.6 cm2.=\dfrac{22}{7}\times 0.7\times(4.8+0.7+2.5)=2.2\times 8.0=17.6\ \text{cm}^2.=22/7× 0.7×(4.8+0.7+2.5)=2.2× 8.0=17.6 cm².

(ii) Volume =πr2h−13πr2h=23πr2h=23×227×0.49×2.4=2.464 cm3.=\pi r^2h-\dfrac{1}{3}\pi r^2h=\dfrac{2}{3}\pi r^2h=\dfrac{2}{3}\times\dfrac{22}{7}\times 0.49\times 2.4=2.464\ \text{cm}^3.=π r²h-1/3π r²h=2/3π r²h=2/3× 22/7× 0.49× 2.4=2.464 cm³.

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Q12Long AnswerHOTS5 marks

A wooden article is made by scooping out a hemisphere from each end of a solid cylinder. The height of the cylinder is 10 cm10\ \text{cm}10 cm and its base radius is 3.5 cm3.5\ \text{cm}3.5 cm. Find (i) the total surface area and (ii) the volume of the article.

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r=3.5 cm, h=10 cm.r=3.5\ \text{cm},\ h=10\ \text{cm}.r=3.5 cm, h=10 cm.

(i) TSA =CSA of cylinder+2×CSA of hemisphere=2πrh+4πr2=2πr(h+2r)=\text{CSA of cylinder}+2\times\text{CSA of hemisphere}=2\pi rh+4\pi r^2=2\pi r(h+2r)=CSA of cylinder+2× CSA of hemisphere=2π rh+4π r²=2π r(h+2r)
=2×227×3.5×(10+7)=22×17=374 cm2.=2\times\dfrac{22}{7}\times 3.5\times(10+7)=22\times 17=374\ \text{cm}^2.=2× 22/7× 3.5×(10+7)=22× 17=374 cm².

(ii) Volume =πr2h−2×23πr3=227×12.25×10−43×227×42.875=\pi r^2h-2\times\dfrac{2}{3}\pi r^3=\dfrac{22}{7}\times 12.25\times 10-\dfrac{4}{3}\times\dfrac{22}{7}\times 42.875=π r²h-2× 2/3π r³=22/7× 12.25× 10-4/3× 22/7× 42.875
=385−179.67=205.33 cm3.=385-179.67=205.33\ \text{cm}^3.=385-179.67=205.33 cm³.

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Case-based questions (4 marks)

Q13Case-basedHOTS4 marks

A metal grain-silo is in the shape of a cylinder surmounted by a cone, as shown. The common radius is 1.5 m1.5\ \text{m}1.5 m, the cylindrical part is 7 m7\ \text{m}7 m high and the conical top is 2 m2\ \text{m}2 m high.

CBSE Class 10 Maths — Surface Areas and Volumes: A metal grain-silo is in the shape of a cylinder surmounted by a cone, as shown. The common radius is 1.5\ \text{m}, the cylindrica

(i) Find the slant height of the conical top.

(ii) Find the total volume of the silo.

(iii) Find the area of the metal sheet required to make the curved surfaces (cylinder and cone), ignoring the base.

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(i) l=r2+h2=1.52+22=2.25+4=6.25=2.5 m.l=\sqrt{r^2+h^2}=\sqrt{1.5^2+2^2}=\sqrt{2.25+4}=\sqrt{6.25}=2.5\ \text{m}.l=√(r²+h²)=√(1.5²+2²)=√(2.25+4)=√6.25=2.5 m.

(ii) Volume =πr2hcyl+13πr2hcone=227(1.5)2(7)+13⋅227(1.5)2(2)=\pi r^2h_{\text{cyl}}+\dfrac{1}{3}\pi r^2h_{\text{cone}}=\dfrac{22}{7}(1.5)^2(7)+\dfrac{1}{3}\cdot\dfrac{22}{7}(1.5)^2(2)=π r²h_cyl+1/3π r²h_cone=22/7(1.5)²(7)+1/3· 22/7(1.5)²(2)
=49.5+4.71=54.21 m3.=49.5+4.71=54.21\ \text{m}^3.=49.5+4.71=54.21 m³.

(iii) Curved area =2πrhcyl+πrl=2×227×1.5×7+227×1.5×2.5=66+11.79=77.79 m2.=2\pi rh_{\text{cyl}}+\pi rl=2\times\dfrac{22}{7}\times 1.5\times 7+\dfrac{22}{7}\times 1.5\times 2.5=66+11.79=77.79\ \text{m}^2.=2π rh_cyl+π rl=2× 22/7× 1.5× 7+22/7× 1.5× 2.5=66+11.79=77.79 m².

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All CBSE Class 10 Maths Chapters

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Frequently asked questions

  • What are the important questions in Surface Areas and Volumes Class 10?
    Combined solids such as a toy (cone on hemisphere) or a capsule (cylinder with hemispherical ends), solids with parts scooped out, and the largest cone cut from a cube. This page has 13 questions with answers, including a pen stand with conical depressions and a grain-silo case study.
  • How do you find the surface area of a combined solid?
    Add only the surfaces you can touch from outside and leave out the faces where the parts join. For a cone on a hemisphere of the same radius that is the cone's curved surface πrl\pi rlπ rl plus the hemisphere's 2πr22\pi r^22π r². Volumes, by contrast, simply add.
  • What happens to surface area when a hemisphere is scooped out of a solid?
    Volume goes down, but surface area goes up: you lose a flat circle of area πr2\pi r^2π r² and gain the hollow's curved surface 2πr22\pi r^22π r², a net increase of πr2\pi r^2π r². The 5-mark question on a cylinder with a hemisphere scooped from each end uses this twice.
  • How do you remember the Surface Areas and Volumes formulas?
    Learn them in families rather than as a list. A cone's volume is one third of the cylinder on the same base, a hemisphere is half a sphere plus a flat circle for its total surface, and every curved surface is πr\pi rπ r times a length: 2h2h2h for a cylinder, lll for a cone. Then practise on combined solids so you choose the right parts.
  • Where can I find Surface Areas and Volumes Class 10 notes?
    The Key concepts & formulas cards on this page are the chapter notes: the standard formulas, how to combine solids, the slant height l=r2+h2l=\sqrt{r^2+h^2}l=√(r²+h²), and what changes when a part is scooped out. Exercises 12.1 and 12.2 are solved on the NCERT Solutions page for Chapter 12.
  • Where can I get Surface Areas and Volumes extra questions?
    This page has 13 beyond the textbook: a hemispherical hollow cut into a 777 cm cube, a toy cone on a hemisphere of radius 3.53.53.5 cm, a medicine capsule, a pen stand with four conical holes, a cylinder with a conical cavity, and a grain-silo case study. Work each one before opening the answer.
  • Where can I practise Surface Areas and Volumes MCQs?
    The first questions on this page are MCQs on a hemisphere's total surface, the largest cone cut from a 4.24.24.2 cm cube, a cone's curved surface and a cube with a hemispherical depression, plus an assertion–reason item. A free Classmate AI account adds timed quizzes on the chapter through Create Test.

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