+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 3 of 3

How to calculate volume of a 3d graph

  1. #1
    Forum Contributor
    Join Date
    10-11-2008
    Location
    Portugal
    MS-Off Ver
    Excel 2010
    Posts
    111

    How to calculate volume of a 3d graph

    Is this possible to do in excel? I have a 3d graph created using (x,y,z) values in the form of a table. Now I want an estimate of the volume of that graph, something similar to calculating the integral of a 3d graph (area below the graph).

    Is this possible to do? I'm thinking maybe using trapezoid rule but in 3D...

    Thanks
    Attached Files Attached Files

  2. #2
    Registered User
    Join Date
    04-17-2012
    Location
    United States
    MS-Off Ver
    Excel 2003
    Posts
    1

    Re: How to calculate volume of a 3d graph

    The quick and dirty way given the data you have would be to sum the area that defines the z coordinates. =SUM(B2:AX32)

    However when you consider coordinate 0,2 where there is 0,2,-5 and 0,2,21.3 this method becomes much more approximate. The volume is only as accurate as your data.

  3. #3
    Forum Guru
    Join Date
    04-13-2005
    Location
    North America
    MS-Off Ver
    2002/XP and 2007
    Posts
    15,837

    Re: How to calculate volume of a 3d graph

    I don't have access to 2007, so I can't read your file, so what I have to add is based on not seeing the actual data. I will also add that it has been a long time since I took multi-variable calculus, so I'm a little rusty.

    I'm thinking maybe using trapezoid rule but in 3D...
    The Riemann sum concept can be extended to multi-variable cases. Rather than starting with the trapezoid rule, I'd probably start with something based on boxes, just because I know the volume of a box readily (length*width*height). This is essentially equivalent to extending the left-hand and right-hand sums to the 2 variable case. If you feel like you can get a better estimate of the volume using some kind of average, then that might be a useful calculation to do.

    An approach that doesn't usually get covered in single variable calculus (probably because Riemann sums are fairly easy to do in the one variable case) is called the Monte Carlo method. You might look into that and see if that approach can be applied to your data set.

+ Reply to Thread

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts

Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.6.0 RC 1