Perimeter of a Cylinder

Perimeter is the boundary covered around a 2-dimensional object. The cylinder being a 3-dimensional shape, we cannot practically find the perimeter of a cylinder.

However, in the case of a cylinder, we can find the perimeter by making a vertical cross-section along the line, parallel to its height, such that it forms a rectangle. So, the length of the rectangle becomes the perimeter of the cylinder as shown below.

The perimeter (P) is measured in units of length such as m, cm, mm, and ft.

Formula

The formula to calculate the perimeter of a cylinder is given below:

Let us solve some examples to understand the concept better.

Solved Examples

Find the perimeter of a cylinder having a diameter of 15 inches and a height of 28 inches.

Solution:

As we know,
Perimeter (P) = (2 × d) + (2 × h), here d = 15 inches, h = 28 inches
= (2 × 15) + (2 × 28)
= 30 + 56
= 86 inches

The radius of a cylinder is 11 ft and the height is 24 ft. Calculate the perimeter of the cylinder.

Solution:

As we know,
Diameter (d) = 2 × r, here r = radius = 11 ft
= 2 × 11
= 22 ft
Now,
Perimeter (P) = (2 × d) + (2 × h), here d = 22 ft, h = 24 inches
= (2 × 22) + (2 × 24)
= 44 + 48
= 92 ft