Mensuration is one of the most practical and common topics in JAMB Maths. It deals with measurements—length, area, surface area, volume, and perimeter of shapes you see in real life. These questions are usually direct and easy to solve once you know your formulas and understand how shapes work.
In JAMB 2025, you can expect questions on triangles, circles, cylinders, cubes, and other solid shapes. This guide will help you understand how to approach mensuration questions and avoid simple mistakes.
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What Mensuration Is All About
Mensuration simply means measuring. In Mathematics, it covers how to calculate:
- Perimeter – the distance around a shape
- Area – the space inside a flat shape
- Surface area – the total area covering a 3D object
- Volume – the space inside a 3D object
JAMB will give you either a diagram or a short description and ask you to find one of these values.
How to Prepare for Mensuration Questions
To score well in mensuration, you must know the formulas by heart. But don’t just cram—practice using them over and over until they come naturally.
For example, if you know that:
- Area of a triangle = ½ × base × height
- Volume of a cylinder = πr²h
- Surface area of a cube = 6a²
…then solving questions becomes much faster.
Also, know how to substitute values correctly. Most students lose marks not because they didn’t know the formula, but because they inserted wrong values or made small calculation errors.
Understand the Shape Before You Solve
Before solving any question, take a second to picture the shape in your head—or sketch it. Whether it’s a cone, cube, or trapezium, knowing what the shape looks like helps you apply the right formula.
If a question says: A cone has a radius of 3cm and a height of 4cm. What is its volume?
You should know:
- Volume of a cone = (1/3) × πr²h
Now just plug in: = (1/3) × 3.14 × 3² × 4 = (1/3) × 3.14 × 9 × 4
Do the math and you get your answer.
Don’t Forget Units
Always take note of units like cm² for area or cm³ for volume. JAMB might try to confuse you by giving one side in meters and the other in centimeters. Convert all units to the same type before solving.
And if you’re given an answer in decimals, check if they want it to 1 decimal place or nearest whole number. These little details matter.
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Final Words
Mensuration is not hard if you’ve practiced the shapes and formulas. Focus on understanding what each formula represents, and work through different types of questions using past papers.
If you stay consistent, these are the questions you’ll smile at when you see them in the exam.
Nice one explanation.