Cylinder Lateral Surface Area Calculator & Formula Analysis

Precision Note: Results rounded to 4 decimal places for educational reference.

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Historical Origins & Formula Derivation

The formula for the lateral surface area of a cylinder has its roots in ancient Greek geometry, with foundational work by mathematicians like Archimedes. The lateral surface area (excluding the top and bottom circles) is derived from the circumference of the base circle multiplied by the height of the cylinder. Mathematically, it is expressed as:

Lateral Surface Area = 2πrh

where:
- r = radius of the base circle
- h = height of the cylinder
- π ≈ 3.1416 (mathematical constant)

Cylinder geometric diagram