SOLID MENSURATION

PYRAMIDS AND CONES: VOLUMES, SURFACE AREAS, AND WEIGHTS

DEFINITIONS

A pyramid is a polyhedron whose base can be any polygon and whose other faces are triangles that meet at a common point called the vertex Pyramids are named according to the shape of the bases, such as triangular, quadrilateral, pentagonal, hexagonal, and octagonal In a regular pyramid the base is a regular polygon, and the lateral edges are all equal in length A circular cone is a solid figure with a circular base and a surface that tapers from the base to a point called the vertex
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DEFINITIONS

The axis of a circular cone is a line that connects the vertex to the center of the circular base In a right circular cone the axis is perpendicular to the base The volume of a pyramid or a right circular cone equals one third the product of the area of the base and height
V 1 AB h where V volume 3 AB area of the base h height
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VOLUME EXAMPLE

Find the volume of the Luxor in Las Vegas (square pyramid) shown below:

1 AB h V = 3

AB = (646)(646) = 417316 ft2

350 feet

base is 646ft per side

Now,

3 1 V ( 417316)(350) 48,686,866.7 ft Ans 4 3

COMPUTING HEIGHTS AND BASES

A tent in the shape of a regular pyramid is designed to contain 6.40 cubic meters of airspace. The base of the tent is a square with each side 2.80 meters long. What is the height of the tent?

Compute the area of the base The base is a square, its area is 2.8 m 2.8 m = 7.84 m2 Substitute the known values into the volume formula and transpose to find the height

1 V AB h 3 1 3 6.4 m (7.84 m 2 )h 3
h = 2.45 m Ans
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LATERAL AREAS

Slant heights are used in determining lateral areas of pyramids and cones The slant height of a regular pyramid is the length of the altitude of any of the lateral faces The slant height of a right circular cone is the distance from the vertex to any point on the edge of the circular base The lateral area of a regular pyramid equals one half the product of the perimeter of the base and the slant height The lateral area of a right circular cone equals one half the product of the circumference of the base and the slant height

LATERAL AREA EXAMPLE

Determine the lateral area of the miniature scale steeple (right circular cone) shown below: (10 in tall and 6 in diam) First the slant height must be determined using the Pythagorean Theorem

hs 32 102 10.44 inches Determine the circumference of the base CB = d = (6") = 18.85 inches Now find the lateral area LA = CB hs = (18.85")(10.44") = 98.397 in2 Ans 7

SURFACE AREA EXAMPLE

The total surface area of a pyramid or cone includes the base plus the lateral area Determine the total surface area of the pyramid shown below:

First find the lateral area

1 LA PB hs 2

1 (4" 4 sides)(16" ) 128 in 2 2 Now find the total surface area

SA = LA + AB = 128 in2 + (4" 4") = 144 in2 Ans 8

FRUSTUMS OF PYRAMIDS AND CONES

When a pyramid or a cone is cut by a plane parallel to the base, the part that remains is called a frustum. A frustum of a pyramid and a frustum of a cone are shown below:

VOLUMES OF FRUSTUMS

The volume of the frustum of a pyramid or cone is given as:

1 V h( AB Ab AB Ab ) 3

where

V = volume h = height AB = area of the larger base Ab = area of the smaller base

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VOLUMES OF FRUSTUMS

The formula for the volume of a frustum of a right circular cone is given as:

where

1 V h( R 2 r 2 Rr) 3

V = volume h = height R = radius of larger base r = radius of smaller base

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VOLUME EXAMPLE

Determine the volume in gallons of the gas tank shown below: all measurements are feet
Find AB and Ab

AB = 4 6 = 24 ft2

Now find the volume by substituting in the known values

Ab = 2 4 = 8 ft2

1 h( AB Ab AB Ab ) 3 1 (8) 24 8 (24)(8) 3 = 122.28 ft2

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VOLUME EXAMPLE

Determine the volume in gallons of the gas tank shown below: all measurements are feet

= 122.28 ft2

122.28ft 1

7.5gal 1ft
3

917.1 gallons

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LATERAL AREA

The lateral area of the frustum of a regular pyramid is given as: 1 LA hs ( PB Pb ) 2

where

LA = lateral area hs = slant height PB = perimeter of larger base Pb = perimeter of smaller base

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LATERAL AREA

The formula for the lateral area of the frustum of a right circular cone is given as:

LA hs ( R r )

where

LA = lateral area hs = slant height R = radius of larger base r = radius of smaller base
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SURFACE AREA

The surface area of the frustum of a pyramid or cone equals the sum of the lateral area, the larger base area, and the smaller base area

SA LA AB Ab

where

SA = surface area LA = lateral area AB = area of larger base Ab = area of smaller base
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SURFACE AREA EXAMPLE

Determine the surface area of the circus/elephant pedestal shown below: all measurements are feet
First find the lateral area
LA = hs(R + r) = (8)(6 + 3 ) = 226.19 ft2

Determine AB and Ab
AB = (6)2 = 113.10 ft2

Ab = (3)2 = 28.27 ft2

Now find the surface area:

SA = LA + AB + Ab 17 = 226.19 + 113.10 + 28.27 = 367.56 ft2 Ans

PRACTICE PROBLEMS

Round all answers in the following story problems to two decimal places whenever necessary:

1.

2. 3. 4.

5.

Determine the volume of a right circular cone drinking cup with a base diameter of 6.2 cm and a height of 13.0 cm. Determine the lateral area of the cup in problem #1. Determine the surface area of the cup in problem #1. Find the volume of a pyramidal rubics cube with a height of 7 inches and a square base with 6-inch sides. Determine the lateral area of the pyramid in problem #4.

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PRACTICE PROBLEMS (Cont)

Determine the surface area of the pyramid in problem #4. 7. Find the base diameter of a funnel (right circular cone, forget the hole) that has a volume of 840 in3 and a height of 14.2 inches. 8. Determine the volume of a drinking glass with a top radius of 3.5in and base radius of 2 in and a height of 9 in. 9. Determine the lateral area of the cone in problem #8. Make sure you use slant height and not height! 10.Determine the surface area of the cone in problem #8.
6.
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PROBLEM ANSWER KEY

130.83 cm3 2. 130.16 cm2 3. 160.35 cm2 4. 84 in3 5. 91.39 in2 6. 127.39 in2 7. 15.03 in 8. 219.13 in3 9. 156.03 in2 10. 207.08 in2
1.
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