Volumes

course Mth 164

10-29-09 4:30pm

002. Volumes 

 

*********************************************

Question: `q001. There are 9 questions and 4 summary questions in this assignment.

 

What is the volume of a rectangular solid whose dimensions are exactly 3 cm by 5 cm by 7 cm?

 

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Your solution:

 3*5*7=105cm cubed

 

 

 

 

confidence rating:

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 3

.............................................

Given Solution:

 

`aIf we orient this object so that its 3 cm dimension is its 'height', then it will be 'resting' on a rectangular base whose dimension are 5 cm by 7 cm. This base can be divided into 5 rows each consisting of 7 squares, each 1 meter by 1 meter. There will therefore be 5 * 7 = 35 such squares, showing us that the area of the base is 35 m^2.

 

Above each of these base squares the object rises to a distance of 3 meters, forming a small rectangular tower. Each such tower can be divided into 3 cubical blocks, each having dimension 1 meter by 1 meter by 1 meter. The volume of each 1-meter cube is 1 m * 1 m * 1 m = 1 m^3, also expressed as 1 cubic meter. So each small 'tower' has volume 3 m^3.

 

The object can be divided into 35 such 'towers'. So the total volume is 35 * 3 m^3 = 105 m^3.

 

This construction shows us why the volume of a rectangular solid is equal to the area of the base (in this example the 35 m^2 of the base) and the altitude (in this case 3 meters). The volume of any rectangular solid is therefore

 

V = A * h,

 

where A is the area of the base and h the altitude.

 

This is sometimes expressed as V = L * W * h, where L and W are the length and width of the base. However the relationship V = A * h applies to a much broader class of objects than just rectangular solids, and V = A * h is a more powerful idea than V = L * W * h. Remember both, but remember also that V = A * h is the more important.

 

*********************************************

Question: `q002. What is the volume of a rectangular solid whose base area is 48 square meters and whose altitude is 2 meters?

 

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Your solution:

 b*h*l

 48*2=96 m cubed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

confidence rating:

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

.............................................

Given Solution:

 

 

`aUsing the idea that V = A * h we find that the volume of this solid is

 

V = A * h = 48 m^2 * 2 m = 96 m^3.

 

Note that m * m^2 means m * (m * m) = m * m * m = m^2.

 

 

*********************************************

Question: `q003. What is the volume of a uniform cylinder whose base area is 20 square meters and whose altitude is 40 meters?

 

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Your solution:

 20*40=800m cubed

 

 

 

 

confidence rating:

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 3

.............................................

Given Solution:

 

 

`aV = A * h applies to uniform cylinders as well as to rectangular solids. We are given the altitude h and the base area A so we conclude that

 

V = A * h = 20 m^2 * 40 m = 800 m^3.

 

The relationship V = A * h applies to any solid object whose cross-sectional area A is constant. This is the case for uniform cylinders and uniform prisms.

 

 

*********************************************

Question: `q004. What is the volume of a uniform cylinder whose base has radius 5 cm and whose altitude is 30 cm?

 

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Your solution:

 25pi^2*30=750Pi^2 cm

 

 

 

 

 

 

confidence rating:

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 2

.............................................

Given Solution:

 

 

`aThe cylinder is uniform, which means that its cross-sectional area is constant. So the relationship V = A * h applies.

 

The cross-sectional area A is the area of a circle of radius 5 cm, so we see that A = pi r^2 = pi ( 5 cm)^2 = 25 pi cm^2.

 

Since the altitude is 30 cm the volume is therefore

 

V = A * h = 25 pi cm^2 * 30 cm = 750 pi cm^3.

 

Note that the common formula for the volume of a uniform cylinder is V = pi r^2 h. However this is just an instance of the formula V = A * h, since the cross-sectional area A of the uniform cylinder is pi r^2. Rather than having to carry around the formula V = pi r^2 h, it's more efficient to remember V = A * h and to apply the well-known formula A = pi r^2 for the area of a circle.

 

 

*********************************************

Question: `q005. Estimate the dimensions of a metal can containing food. What is its volume, as indicated by your estimates?

 

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Your solution:

 

 3pi^2*5=15pi cm cubed

 

 

 

 

 

 

confidence rating:

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 2

.............................................

Given Solution:

 

 

`aPeople will commonly estimate the dimensions of a can of food in centimeters or in inches, though other units of measure are possible (e.g., millimeters, feet, meters, miles, km). Different cans have different dimensions, and your estimate will depend a lot on what can you are using.

 

A typical can might have a circular cross-section with diameter 3 inches and altitude 5 inches. This can would have volume V = A * h, where A is the area of the cross-section. The diameter of the cross-section is 3 inches so its radius will be 3/2 in.. The cross-sectional area is therefore A = pi r^2 = pi * (3/2 in)^2 = 9 pi / 4 in^2 and its volume is

 

V = A * h = (9 pi / 4) in^2 * 5 in = 45 pi / 4 in^3.

 

Approximating, this comes out to around 35 in^3.

 

Another can around the same size might have diameter 8 cm and height 14 cm, giving it cross-sectional area A = pi ( 4 cm)^2 = 16 pi cm^2 and volume V = A * h = 16 pi cm^2 * 14 cm = 224 pi cm^2.

*********************************************

Question: `q006. What is the volume of a pyramid whose base area is 50 square cm and whose altitude is 60 cm?

 

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Your solution:

 50*60/=1000cm cubed

 

 

 

 

 

confidence rating:

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 2

.............................................

Given Solution:

 

 

`aWe can't use the V = A * h idea for a pyramid because the thing doesn't have a constant cross-sectional area--from base to apex the cross-sections get smaller and smaller. It turns out that there is a way to cut up and reassemble a pyramid to show that its volume is exactly 1/3 that of a rectangular solid with base area A and altitude h. Think of putting the pyramid in a box having the same altitude as the pyramid, with the base of the pyramid just covering the bottom of the box. The apex (the point) of the pyramid will just touch the top of the box. The pyramid occupies exactly 1/3 the volume of that box.

 

So the volume of the pyramid is V = 1/3 * A * h. The base area A is 30 cm^2 and the altitude is 60 cm so we have

 

V = 1/3 * 50 cm^2 * 60 cm = 1000 cm^3.

&#In a good self-critique you need identify the specific things you do and do not understand in the given solution, and either demonstrate your understanding or ask specific questions about what you don't understand. It doesn't accomplish the intended learning goals to simply say that you or do not understand.

Once you have defined your difficulties, to the extent that it is possible for you to do so, I can help you address them. &#

 

 

*********************************************

Question: `q007. What is the volume of a cone whose base area is 20 square meters and whose altitude is 9 meters?

 

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Your solution:

 

 20*9/3=60 meters cubed

 

 

 

 

confidence rating:

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 2

.............................................

Given Solution:

 

 

`aJust as the volume of a pyramid is 1/3 the volume of the 'box' that contains it, the volume of a cone is 1/3 the volume of the cylinder that contains it. Specifically, the cylinder that contains the cone has the base of the cone as its base and matches the altitude of the cone. So the volume of the cone is 1/3 A * h, where A is the area of the base and h is the altitude of the cone.

 

In this case the base area and altitude are given, so the volume of the cone is

 

V = 1/3 A * h = 1/3 * 20 m^2 * 9 m = 60 m^3.

 

 

*********************************************

Question: `q008. What is a volume of a sphere whose radius is 4 meters?

 

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Your solution:

 

 (4/3)pir^2

 (4/3)pi(64)

 256/3Pi meters cubed

 

 

confidence rating:

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 2

.............................................

Given Solution:

 

 

`aThe volume of a sphere is V = 4/3 pi r^3, where r is the radius of the sphere. In this case r = 4 m so

 

V = 4/3 pi * (4 m)^3 = 4/3 pi * 4^3 m^3 = 256/3 pi m^3.

 

STUDENT QUESTION:

 

How does a formula come up with multiplying by pi? I understand how to work a formula, but don’t know how to

calculate the formula. Does that make sense?

INSTRUCTOR RESPONSE:  It makes perfect sense to ask that question.

However the answer is beyond the scope of your course. 

 

(one answer, which will not make sense to anyone until at least the midway point of their third semester of a challenging calculus sequence, is that the volume of a sphere of radius R is the integral of rho^2 sin (phi) cos(theta) from rho = 0 to R, phi from 0 to pi and theta from 0 to 2 pi; also the surface area of a sphere of radius R is double the double integral of r / secant(theta), integrated in polar coordinates from r = 0 to R and theta from 0 to 2 pi) .

(there is another way of figuring this out using solid geometry, a topic with which few students are familiar).

 

In other words, at this point your best recourse is to just learn the formulas.

 

 

*********************************************

Question: `q009. What is the volume of a planet whose diameter is 14,000 km?

 

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Your solution:

 (4/3)Pir^3

 (4/3)pi700^3

 4.5733x10^11 pi km cubed

 

 

 

confidence rating:

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 2

.............................................

Given Solution:

 

 

`aThe planet is presumably a sphere, so to the extent that this is so the volume of this planet is V = 4/3 pi r^3, where r is the radius of the planet. The diameter of the planet is 14,000 km so the radius is half this, or 7,000 km. It follows that the volume of the planet is

 

V = 4/3 pi r^3 = 4/3 pi * (7,000 km)^3 = 4/3 pi * 343,000,000,000 km^3 = 1,372,000,000,000 / 3 * pi km^3.

 

This result can be approximated to an appropriate number of significant figures.

 

 

*********************************************

Question: `q010. Summary Question 1: What basic principle do we apply to find the volume of a uniform cylinder of known dimensions?

 

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Your solution:

 

 that V=A*h

 

 

 

 

 

confidence rating:

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

.............................................

Given Solution:

 

 

`aThe principle is that when the cross-section of an object is constant, its volume is V = A * h, where A is the cross-sectional area and h the altitude. Altitude is measure perpendicular to the cross-section.

 

STUDENT QUESTION

 

What does it mean “when the cross-section of an object is constant”? When would it not be

constant?

INSTRUCTOR RESPONSE  

 

For example the cross-sectional area of a cone, which tapers, is not constant; nor is the cross-sectional area of a sphere.

STUDENT QUESTION

 

And why is altitude measured perpendicular to the cross-section?

INSTRUCTOR RESPONSE

 

This is for essentially the same reason the altitude of a parallelogram is measured perpendicular to its base.

If you imagine nailing four sticks together to make a rectangle, then imagine partially 'collapsing' the rectangle into a parallelogram, you will see that the altitude of the resulting parallelogram is less than that of the original rectangle, and its area is correspondingly less.

 

*********************************************

Question: `q011. Summary Question 2: What basic principle do we apply to find the volume of a pyramid or a cone?

 

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Your solution:

 

 (1/3) A*h

 

 

 

 

confidence rating:

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 2

.............................................

Given Solution:

 

 

`aThe volumes of these solids are each 1/3 the volume of the enclosing figure. Each volume can be expressed as V = 1/3 A * h, where A is the area of the base and h the altitude as measured perpendicular to the base.

 

 

*********************************************

Question: `q012. Summary Question 3: What is the formula for the volume of a sphere?

 

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Your solution:

 (4/3)pi r^3

 

 

 

 

confidence rating:

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 3

.............................................

Given Solution:

 

 

`aThe volume of a sphere is V = 4/3 pi r^3, where r is the radius of the sphere.

 

 

*********************************************

Question: `q013. Explain how you have organized your knowledge of the principles illustrated by the exercises in this assignment.

Basics from geometry

"

&#This looks good. See my notes. Let me know if you have any questions. &#

&#I need to see the questions so I can be sure what your answers mean. Most of the time I can tell, but I'm dealing with information that comes in from over 1000 different files, containing a total of about 10 000 questions. While I'm familiar with the content and sequencing of the questions, having written them all, and know what I'm looking for, different students will answer these questions in different ways and I need to be able to relate your answers to the specific wording of each question. When reviewing my responses you will also need to be able to relate your answers and my comments to the specifics of the original document. So it will be important for you to insert your responses into a copy of the original document, according to instructions, without otherwise changing any of the content of the original document. This will ensure you of the best possible feedback on your work. &#