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The cylinder: volume and surface area

The cylinder: volume and surface area

The cylinder

rh

A cylinder has two bases that are equal, parallel discs, and a curved surface between them.

  • r\displaystyle r – the radius of the base; h\displaystyle h – the height, the distance between the bases.
  • Calculations with π\displaystyle \pi use the calculator’s π\displaystyle \pi key, and the result is not a whole number. A rounded result is written after the sign ≈\displaystyle \approx (“approximately equal”): π⋅22≈12.57\displaystyle \pi\cdot2^2\approx12.57.
The volume of a cylinder

Here too the volume is the area of the base times the height, as in a prism. The base is a disc, and its area is πr2\displaystyle \pi r^2:

V\displaystyle V =\displaystyle = πr2h\displaystyle \pi r^2h
The surface area of a cylinder

2πrhr

Cutting the curved surface along a straight line and laying it flat gives a rectangle – like a label peeled off a can.

  • One side of the rectangle is the circumference of the base, 2πr\displaystyle 2\pi r, and the other side is the height, h\displaystyle h.
  • The surface area is the two discs plus the rectangle.
L\displaystyle L =\displaystyle = 2πrh\displaystyle 2\pi rh
A\displaystyle A =\displaystyle = 2πr2+2πrh\displaystyle 2\pi r^2+2\pi rh
Example: a water tank

A water tank on a roof is a cylinder: its radius is 0.5 m, and its height is 1.2 m.
How many litres fit in it?

V=π⋅0.52⋅1.2≈0.942V=\pi\cdot0.5^2\cdot1.2\approx0.942

m³, that is, about 942 litres.

Exercise 1

A concrete pillar is a cylinder: its radius is 0.3 m, and its height is 4 m.
A cubic metre of concrete costs 420 ₪.
Round each result to two decimal places.

a
How many m³ of concrete are in the pillar?

    / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

    / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

    b
    How much does the pillar’s concrete cost?

      / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

      / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

      Exercise 2

      A tin of food is a cylinder: the radius is 4 cm, and the height 11 cm.
      The label covers the whole curved surface.
      How many cm² of paper does the label have? Round to two decimal places.

        / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

        / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

        Exercise 3

        A drinks can is a cylinder: the radius is 3 cm, and the height 12 cm.
        The can says 330 ml.
        Is the can’s volume enough for 330 ml? (1 ml = 1 cm³)

          / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

          / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

          Exercise 4

          A round garden pool is a cylinder: its diameter is 3 m, and the water in it is 0.8 m deep.
          It is filled with a hose that delivers 20 litres a minute.

          a
          How many litres of water are in the pool? Round to a whole number.

            / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

            / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

            b
            How many minutes does filling it take? Round to a whole number.

              / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

              / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power