Algebra Tutorial Simple shapes

Cube, Rectangular Prism, Cylinder and Sphere

These shapes are most basic ones we use in various objects.

let us explore two properties for each shape:
Volume &Surface Area

We learn to calculate these for each shape ; and also compare

one with the other.

CUBE A cube is an object with all the three sides equal.

Length, width and height are equal.

Volume V = a xa x a V= a ^3
Where a is the side of the cube.
Surface area: A cube has six sides, all of equal area a xa.
Therefore Surface area: SA= 6 a.a

1 Find the volume and surface area of a box of cubical

shape with side a = 2 feet.
Volume V = 2 x 2 x2 = 8 cubic feet.
Note the unit: cubic feet.
What is a cubic feet?
Well- it is the volume of a cube with a= 1 foot. This is a
convenient measure of volume of these shapes.
We will use cubic feet [or cubic meter ] for volume
umeinin
ann
all calculations.
calculations.

Surface Area= 6 x 2 x 2 = 24 square feet.

Note: For area, we use square feet or square meter as units.

2 John has a truck with internal

ternalvolume
vol ume
of 10000cubi
of 8000 cu.feet
feet How many cubical boxes
of side 2 feet he can load into his truck?
Volume of each box = 2 x 2 x 2= 8 cu.feet
Internal Volume of a truck = 8000 cu ft.
No of cubical boxes you can fit in = 8000/8 = 1000 boxes.

Rectangular Prism It is a shape in which length ,width and height are not the same.
The simplest prism is a square bottom with some height. In this length and
width are the same ,but hieght
height isis different.
different.
Volume = area of the square face x height
Suppose the bottom of a toy box is a square with side 8inches.
The height is 6 inches. Find its volume.
Volume = area of the square face x height
V= 8 x 8 x 6
384 cubic inches.
What is a cubic inch? It is the volume of a cube with one inch side.!

Surface area : If th ebox has lid also, find its surface area.
Area of bottom and top side [squares] = 2 x 8 x 8 = 128 sq in
Area of the four sides = 4 x 8 x6 =
 192 sq in
Total surface area = 324 sq in

General Prism
The general case: Arenctangular prism in which
length,width and height are all different.
Volume = length x widh x height = L x W x H
Surface area = 2 ( L +W) + 2 ( W x H) + 2 ( H x L)

3 A shoe box has these dimensions: length = 9 in

width =6in Height = 5 in
Find the volume & surface area of the box.
Volume = 9 x 6 x 5 V = 270 cu in
Surface area = 2(9+5) + 2(5 x 6) + 2(6+9)
SA = 2x14 + 2 x 30 + 2 x 15
SA= 28 + 60 + 30 = 118 sq in

Applied Problems Airconditioning and ventilation engineers use these fromulas

formulastoto
calculate the volume of air they have to cool or pump out.
Space heating firms have to calculate the air psace
space
they
. have to heat.
Packing companies and painters have to find volumes anddsurfae
surface
areas
areasalmost daily several
several times.

4 Find the air volume of a large auditorium to be air-conditioned.Inside dimensions are:

length = 100 feet width = 60 feet height = 30 feet.
Volume = 100 x 60 x 30 = 180000 cu.ft

5 A class room has intenal length of 20 feet, width 12 feet and height 12 feet.
Linda wants to paint the four walls and the roof.The cost of painting is 60 cents per sq ft.
Find the cost estimate for the paint job.
Surface area : 4 walls = 4 x 20 x 12
960 sq feet
Roof = 20 x 12 = 240
Total area = 1200 sq feet
Cost of painting= 1200x0.6
720 $

6 James wants to make a box either as a cube or rectangular box with width: height:length in the ratios
1x,2x,3x The side of the cube would be 10 feet.
Find the dimensions of rectangular box of the same volume .
Then find out which one ---cube or rectanular would need more material or surface area to make the
box.
Volume of cubical box= 10x 10 x10 = 1000 cu ft
Volume of rectangular box = X.2X.3X = 6 x^3 = 1000
What is X now? x^3 = 1000/6= 133 cubic feet
5.1
width X = 5.1 feet
height 2x= 10.2 ft
length 3x= 15.3

SA of cube = 6 *10*10 = 600 sq feet

SA of rect box SA = 2 (5.1 X 10.2) + 2 ( 10.2 X15.3) + 2(15.3 x 5.1)
 572.22

Cylinder
A cylinder has a circular base or cross section.
The dimensions of a cylinder are: diameter (or raidus of the base) & its height.
Volume = base area x height
Volume = pi x r x r x h
where r is the radius and h the height
You know pi" already: pi = 3.14159
pi=3.14 [approximately]
Surface area of a closed cylinder
SA = base area + lid area + lateral (side) surface area
SA= pi x r x r + pi x r x r + 2x pix r x h
SA = pi [ 2 r.r + r.h]

For open cylinder: SA = pi [ r.r +r.h] [no lid here!]

1 A soup can is in the shape of a cylinder.Its diameter is 8 in and height is 6 in.

Find its volume and surface area
Volume V = pi x 4 x 4 x 6
V= 3.14* 16*6
301.44 cu in
Surfae area= pi[4x4 + 4 x6]
pi[40]
125.6 sq in

Applied Problems
2 Cookie boxes come in different types of cylinders. let us take three
types : 1. height /diameter = 1 2 height/diameter = 2
3 height/diameter = 0.5
Linda wants to try these beoxes:
boxes: flat boxes to tall boxes.
She needs a volume of 200 cu in.
Find the daimeters and heights for the three shapes and find out
hich one would require less material to make ---that is less surface area.

Volume = 200 cuin V= pi x dia x dia x ht/4

Type 1 h/d=1 200 = 3.14 x dia^3/4
200 = (9.42/4)xdia^3
dia^3 = 84.93
dia= 4.39 in
dia = 4.4 in
radius = 2.2 in
Surface area = SA= 3.14(2*2.2*2.2 + 2.2*2.2)
45.59 sq in
Type 2 h/d = 2 Volume = 200 cuin
200 = 3.14xdiaxdiax2xdia/4
dia^3 = 800/6.28
127.39
dia= 5.02 in
height= 10.04 in
 SA = 3.14(2.56x2.56 + 2.56x5.02)
60.93 sq in

Type 3 h/d=0.5 Volume = 200 = 3.14Xdiaxdiax).5Xdia/4

V= 200 = (3.14/8) dia^3
dia ^3 = 509.55
dia= 7.99 in
radius= 3.99
height = 3.99
SA= 3.14(2x 3.994x3.994 + 3.994 x 3.994)
150.27 sqin
You see that a flat box with height is equal to diameter/2 is costlier to build as the
surface area is more. Expensive cookies come in such boxes.
When h =d height = diameter , the ost is minimum….
A chunky cylinder is least expensive.

Sphere A sphere is taken as a perfect figure by ancient Greek mathematicians.

Planets and the earth is almost a sphere. The ancients spoke of
The Music of the spheres".
The volume of a sphere: V= 4 x pi x r xr xr /3

Surafce area SA= 4 x pi x r x r

A sphere gives the smallest surface area for a given volume , compared to
other shapes.
next comes a cylinder with h/d ratio of 1, that is; height is equalt ot diameter.
1 Find the volume and surface area of hemispherical dome of a sports stadium
with diameter of 200 feet.
radius r = 100 feet
Volume V = 4x 3.14 x 100 x 100 x100/3
### cuft
Surface area = 4 x 3.14 x 100 x 100
SA= 125600 sq ft

2 Engineers often combine the shapes of cylinder and spheres to construct vessels to reduce the
surface area and have higher volume..that is to optimise the thespae
space
inside.
inside.
If the surface area is reduced ,less materila
s material
is required
is required
to construct.
Also such shapes with low surface area will help to reduce heat losses from the vessels,if the
vessels have to be heated for chemical reactions.
What is more, if the surface area is reduced, we would need less paint material or other coatings to
protect the surface.
Find the volume and surface area of a chemical reactor vessel with cylindrial
midsection of diameter 12 feet and length 20 feet and two hemispherical domes at the two ends
with the same diameter.

Volume: Cylindrical section: V-cyl = pi x r x r xh

Vcyl = 3.14 x 6 x 6 x 20
3391.2 cu ft
V _sph = 4 x 3.14 x 6 x6x6/3
 904.32 cu ft
Total volume = 3391.2+904.32
4295 cu ft
Surface area SA-cyl = 2xpi x r x h {lateral surface only}
SA-cyl = 2 x 3.14 x 6 xx12
20
753.6
SA-sph = 4 x pi x r x r
SA-sph =4 x 3.14 x 6 x 6
452.16
Total surface area SA= 1205.8 sq in

3 A spherical ball of diameter d is kept tightly in a cubical box of side equal to

the diameter d. What is the % utilisation of the box volume inpacking this way?
What is the volume of wasted space?

Volume of the cubical box

V = d^3
V = 8 r ^3 where r is the radius
Volume of the ball = 4 * pi * r ^3/3
4.19 r^3

Ratio of vol of ball/vol of box = 4.1867/8

0.52
Therefore when we pack balls of same diameter in a cubical box, we have volume efficiency of
52.3% only. 47.3% or nearly half the space of the box is wasted/!
Do-It -Yourself problems
4 A submarine is in the shape of a cigar, which can be approximated to
a cylinder plus two hemispherical ends.
If the diameter of the cylindrical portion is 20 feet and length 100 feet, the dia of the dome like
also 20 feet, find the totaltotal
surfae
surface
area area
of theofsubmarine.
the submarine

5 A grain silo is a cylinder with a hemispherical bottom. If the daimeter of the cylinder is
20 feet and the height 50 feet ,and the daimeter of the heispherical section is also the same
find the volume and surface area of the silo.

6 The volume to SA of a sphere is 4 x pi x r x r xr/( 3 x 4 x pi x r xr )

V /SA r/3
Compare two spheres of diameter 6 in and 12 in.
V/SA = 1 and 2 respectively
But the volume of 12 in sphere is 8 times that of 6 in sphere.
Therefore it is beneficial to use large spherical bodies instead of several small spheres
to have the same volume.

7 The earth has a radius of 3600 km. Find its volume.

8 A light bulb has a shape of sphere, with diameter 4 inches.If it filled

with neon gas, find the volume of the gas inside the bulb.
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