A solid consists of a cone on top of a cylinder with a radius equal to that of the cone. The height of the cone is #12 # and the height of the cylinder is #16 #. If the volume of the solid is #72 pi#, what is the area of the base of the cylinder?

1 Answer
Mar 22, 2016

#(18pi)/5 ~~ 11.310#

Explanation:

The volume of the cylinder is given by its height multiplied by the area of its circular base.

#V_"cylinder" = pi * r^2 * h_"cylinder"#

  • #h_"cylinder" = 16# in this question.

The volume of a cone is given by a third of its height multiplied by the area of its circular base.

#V_"cone" = 1/3 * pi * r^2 * h_"cone"#

  • #h_"cone" = 12# in this question.
  • The variable #r# is reused as the cone has the same radius as the cylinder.

The volume of the entire solid is

#V_"solid" = V_"cylinder" + V_"cone"#

#= pi * r^2 * h_"cylinder" + 1/3 * pi * r^2 * h_"cone"#

#= pi * r^2 * (h_"cylinder" + 1/3 h_"cone")#

#= pi * r^2 * (16 + 1/3 xx 12)#

Now it becomes a simple matter to solve for the base area of the cylinder, which is just #pi r^2#.

#pi * r^2 = V_"solid"/(16 + 1/3 xx 12)#

#= (72pi)/20#

#= (18pi)/5#

#~~ 11.310#