Cups A and B are cone shaped and have heights of #32 cm# and #16 cm# and openings with radii of #15 cm# and #12 cm#, respectively. If cup B is full and its contents are poured into cup A, will cup A overflow? If not how high will cup A be filled?

1 Answer
Aug 20, 2017

Cup A will not overflow

#4.76cm" "#high from the bottom of the cup

Explanation:

#V_("cone")=1/3pir^2h#

where#" "r="the base radius of the cone ",#

#"and "h="the perpendicular height of the cone"#

we have cups a & B

Cup A#" "r=15cm,h=32cm#

Cup B#" "r=12cm, h=16cm#

first we find the two volumes

#V_A=1/3pi15^2xx32#

#V_A=2400picm^3#

#V_B=1/3pi12^2xx16#
#V_B=768picm^3#

now cup B is full and poured into cup A

we see

#V_B < V_A#

so cup A will not overflow

how high up will A be filled.

using the volume formula once more

#V_(A')=1/3pir^2h#

where #h# is the height from the base of the cone

that is from the top of the cup

#768cancel(pi)=1/3cancel(pi)15^2h#

#h=(768xx3)/15^2=10.24cm#

from the bottom of the cup

#H=15-10.24=4.76cm#