ACT Math : Geometry

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Surface Area Of A Prism

A box is 5 inches long, 5 inches wide, and 4 inches tall. What is the surface area of the box?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 100\ in^2\)

\(\displaystyle 25\ in^2\)

\(\displaystyle 140\ in^2\)

\(\displaystyle 130\ in^2\)

\(\displaystyle 120\ in^2\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 130\ in^2\)

Explanation:

The box will have six total faces: an identical "top and bottom," and identical "left and right," and an identical "front and back." The total surface area will be the sum of these faces.

Since the six faces consider of three sets of pairs, we can set up the equation as:

\(\displaystyle SA=2(\text{top})+2(\text{left})+2(\text{front})\)

Each of these faces will correspond to one pair of dimensions. Multiply the pair to get the area of the face.

\(\displaystyle SA=2(lw)+2(wh)+2(lh)\)

Substitute the values from the question to solve.

\(\displaystyle SA=2(5*5)+2(5*4)+2(5*4)\)

\(\displaystyle SA=50+40+40\)

\(\displaystyle SA=130\ in^2\)

Example Question #701 : Geometry

What is the surface area of a rectangular brick with a length of 12 in, a width of 8 in, and a height of 6 in?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 216\ in^2\)

None of the answers are correct  

\(\displaystyle 432\ in^2\)

\(\displaystyle 576\ in^2\)

\(\displaystyle 382\ in^2\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 432\ in^2\)

Explanation:

The formula for the surface area of a rectangular prism is given by:

SA = 2LW + 2WH + 2HL

SA = 2(12 * 8) + 2(8 * 6) + 2(6 * 12)

SA = 2(96) + 2(48) + 2(72)

SA = 192 + 96 + 144

SA = 432 in2

216 in2  is the wrong answer because it is off by a factor of 2

576 in3 is actually the volume, V = L * W * H 

Example Question #70 : Solid Geometry

A box's length is twice as long as its width. Its height is the sum of its length and its width. What is the volume of this box if its length is 10 units?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 150\) units cubed

\(\displaystyle 250\) units cubed

\(\displaystyle 500\) units cubed

\(\displaystyle 300\) units cubed

\(\displaystyle 750\) units cubed

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 750\) units cubed

Explanation:

The formula for the volume of a rectangular prism is \(\displaystyle V = L*W*H\), where "\(\displaystyle V\)" is volume, "\(\displaystyle L\)" is length, "\(\displaystyle W\)" is width and "\(\displaystyle H\)" is height.

We know that \(\displaystyle L = 2W\) and \(\displaystyle H = L+W\). By rearranging \(\displaystyle L=2W\), we get \(\displaystyle W=\frac{L}{2}\). Substituting \(\displaystyle \frac{L}{2}\) into the volume equation for \(\displaystyle W\) and \(\displaystyle L+W\) into the same equation for \(\displaystyle H\), we get the following:

\(\displaystyle V = L \cdot \left(\frac{L}{2}\right)\cdot (L+\left(\frac{L}{2}\right))\)

\(\displaystyle V = L\cdot \left(\frac{L}{2}\right)\cdot \frac{3L}{2}\)

\(\displaystyle V = 10 \cdot 5 \cdot 15\)

\(\displaystyle V = 750\) units cubed

Example Question #5 : Finding Volume Of A Rectangular Prism

A rectangular prism has the following dimensions:

Length: \(\displaystyle 6.3 \:cm\)

Width: \(\displaystyle 6.3 \:cm\)

Height: \(\displaystyle 2.1 \:cm\)

Find the volume.

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 84.9\:cm^3\)

\(\displaystyle 83.3\:cm^3\)

\(\displaystyle 83.8\:cm^3\)

\(\displaystyle 84.3\:cm^3\)

\(\displaystyle 83.4\:cm^3\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 83.3\:cm^3\)

Explanation:

Given that the dimensions are: \(\displaystyle 6.3 \:cm\), \(\displaystyle 6.3 \:cm\), and \(\displaystyle 2.1 \:cm\) and that the volume of a rectangular prism can be given by the equation:

\(\displaystyle v=l \cdot w \cdot h\), where \(\displaystyle l\) is length, \(\displaystyle w\) is width, and \(\displaystyle h\) is height, the volume can be simply solved for by substituting in the values.

\(\displaystyle V = (6.3)(6.3)(2.1)\)

\(\displaystyle V = (39.69)(2.1)\)

\(\displaystyle V = 83.349\:cm^3\)

This final value can be approximated to \(\displaystyle 83.3\:cm^3\).

Example Question #702 : Geometry

A rectangular box has two sides with the following lengths: 

\(\displaystyle 3$ cm$\) and \(\displaystyle 4 $ cm$\)

If it possesses a volume of \(\displaystyle 84$ cm$^{3}\), what is the area of its largest side?

Possible Answers:

28

49

16

21

12

Correct answer:

28

Explanation:

The volume of a rectangular prism is found using the following formula:

\(\displaystyle V=l\times w\times h\)

If we substitute our known values, then we can solve for the missing side.

\(\displaystyle 84=3\times 4\times x\)

\(\displaystyle 84=12x\)

Divide both sides of the equation by 12.

\(\displaystyle \frac{84}{12}=\frac{12x}{12}\)

\(\displaystyle x=7\)

We now know that the missing length equals 7 centimeters.

This means that the box can have sides with the following dimensions: 3cm by 4cm; 7cm by 3cm; or 7cm by 4cm. The greatest area of one side belongs to the one that is 7cm by 4cm. 

\(\displaystyle A=l\times w\)

\(\displaystyle A=4\times 7\)

\(\displaystyle A=28\)

Example Question #1 : Finding Volume Of A Rectangular Prism

Solve for the volume of a prism that is 4m by 3m by 8m. 

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle V=88m^3\)

\(\displaystyle V = 96 m^3\)

\(\displaystyle V = 136 m^3\)

\(\displaystyle V = 144 m^3\)

\(\displaystyle V = 102 m^3\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle V = 96 m^3\)

Explanation:

The volume of the rectangle 

\(\displaystyle V = l*w*h\) 

so we plug in our values and obtain

\(\displaystyle V = 4*3*8\)

\(\displaystyle V = 96 m^3\).

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Length Of An Edge

A regular tetrahedron has a surface area of \(\displaystyle 684cm^{2}\). Each face of the tetrahedron has a height of \(\displaystyle 18cm\). What is the length of the base of one of the faces?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 76cm\)

\(\displaystyle 17cm\)

\(\displaystyle 24cm\)

\(\displaystyle 38cm\)

\(\displaystyle 19cm\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 19cm\)

Explanation:

A regular tetrahedron has 4 triangular faces. The area of one of these faces is given by:

\(\displaystyle \small A=\frac{1}{2}bh\)

Because the surface area is the area of all 4 faces combined, in order to find the area for one of the faces only, we must divide the surface area by 4. We know that the surface area is \(\displaystyle \small 684cm^2\), therefore:

\(\displaystyle \small A=\frac{S.A.}{4}\)

\(\displaystyle A=\frac{684cm^{2}}{4}=171cm^2\)

Since we now have the area of one face, and we know the height of one face is \(\displaystyle 18cm\), we can now plug these values into the original formula:

\(\displaystyle \small A=\frac{1}{2}bh\)

\(\displaystyle \small 171=\frac{1}{2}b(18)\)

\(\displaystyle \small 171=9b\)

\(\displaystyle \small b=19\)

Therefore, the length of the base of one face is \(\displaystyle \small 19cm\).

Example Question #7 : Tetrahedrons

What is the length of an edge of a regular tetrahedron if its surface area is 156?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 90.1\)

\(\displaystyle 11.4\)

\(\displaystyle 9.4\)

\(\displaystyle 7.2\)

\(\displaystyle 9.5\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 9.5\)

Explanation:

The only given information is the surface area of the regular tetrahedron.

This is a quick problem that can be easily solved for by using the formula for the surface area of a tetrahedron:

\(\displaystyle SA= \sqrt{3}\cdot a^2\)

If we substitute in the given infomation, we are left with the edge being the only unknown. 

\(\displaystyle 156 = \sqrt{3} \cdot a^2\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{156}{\sqrt{3}}=a^2\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{\frac{156}{\sqrt{3}}}=a\)

\(\displaystyle a=9.49 \approx{\color{Blue} 9.5}\)

Example Question #8 : Tetrahedrons

What is the length of a regular tetrahedron if one face has an area of 43.3 squared units and a slant height of \(\displaystyle \frac{10\sqrt3}{2}\)?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 86.6\)

\(\displaystyle 7.2\)

Cannot be determined 

\(\displaystyle 10\)

\(\displaystyle 15\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 10\)

Explanation:

The problem provides the information for the slant height and the area of one of the equilateral triangle faces. 

The slant height merely refers to the height of this equilateral triangle. 

Therefore, if we're given the area of a triangle and it's height, we should be able to solve for it's base. The base in this case will equate to the measurement of the edge. It's helpful to remember that in this case, because all faces are equilateral triangles, the measure of one length will equate to the length of all other edges.

We can use the equation that will allow us to solve for the area of a triangle:

\(\displaystyle A=\frac{1}{2} \cdot b\cdot h\)

where \(\displaystyle b\) is base length and \(\displaystyle h\) is height.

Substituting in the information that's been provided, we get:

\(\displaystyle 43.3 = \frac{1}{2} \cdot b \cdot \frac{10\sqrt{3}}{2}\)

\(\displaystyle b \cdot \frac{10\sqrt{3}}{2}= 2 \cdot 43.3\)

\(\displaystyle b = 2 \cdot 43.3 \cdot \frac{2}{10\sqrt{3}}\)

\(\displaystyle b =9.99971\approx {\color{Blue} 10}\)

Example Question #9 : Tetrahedrons

The volume of a regular tetrahedron is 94.8. What is the measurement of one of its edges?

Possible Answers:

Cannot be determined

\(\displaystyle 9.5\)

\(\displaystyle 8.7\)

\(\displaystyle 10.1\)

\(\displaystyle 9.3\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 9.3\)

Explanation:

This becomes a quick problem by just utilizing the formula for the volume of a tetrahedron. 

\(\displaystyle V= \frac{a^3}{6\sqrt{2}}\)

Upon substituting the value for the volume into the formula, we are left with \(\displaystyle a\), which represents the edge length. 

\(\displaystyle 94.8= \frac{a^3}{6\sqrt{2}}\)

\(\displaystyle a^3=94.8 \cdot 6\sqrt{2}\)

\(\displaystyle a= \sqrt[3]{94.8 \cdot 6\sqrt{2}}\)

\(\displaystyle a= {\color{Blue} 9.3}\)

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