GMAT Math : Rectangular Solids & Cylinders

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Dsq: Calculating The Surface Area Of A Cylinder

Of Cylinder 1 and Cylinder 2, which, if either, has the greater surface area?

Statement 1: The sum of the height of Cylinder 1 and the radius of one of its bases is equal to the sum of the height of Cylinder 2 and the radius of one of its bases.

Statement 2: The bases of Cylinder 1 and Cylinder 2 have the same cicumference.

Possible Answers:

BOTH statements TOGETHER are insufficient to answer the question.

EITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

Statement 1 ALONE is sufficient to answer the question, but Statement 2 ALONE is NOT sufficient to answer the question.

Statement 2 ALONE is sufficient to answer the question, but Statement 1 ALONE is NOT sufficient to answer the question.

Correct answer:

BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

Explanation:

We will let and represent the radii of Cylinder 1 and Cylinder 2, respectively, and and represent the heights of Cylinder 1 and Cylinder 2, respectively.

The surface area of Cylinder 1 is

$a = 2 \pi r(r+h)$ ,

and the surface area of Cylinder 2 is

$A = 2 \pi R(R+H)$ .

Statement 1 alone is insufficient, as can be seen by examining these two cases.

Case 1: H = 4, R= 4, h = 1, r= 7

For each cylinder, the sum of the radius and the height is 8 - that is, r+h = R+H = 8 .

The surface area of Cylinder 1 is

$a = 2 \pi r(r+h)$

$= 2 \pi \cdot 4 \cdot 8$

$= 64 \pi$

The surface area of Cylinder 2 is

$A = 2 \pi R(R+H)$ ,

$= 2 \pi \cdot 7 \cdot 8$

$= 112 \pi$

Therefore, Cylinder 2 has the greater area.

Case 2: H = 1, R= 7, h = 4, r= 4

This simply switches the dimensions of the cylinders, and consequently, it switches the surface areas. Cylinder 1 has the greater surface area.

Each scenario satisfies the condition of Statement 1.

Assume Statement 2 alone. The circumferences of the bases are the same, so, subsequently, the radii are as well. But the heights are also needed, and Statement 2 does not clue us in to the heights.

Assume both statements are true.

By Statement 1, R + H = r + h .

By Statement 2, since the circumferences of the bases are equal, so are their radii, so R = r .

By subtraction, it follows that R + H -R= r + h - r , and H = h . Since the cylinders have the same height and their bases have the same radius, it follows that their surface areas are equal.

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Example Question #31 : Rectangular Solids & Cylinders

Give the surface area of a cylinder.

Statement 1: The circumference of each base is $14 \pi$ .

Statement 2: Each base has radius 7.

Possible Answers:

Statement 1 ALONE is sufficient to answer the question, but Statement 2 ALONE is NOT sufficient to answer the question.

BOTH statements TOGETHER are insufficient to answer the question.

Statement 2 ALONE is sufficient to answer the question, but Statement 1 ALONE is NOT sufficient to answer the question.

BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

EITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

Correct answer:

BOTH statements TOGETHER are insufficient to answer the question.

Explanation:

The surface area of the cylinder can be calculated from radius and height using the formula:

$A = 2 \pi rh + 2 \pi r^{2}$

Statement 1 gives the circumference of the bases, which can be divided by $2 \pi$ to yield the radius; Statement 2 gives the radius outright. However, neither statement yields information about the height, so the surface area cannot be calculated.

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Example Question #32 : Rectangular Solids & Cylinders

Of Cylinder 1 and Cylinder 2, which, if either, has the greater lateral area?

Statement 1: The product of the height of Cylinder 1 and the radius of one of its bases is less than the product of the height of Cylinder 2 and the radius of one of its bases.

Statement 2: The product of the height of Cylinder 2 and the radius of one of its bases is equal to the product of the height of Cylinder 1 and the diameter of one of its bases.

Possible Answers:

Statement 2 ALONE is sufficient to answer the question, but Statement 1 ALONE is NOT sufficient to answer the question.

BOTH statements TOGETHER are insufficient to answer the question.

Statement 1 ALONE is sufficient to answer the question, but Statement 2 ALONE is NOT sufficient to answer the question.

BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

EITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

Correct answer:

EITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

Explanation:

The lateral area of the cylinder can be calculated from radius and height using the formula:

$a = 2 \pi rh$ .

In this problem we will use and as the dimensions of Cylinder 1 and and as those of Cylinder 2. Therefore, the lateral area of Cylinder 2 will be

$A = 2 \pi RH$

Assume Statement 1 alone. This means

rh < RH ;

multiplying both sides of the inequality by $2 \pi$ , we get

$2 \pi rh <2 \pi RH$ ,

a < A ,

Therefore, Cylinder 2 has the greater lateral area.

Assume Statement 2 alone. Since the diameter of a base of Cylinder 1 is twice its radius, or , this means

2 rh = RH

$rh =\frac{1}{2} RH$

It follows that rh < RH , and, again, $2 \pi rh <2 \pi RH$ , or a < A . Cylinder 2 has the greater lateral area.

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Example Question #1 : Dsq: Calculating The Surface Area Of A Cylinder

Give the surface area of a cylinder.

Statement 1: The circumference of each base is $18 \pi$ .

Statement 2: The height is four greater than the diameter of each base.

Possible Answers:

BOTH statements TOGETHER are insufficient to answer the question.

EITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

Statement 1 ALONE is sufficient to answer the question, but Statement 2 ALONE is NOT sufficient to answer the question.

Statement 2 ALONE is sufficient to answer the question, but Statement 1 ALONE is NOT sufficient to answer the question.

Correct answer:

BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

Explanation:

The surface area of the cylinder can be calculated from radius and height using the formula:

$A = 2 \pi r(r+h)$

Statement 1 gives the circumference of the bases, which can be divided by $2 \pi$ to yield the radius; however, it yields no information about the height, so the surface area cannot be calculated.

Statement 2 gives the relationship between radius and height, but without actual lengths, we cannot give the surface area for certain.

Assume both statements are true. Since, from Statement 1, the circumference of a base is $18 \pi$ , its radius is $18 \pi \div 2 \pi = 9$ ; its diameter is twice this, or 18, and its height is four more than the diameter, or 22. We now know radius and height, and we can use the surface area formula to answer the question:

$A = 2 \pi r(r+h)$

$A = 2 \pi \cdot 9 \cdot (9+22)$

$A = 2 \pi \cdot 9 \cdot 31$

$A = 558 \pi$

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Example Question #2 : Dsq: Calculating The Surface Area Of A Cylinder

Of Cylinder 1 and Cylinder 2, which, if either, has the greater surface area?

Statement 1: Cylinder 1 has bases with radius twice those of the bases of Cylinder 2.

Statement 2: The height of Cylinder 1 is half that of Cylinder 2.

Possible Answers:

BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

Statement 1 ALONE is sufficient to answer the question, but Statement 2 ALONE is NOT sufficient to answer the question.

EITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

Statement 2 ALONE is sufficient to answer the question, but Statement 1 ALONE is NOT sufficient to answer the question.

BOTH statements TOGETHER are insufficient to answer the question.

Correct answer:

BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

Explanation:

We will let and stand for the radii of the bases of Cylinders 1 and 2, respectively, and and stand for their heights.

The surface area of Cylinder1 can be calculated from radius and height using the formula:

$A = 2 \pi R (R+H)$ ;

similarly, the surface area of Cylinder 2 is

$a = 2 \pi r(r+h)$

Therefore, we are seeking to determine which, if either, is greater, or .

Statement 1 alone tells us that R = 2r , but without knowing anything about the heights, we cannot compare to . Similarly, Statement 2 tells us that

$H = \frac{1}{2} h$ , or, equivalently, h = 2H , but without any information about the radii, again, we cannot determine which of and is the greater.

Now assume both statements to be true. Substituting for and for , Cylinder 1 has surface area:

$A = 2 \pi \cdot 2r (2r+H)$

$A = 4 \pi r (2r+H)$

$A = 4 \pi r \cdot 2r+ 4 \pi r \cdot H$

$A = 8 \pi r^{2}+4 \pi rH$ .

Cylinder 2 has surface area

$a = 2 \pi r(r+2H)$

$a = 2 \pi r \cdot r+2 \pi r \cdot 2H$

$a = 2 \pi r^{2} +4 \pi rH$

$A - a= (8 \pi r^{2}+4 \pi rH) - \left (2 \pi r^{2} +4 \pi rH \right )= 6 \pi r^{2}$ , so A > a , and Cylinder 1 has the greater surface area.

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Example Question #318 : Data Sufficiency Questions

Give the surface area of a cylinder.

Statement 1: If the height is added to the radius of a base, the sum is twenty.

Statement 2: If the height is added to the diameter of a base, the sum is thirty.

Possible Answers:

Statement 2 ALONE is sufficient to answer the question, but Statement 1 ALONE is NOT sufficient to answer the question.

BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

BOTH statements TOGETHER are insufficient to answer the question.

EITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

Statement 1 ALONE is sufficient to answer the question, but Statement 2 ALONE is NOT sufficient to answer the question.

Correct answer:

BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

Explanation:

The surface area of the cylinder can be calculated from radius and height using the formula:

$A = 2 \pi r (r+h)$

We can rewrite the statements as a system of equations, keeping in mind that the diameter is twice the radius:

Statement 1: h + r = 20

Statement 2: h + 2r = 30

Neither statement alone gives the actual radius or height. However, if we subtract both sides of the first equation from the last:

$\left (h + 2r \right ) -\left (h + r \right ) = 30 - 20$

r = 10

We substitute back in the first equation:

h + 10= 20

h = 10

The height and the radius are both known, and the surface area can now be calculated:

$A = 2 \pi r (r+h)$

$A = 2 \pi \cdot 10 \cdot (10+10)= 2 \pi \cdot 10 \cdot 20 = 400 \pi$

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Example Question #319 : Data Sufficiency Questions

Of Cylinder 1 and Cylinder 2, which, if either, has the greater lateral area?

Statement 1: The cylinders have the same volume.

Statement 2: The product of the height of Cylinder 1 and the area of its base is equal to the product of the height of Cylinder 2 and the area of its base.

Possible Answers:

EITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

BOTH statements TOGETHER are insufficient to answer the question.

Statement 2 ALONE is sufficient to answer the question, but Statement 1 ALONE is NOT sufficient to answer the question.

Statement 1 ALONE is sufficient to answer the question, but Statement 2 ALONE is NOT sufficient to answer the question.

Correct answer:

BOTH statements TOGETHER are insufficient to answer the question.

Explanation:

The volume of a cylinder is the product of its height and the area of its base, so the two statements are actually equivalent. Therefore, we demonstrate that knowing that the volumes are the same is insufficient to determine which cylinder, if either, has the greater lateral area.

The lateral area of the cylinder can be calculated from radius and height using the formula:

$a = 2 \pi rh$ .

In this problem we will use and as the dimensions of Cylinder 1 and and as those of Cylinder 2. Therefore, the lateral area of Cylinder 2 will be

$A = 2 \pi RH$

Also, the volume can be calculated using the formula

$v= \pi r^{2} h$ ,

so this will come into play.

Case 1: The cylinders have the same height and their bases have the same radii.

It easily follows that they have the same volume and the same lateral area.

Case 2: r =4, R, = 3, h = 9, H = 16

The volumes are the same:

Cylinder 1: $v= \pi r^{2} h = \pi \cdot 4^{2} \cdot 9 = 144 \pi$

Cylinder 2: $V = \pi R^{2}H = \pi \cdot 3^{2} \cdot 16 = 144 \pi$

However, their lateral areas differ:

Cylinder 1: $a = 2 \pi rh = 2 \pi \cdot 4 \cdot 9= 72\pi$

Cylinder 2: $A = 2 \pi RH = 2 \pi \cdot 6 \cdot 16 = 192 \pi$

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Example Question #203 : Geometry

The city of Wilsonville has a small cylindrical water tank in which it keeps an emergency water supply. Give its surface area, to the nearest hundred square feet.

Statement 1: The water tank holds about 37,700 cubic feet of water.

Statement 2: About ten and three fourths gallons of paint, which gets about 350 square feet of coverage per gallon can, will need to be used to paint the tank completely.

Possible Answers:

BOTH statements TOGETHER are insufficient to answer the question.

Statement 2 ALONE is sufficient to answer the question, but Statement 1 ALONE is NOT sufficient to answer the question.

BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

EITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

Statement 1 ALONE is sufficient to answer the question, but Statement 2 ALONE is NOT sufficient to answer the question.

Correct answer:

Statement 2 ALONE is sufficient to answer the question, but Statement 1 ALONE is NOT sufficient to answer the question.

Explanation:

Statement 1 is unhelpful in that it gives the volume, not the surface area, of the tank. The volume of a cylinder depends on two independent values, the height and the area of a base; neither can be determined, so neither can the surface area.

From Statement 2 alone, we can find the surface area. One gallon of paint covers 350 square feet, so, since $10 \frac{3}{4}$ gallons of this paint will cover about

$10 \frac{3}{4} \cdot 350 \approx 3,800$ square feet, the surface area of the tank.

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Example Question #2431 : Gmat Quantitative Reasoning

Of a given cylinder and a given sphere, which, if either, has the greater surface area?

Statement 1: The height of the cylinder is equal to the radius of the sphere.

Statement 2: The radius of a base of the cylinder is greater than the radius of the sphere.

Possible Answers:

BOTH statements TOGETHER are insufficient to answer the question.

Statement 1 ALONE is sufficient to answer the question, but Statement 2 ALONE is NOT sufficient to answer the question.

Statement 2 ALONE is sufficient to answer the question, but Statement 1 ALONE is NOT sufficient to answer the question.

EITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

Correct answer:

BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

Explanation:

The surface area of the cylinder can be calculated from radius and height using the formula:

$a = 2 \pi rh + 2 \pi r^{2}$ .

Let the radius of the sphere be . Then its surface area can be calculated to be

$A = 4 \pi R^{2}$

From Statement 1 alone, h = R , so the surface area of the cylinder can be expressed as

$a = 2 \pi r R + 2 \pi r^{2}$ .

We cannot compare this to the surface area of the sphere without knowing anything about the radius of a base.

Likewise, from Statement 2 alone, we know that r > R , but without knowing anything about the height, we cannot compare the surface areas.

Now assume both statements. Again, from Statement 1,

$a = 2 \pi r R + 2 \pi r^{2}$ .

Since, from Statement 2, r > R , if follows that

$2 \pi R \cdot r >2 \pi R \cdot R$ , or, $2 \pi r R > 2 \pi R ^{2}$ .

It also follows that

$r^{2} > R^{2}$

and

$2 \pi r^{2} > 2 \pi R^{2}$

Therefore, we can add both sides of the inequalities:

$2 \pi r R + 2 \pi r^{2} > 2 \pi R^{2}+ 2 \pi R ^{2}$

$2 \pi r R + 2 \pi r^{2} > 4 \pi R^{2}$

and

a > A ,

so the cylinder has the greater surface area of the two solids.

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Example Question #12 : Dsq: Calculating The Surface Area Of A Cylinder

Inscribed_cylinder

In the above figure, a cylinder is inscribed inside a cube. and mark the points of tangency the upper base has with $\overline{BC}$ and $\overline{CD}$ . What is the surface area of the cylinder?

Statement 1: Arc $\widehat{XY}$ has length $5 \pi$ .

Statement 2: Arc $\widehat{XY}$ has degree measure $90 ^{\circ }$ .

Possible Answers:

Statement 2 ALONE is sufficient to answer the question, but Statement 1 ALONE is NOT sufficient to answer the question.

BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

Statement 1 ALONE is sufficient to answer the question, but Statement 2 ALONE is NOT sufficient to answer the question.

EITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

BOTH statements TOGETHER are insufficient to answer the question.

Correct answer:

Statement 1 ALONE is sufficient to answer the question, but Statement 2 ALONE is NOT sufficient to answer the question.

Explanation:

Assume Statement 1 alone. Since $\widehat{XY}$ has length one fourth the circumference of a base, then each base has circumference $5 \pi \cdot 4 = 20 \pi$ , and radius $r = C \div \left (2\pi \right )= 20 \pi \div \left (2 \pi \right )= 10$ . It follows that each base has area $A = \pi r^{2}= \pi \cdot 10^{2}= 100 \pi$

Also, the diameter is $C \div \pi = 20 \pi \div \pi = 20$ ; it is also the length of each edge, and it is therefore the height. The lateral area is the product of height 20 and circumference $20 \pi$ , or $20 \cdot 20 \pi = 400 \pi$ .

The surface area can now be calculated as the sum of the areas:

$400 \pi + 100 \pi+ 100 \pi= 600 \pi$ .

Statement 2 is actually a redundant statement; since each base is inscribed inside a square, it already follows that $\widehat{XY}$ is one fourth of a circle - that is, a $90^{\circ }$ arc.

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GMAT Math : Rectangular Solids & Cylinders

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GMAT Math

All GMAT Math Resources

Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Dsq: Calculating The Surface Area Of A Cylinder

Example Question #31 : Rectangular Solids & Cylinders

Example Question #32 : Rectangular Solids & Cylinders

Example Question #1 : Dsq: Calculating The Surface Area Of A Cylinder

Example Question #2 : Dsq: Calculating The Surface Area Of A Cylinder

Example Question #318 : Data Sufficiency Questions

Example Question #319 : Data Sufficiency Questions

Example Question #203 : Geometry

Example Question #2431 : Gmat Quantitative Reasoning

Example Question #12 : Dsq: Calculating The Surface Area Of A Cylinder

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