All HSPT Math Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : How To Find The Surface Area Of A Prism
A rectangular prism has a volume of 70 m3. If the length, width, and height of the prism are integers measured in meters, which of the following is NOT a possible measure of the surface area of the prism measured in square meters?
174
214
280
118
178
280
Since the volume is the product of length, width, and height, and each of these three dimensions are integers, it is important to know the factors of the volume. 70 = (2)(5)(7). This implies that each of these factors (and only these factors with the exception of 1) will show up in the three dimensions exactly once. This creates precisely the following five possibilities:
2, 5, 7
SA = 2((2)(5)+(2)(7)+(5)(7)) = 118
1, 7, 10
SA = 2((1)(7)+(1)(10)+(7)(10)) = 174
1, 5, 14
SA = 2((1)(5)+(1)(14)+(5)(14)) = 178
1, 2, 35
SA = 2((1)(2)+(1)(35)+(2)(35)) = 214
1, 1, 70
SA = 2((1)(1)+(1)(70)+(1)(70)) = 282
Example Question #2 : How To Find The Surface Area Of A Prism
The three sides of a rectangular box all have integer unit lengths. If each of the side lengths is greater than one unit, and if the volume of the box is 182 cubic units, what is the surface area of the box in square units?
264
181
182
236
262
262
Let's call the side lengths of the box l, w, and h. We are told that l, w, and h must all be integer lengths greater than one. We are also told that the volume of the box is 182 cubic units.
Since the volume of a rectangular box is the product of its side lengths, this means that lwh must equal 182.
(l)(w)(h) = 182.
In order to determine possible values of l, w, and h, it would help us to figure out the factors of 182. We want to express 182 as a product of three integers each greater than 1.
Let's factor 182. Because 182 is even, it is divisible by 2.
182 = 2(91).
91 is equal to the product of 7 and 13.
Thus, 182 = 2(7)(13).
This means that the lengths of the box must be 2, 7, and 13 units.
In order to find the surface area, we can use the following formula:
surface area = 2lw + 2lh + 2hw.
surface area = 2(2)(7) + 2(2)(13) + 2(7)(13)
= 28 + 52 + 182
= 262 square units.
The answer is 262.
Example Question #1 : How To Find The Surface Area Of A Prism
A right rectangular prism has dimensions of 3 x 5 x 20. What is its surface area?
300
350
56
112
175
350
There are six faces to a right, rectangular prism. Based on our dimensions, we know that we must have a face that is 3 x 5, a face that is 5 x 20 and a face that is 3 x 20. To think this through, imagine that the front face is 3 x 5, the right side is 5 x 20, and the top is 3 x 20. Now, each of these sides has a matching side opposite (the left has the right, the top has the bottom, the front has the back).
Therefore, we know we have the following areas for the faces of our prism:
2 * 3 * 5 = 30
2 * 5 * 20 = 200
2 * 3 * 20 = 120
Add these to get the total surface area:
30 + 200 + 120 = 350
Example Question #12 : Prisms
A right rectangular prism has dimensions of 12.4 x 2.3 x 33. What is its surface area?
513.62
470.58
941.16
1027.24
1882.32
1027.24
There are six faces to a right, rectangular prism. Based on our dimensions, we know that we must have a face that is 12.4 x 2.3, a face that is 2.3 x 33 and a face that is 33 x 12.4. To think this through, imagine that the front face is 12.4 x 2.3, the left side is 2.3 x 33, and the top is 33 x 12.4. Now, each of these sides has a matching side opposite (the left has the right, the top has the bottom, the front has the back).
Therefore, we know we have the following areas for the faces of our prism:
2 * 12.4 * 2.3 = 57.04
2 * 2.3 * 33 = 151.8
2 * 12.4 * 33 = 818.4
Add these to get the total surface area:
57.04 + 151.8 + 818.4 = 1027.24
Example Question #71 : Solid Geometry
The dimensions of a right rectangular prism are such that the second dimension is twice the length of the first and the third is twice the length of the second. If the volume of the prism is 216 cubic units, what is its surface area?
252 square units
126 square units
215 square units
189 square units
None of the other answers
252 square units
Based on our prompt, we can say that the prism has dimensions that can be represented as:
Dim1: x
Dim2: 2 * Dim1 = 2x
Dim3: 2 * Dim2 = 2 * 2x = 4x
More directly stated, therefore, our dimensions are: x, 2x, and 4x. Therefore, the volume is x * 2x * 4x = 216, which simplifies to 8x3 = 216 or x3 = 27. Solving for x, we find x = 3. Therefore, our dimensions are:
x = 3
2x = 6
4x = 12
Or: 3 x 6 x 12
Now, to find the surface area, we must consider that this means that our prism has sides of the following dimensions: 3 x 6, 6 x 12, and 3 x 12. Since each side has a "matching" side opposite it, we know that we have the following values for the areas of the faces:
2 * 3 * 6 = 36
2 * 6 * 12 = 144
2 * 3 * 12 = 72
The total surface area therefore equals: 36 + 144 + 72 = 252 square units.
Example Question #3 : How To Find The Surface Area Of A Prism
The area of a given object is 30,096 in2. What is the area of this object in ft2?
None of the other answers
209 ft2
2508 ft2
1254 ft2
1881 ft2
209 ft2
Converting squared units is not difficult, though you have to be careful not to make a simple mistake. It is tempting to think you can merely divide the initial value (30,096) by 12, as though you were converting from inches to feet.
Begin by thinking this through as follows. In the case of a single dimension, we know that:
1 ft = 12 in or 1 in = (1/12) ft
Now, think the case of a square with dimensions 1 ft x 1 ft. This square has the following dimensions in inches: 12 in x 12 in. The area is therefore 12 * 12 = 144 in2. This holds for all two-dimensional conversions. Therefore, the two dimensional conversion equation is:
1 ft2 = 144 in2 or 1 in2 = (1/144) ft2
Based on this, we can convert our value 30,096 in2 thus: 30,096/144 = 209 ft2.
Example Question #4 : How To Find The Surface Area Of A Prism
The area of a given object is 24 yd2. What is the area of this object in in2?
20,736 in2
None of the other answers
10,368 in2
31,104 in2
864 in2
31,104 in2
Converting squared units is not difficult, though you have to be careful not to make a simple mistake. It is tempting to think you can merely multiply the initial value (24) by 36, as though you were converting from yards to inches.
Begin by thinking this through as follows. In the case of a single dimension, we know that:
1 yd = 36 in
Now, think the case of a square with dimensions 1 yd x 1 yd. This square has the following dimensions in inches: 36 in x 36 in. The area is therefore 36 * 36 = 1296 in2. This holds for all two-dimensional conversions. Therefore, the two dimensional conversion equation is:
1 yd2 = 1296 in2
Based on this, we can convert our value 24 yd2 thus: 24 * 1296 = 31,104 in2.
Example Question #3 : Non Cubic Prisms
What is the surface area of an equilateral triangluar prism with edges of 6 in and a height of 12 in?
Let and .
The surface area of the prism can be broken into three rectangular sides and two equilateral triangular bases.
The area of the sides is given by: , so for all three sides we get .
The equilateral triangle is also an equiangular triangle by definition, so the base has congruent sides of 6 in and three angles of 60 degrees. We use a special right traingle to figure out the height of the triangle: 30 - 60 - 90. The height is the side opposite the 60 degree angle, so it becomes or 5.196.
The area for a triangle is given by and since we need two of them we get .
Therefore the total surface area is .
Example Question #1 : How To Find The Surface Area Of A Sphere
A solid sphere is cut in half to form two solid hemispheres. What is the ratio of the surface area of one of the hemispheres to the surface area of the entire sphere before it was cut?
1/2
3/4
2/3
3/2
1
3/4
The surface area of the sphere before it was cut is equal to the following:
surface area of solid sphere = 4πr2, where r is the length of the radius.
Each hemisphere will have the following shape:
In order to determine the surface area of the hemisphere, we must find the surface area of the flat region and the curved region. The flat region will have a surface area equal to the area of a circle with radius r.
area of flat part of hemisphere = πr2
The surface area of the curved portion of the hemisphere will equal one-half of the surface area of the uncut sphere, which we established to be 4πr2.
area of curved part of hemisphere = (1/2)4πr2 = 2πr2
The total surface area of the hemisphere will be equal to the sum of the surface areas of the flat part and curved part of the hemisphere.
total surface area of hemisphere = πr2 + 2πr2 = 3πr2
Finally, we must find the ratio of the surface area of the hemisphere to the surface area of the uncut sphere.
ratio = (3πr2)/(4πr2) = 3/4
The answer is 3/4.
Example Question #2 : Spheres
The volume of a sphere is 2304π in3. What is the surface area of this sphere in square inches?
None of the other answers
144π
576π
216π
36π
576π
To solve this, we must first begin by finding the radius of the sphere. To do this, recall that the volume of a sphere is:
V = (4/3)πr3
For our data, we can say:
2304π = (4/3)πr3; 2304 = (4/3)r3; 6912 = 4r3; 1728 = r3; 12 * 12 * 12 = r3; r = 12
Now, based on this, we can ascertain the surface area using the equation:
A = 4πr2
For our data, this is:
A = 4π*122 = 576π