PSAT Math : PSAT Mathematics

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for PSAT Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #291 : Psat Mathematics

A circular swimming pool has diameter  meters and depth 5 meters throughout. Which of the following expressions gives the total surface area of the inside of the pool, in square meters?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The pool can be seen as a cylinder with depth (or height) , and a base with diameter  - and, subsequently, radius half this, or .

The swimming pool has one circular base, whose area is

The lateral side of the pool has area

Add these:

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

What is the lateral surface area of a cylinder with a base radius of  and a height of ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

First, solve for circumference

The lateral surface area is equal to the circumference times the height. This gives us 

 

Example Question #291 : Geometry

Consider a right, circular cylinder. The circular bases each have an area of . If the height of the cylinder is , then what is the lateral surface area of the cylinder?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The lateral surface area of a right circular cylinder is equal to the circumference of the base multiplied by the height.

If the base is a circle with area , then the radius is , so

Therefore, circumference times height gives us

 .

Example Question #1951 : Hspt Mathematics

The volume of a cylinder is 36π. If the cylinder’s height is 4, what is the cylinder’s diameter? 

Possible Answers:

4

9

6

3

12

Correct answer:

6

Explanation:

Volume of a cylinder? V = πr2h. Rewritten as a diameter equation, this is:

V = π(d/2)2h = πd2h/4

Sub in h and V: 36p = πd2(4)/4 so 36p = πd2

Thus d = 6

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Volume Of A Cylinder

A cylinder has a height of 5 inches and a radius of 3 inches.  Find the lateral area of the cylinder.

Possible Answers:

8π

15π

45π

24π

30π

Correct answer:

30π

Explanation:

LA = 2π(r)(h) = 2π(3)(5) = 30π

Example Question #1 : Cylinders

A cylinder has a volume of 20. If the radius doubles, what is the new volume?

Possible Answers:

100

20

60

80

40

Correct answer:

80

Explanation:

The equation for the volume of the cylinder is πr2h. When the radius doubles (r becomes 2r) you get π(2r)2h = 4πr2h. So when the radius doubles, the volume quadruples, giving a new volume of 80.

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Volume Of A Cylinder

A cylinder has a height that is three times as long as its radius. If the lateral surface area of the cylinder is 54π square units, then what is its volume in cubic units?

Possible Answers:

243π

54π

81π

27π

Correct answer:

81π

Explanation:

Let us call r the radius and h the height of the cylinder. We are told that the height is three times the radius, which we can represent as h = 3r. 

We are also told that the lateral surface area is equal to 54π. The lateral surface area is the surface area that does not include the bases. The formula for the lateral surface area is equal to the circumference of the cylinder times its height, or 2πrh. We set this equal to 54π,

2πrh = 54π

Now we substitute 3r in for h.

2πr(3r) = 54π

6πr2 = 54π

Divide by 6π

r2 = 9.

Take the square root.

r = 3. 

h = 3r = 3(3) = 9.

Now that we have the radius and the height of the cylinder, we can find its volume, which is given by πr2h.

V = πr2h

V = π(3)2(9) = 81π

The answer is 81π.

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Volume Of A Cylinder

What is the volume of a hollow cylinder whose inner radius is 2 cm and outer radius is 4 cm, with a height of 5 cm?

Possible Answers:

100π cm3

60π cm3

80π cm3

50π cm3

20π cm3

Correct answer:

60π cm3

Explanation:

The volume is found by subtracting the inner cylinder from the outer cylinder as given by V = πrout2 h – πrin2 h. The area of the cylinder using the outer radius is 80π cm3, and resulting hole is given by the volume from the inner radius, 20π cm3. The difference between the two gives the volume of the resulting hollow cylinder, 60π cm3.

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Volume Of A Cylinder

What is the volume of a right cylinder with a circumference of 25π in and a height of 41.3 in?

Possible Answers:

6453.125π in3

25812.5π in3

3831.34π in3

1032.5π in3

4813.33π in3

Correct answer:

6453.125π in3

Explanation:

The formula for the volume of a right cylinder is: V = A * h, where A is the area of the base, or πr2.  Therefore, the total formula for the volume of the cylinder is: V = πr2h.

 First, we must solve for r by using the formula for a circumference (c = 2πr): 25π = 2πr; r = 12.5.

Based on this, we know that the volume of our cylinder must be: π*12.52*41.3 = 6453.125π in3

Example Question #1 : Cylinders

An 8-inch cube has a cylinder drilled out of it. The cylinder has a radius of 2.5 inches. To the nearest hundredth, approximately what is the remaining volume of the cube?

Possible Answers:

203.34 in3

462 in3

157.08 in3

391.33 in3

354.92 in3

Correct answer:

354.92 in3

Explanation:

We must calculate our two volumes and subtract them. The volume of the cube is very simple: 8 * 8 * 8, or 512 in3.

The volume of the cylinder is calculated by multiplying the area of its base by its height. The height of the cylinder is 8 inches (the height of the cube through which it is being drilled). Therefore, its volume is πr2h = π * 2.5* 8 = 50π in3

The volume remaining in the cube after the drilling is: 512 – 50π, or approximately 512 – 157.0795 = 354.9205, or 354.92 in3.

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