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If the heights of two cones are in the ratio 11:9 and their diameters are in the ratio 6:11, what is the ratio of their volumes?
11:3
11:4
3:11
4:11
4:11
Since the ratio of volumes V1тАЛ:V2тАЛ=(r1тАЛ/r2тАЛ)2├Ч(h1тАЛ/h2тАЛ), simply square the diameter ratio and multiply by the height ratio: (6/11)2├Ч(11/9)=(36/121)├Ч(11/9)=4/11.
Ratio of heights of two cones is 11 : 9, and ratio of diameters is 6 : 11.
V=31тАЛ╧Аr2h
Since the ratio of volumes V1тАЛ:V2тАЛ=(r1тАЛ/r2тАЛ)2├Ч(h1тАЛ/h2тАЛ), simply square the diameter ratio and multiply by the height ratio: (6/11)2├Ч(11/9)=(36/121)├Ч(11/9)=4/11.
Students often use the diameter ratio directly as the radius ratio, forgetting to square the radius term in the volume formula, or they mix up the order of the ratios.
Identify ratios
Given heights ratio h1тАЛ:h2тАЛ=11:9 and diameters ratio d1тАЛ:d2тАЛ=6:11. Since the ratio of diameters is equal to the ratio of radii, r1тАЛ:r2тАЛ=6:11.
h2тАЛh1тАЛтАЛ=911тАЛ,r2тАЛr1тАЛтАЛ=116тАЛ
Apply volume formula
The volume of a cone is V=31тАЛ╧Аr2h. The ratio of volumes is calculated as V2тАЛV1тАЛтАЛ=31тАЛ╧Аr22тАЛh2тАЛ31тАЛ╧Аr12тАЛh1тАЛтАЛ=(r2тАЛr1тАЛтАЛ)2├Ч(h2тАЛh1тАЛтАЛ).
V2тАЛV1тАЛтАЛ=(r2тАЛr1тАЛтАЛ)2├Ч(h2тАЛh1тАЛтАЛ)
Perform calculation
Substitute the values into the ratio expression: (116тАЛ)2├Ч911тАЛ=12136тАЛ├Ч911тАЛ.
121├Ч936├Ч11тАЛ=114тАЛ
D is correct because the calculated ratio of the volumes of the two cones is 4:11.
This concept of squaring the linear dimensions to find the ratio of areas or volumes is universal in Geometry; always remember that AreaтИЭ(linear)2 and VolumeтИЭ(linear)3.