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Mensuration II (Important results)

The following results are very important to solve various mensuration problems.

1.  The largest possible sphere that can be chiseled out from a cube of side "a" cm. 

 Diagonal of the sphere is a, so radius = a/2.

3
πa
Remaining empty space in the cube = a 3
−
6

2. The largest possible cube that can be chiseled out from a sphere of radius "a" cm

Here OA = radius of the sphere. So diameter of the sphere = 2a.

Let the side of the square = x, then the diagonal of the cube = √3x
2a
 
⇒ √3x = 2a ⇒ x =
√3

2a
Therefore side of the square =   
√3

3.  The largest possible cube that can be chiseled out from a hemisphere of radius 'a' cm. 
Sol:

Given, the radius of the hemi sphere AC = a.  Let the side of the cube is x.
From the above diagram, BE 2
+ ED
2 2
= BD

2 2 2
⇒ x + x = BD

⇒ BD = √2x

√2x x
⇒ BC = =
2 √2

From ΔABC, AC 2
= AB
2
+ BC
2

x
2 2
⇒ a = x + ( )
√2

2
3x
2
⇒ a =
2

2
⇒ x = √ a
3

2
The edge of the cube = a√
3
4.  The largest square that can be inscribed in a right angled triangle ABC when one of its
vertices coincide with the vertex of right of the triangle.

Solution:

let the side of the square = x

DE // BC, therefore, ΔADE and ΔABC are similar.
AD DE
⇒ =
AB BC
b − x x
⇒ =
b a
x x
⇒ 1 − =
b a
x x
⇒ 1 = +
b a
a + b
⇒ 1 = x( )
ab

ab
⇒ x = ( )
a + b
2
ab ab
Side of the square =  and area of the square = ( )
a + b a + b

5.  The largest square that can be inscribed in a right angled triangle ABC when one of its
vertices lies on the hypotenuse of the triangle

Solution 1:
From the above diagram,  ΔABC and ΔAFD are similar.
AD AB
⇒ T anα = =
FD BC
AD a
⇒ =
x b
xa
⇒ AD = - - - - - (1)
b

Also, ΔABC and ΔEGC are similar.

GE a
⇒ T anα = =
EC b
x a
⇒ =
EC b
xb
⇒ EC = - - - - - (2)
a

We know that c= AD + x + EC

xa xb
⇒ c = + x +
b a
a b
⇒ c = x( + 1 + )
b a
2 2
a + ab + b
⇒ c = x( )
ab

abc
⇒ x = ( )
2 2
a + ab + b

abc
Side of the square =  2 2
a + b + ab

Solution 2:
From the above diagram, drop a perpendicular to AC from vertex B. 
1 1
Area of ΔABC =  × a × b = × BF × c
2 2
ab
∴ BF = - - - - - (1)
c

Now ΔBDE and ΔABC are similar. 

BG DE
⇒ =
BF AC
ab
− x
c x
⇒ =
ab c

c
xc x
⇒ 1 − =
ab c
xc x
⇒ 1 = +
ab c
c 1
⇒ 1 = x( + )
ab c

2
c + ab
⇒ 1 = x( )
abc

abc abc
⇒ x =
2
=  2 2
c + ab a + b + ab

6.  The largest square that can be inscribed in a semi circle of radius 'r' units
 3
Area of the square =  r
2

7.  The largest square that can be inscribed in a quadrant of radius 'r' cm. 

2
r r
Side of the square =  , and area of the square = 
√2 2

8.  The largest circle that can be inscribed in the semi circle of radius 'r' cm is 

2
πr
Inscribed circle area = 
4

(Rememeber: Inscribed circle area is half of the semi circle area)

9.  The largest circle that can be inscribed in a quadrant of radius 'r' cm is 
 2
πr
Area of the circle =
3 + 2√2

Level - 2: 

10. The largest cube that can be chiseled out from a cone of height 'h' cm and radius of 'r' cm

Solution:

Let the side of the square = x

DHE is a right angle triangle.   Therefore, DE 2
= DH
2
+ HE
2

2 2
⇒ DE = √x + x = √2x

From the diagram, ΔADE and ΔABC are similar.

AF DE
⇒ =
AG BC

h − x √2x
⇒ =
h 2r
x x
⇒ 1 − =
h √2r
x x
⇒ + = 1
√2r h

1 1
⇒ x( + ) = 1
√2r h

h + √2r
⇒ x( ) = 1
√2rh

√2rh
⇒ x =
h + √2r

√2rh
Square side = 
h + √2r

11.  Find the maximum volume of cylinder that can be made out of a cone of radius 'r' and
height 'h'

Sol:
Let the radius of the cylinder = x and height = y.  We have to maximize the volume of the
cylinder V = πx y.  To maximize the volume we have to change one of the given variable in the
2

equation into "r"and "h" and differentiate the equation with respect to the other variable.
From the above, ΔADE and ΔABC are similar. 
h − y 2x
So, ⇒ = - - - - - (1)
h 2r
xh
⇒ h − y =
r
xh
⇒ h − = y
r

Substituting the above result in the volume we get, 

hx
2
V = πx (h − )
r
3
πhx
2
V = πhx −
r

Differentiation the above equation w.r.t x, 

2
3πhx
1
V (x) = 2πhx −
r

By equating the above equation to zero, we can find the value of x where the above equation
becomes maximum. 
2
3πhx
2πhx − =0
r
3x
⇒ 2πhx (2 − ) = 0
r

3x
h, x cannot be zero. So 2 − =0
r
2r
⇒ x = - - - - - (2)
3

Substituting the above result in equation (1), 

 2r
2( )
h − y 3
⇒ =
h 2r
h − y 2
⇒ =
h 3
2
⇒ h − y = h
3
h
⇒ y = - - - - - (3)
3
2
2r h
Therefore, maximum volume of the cylinder = π( ) ( )
3 3

4
2
⇒ πr h
27

12. Find the maximum volume of sphere that can be inscribed in a cone.

Sol:

Let the cone height = h and radius = r.  Also let the radius of the sphere inside the cone = x
4
We have to maximize the volume of the sphere = V = πx
3

From the above diagram, ΔAF C and ΔADE are similar.  (∵ AAA rule)

C C
 CF AC
Therefore,  =
DE AD

From Pythagoras rule, AC = √AF

2
+ FC
2
= √h + r
2 2

r √r2 + h2
Now,  =
x h − x
2 2
⇒ rh − rx = x√r + h

2 2
⇒ rh = rx + x√r + h

⇒ rh = x (r + √r + h )
2 2

rh
⇒ x =
2 2
r + √r + h

13. Find the maximum volume of cone that can be inscribed in a sphere.

Sol:

Let the radius of the sphere = r.

Let the radius of the cone = x, and height = y
1
We have to maximize the volume of the cone = V =  2
πx y - - - - - (1)
3
From ΔBCD, BD 2
= BC
2
+ CD
2

2 2 2
⇒ r = x + (y − r)

2 2 2 2
⇒ r = x + y + r − 2yr

⇒ x
2
= 2yr − y
2
- - - - (2)
Substituting the above result in equation (1), and differentiating w.r.t. y, and equating to zero, 
1
V=  π (2yr − y ) y
2

3
1
V
1
(y) = π (4yr − 3y )
2
=0
3
4r
⇒ y =
3
4r r
Now CD =  − r =
3 3

From ΔBCD, 
r 2
2 2
r = x + ( )
3
2
8r 2√2r
⇒ x = √ = - - - - (3)
9 3
2

1 1 2√2r 4r 32
Volume of the cone =  πx y
2
=  π( ) = πr
3

3 3 3 3 81

Aptitude

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PM
4 months ago
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The largest square that can be inscribed in a semi circle of radius 'r' units : (4*r^2)/5
Hello Admin....pls correct this ..
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