Simple function question (Function to represent radius)

In summary: You've expressed the difference of the two volume quantities, and that difference is the amount of air required to inflate the balloon from a radius of r centimeters to a radius of r+1 centimeters.In summary, the function representing the amount of air required to inflate a balloon from radius r to radius r+1 is f(r) = 4/3 pi (3r^2 + 3r + 1). This is found by taking the difference between the volume of a balloon with radius r+1 and the volume of a balloon with radius r, and expressing it as a function.
  • #1
nukeman
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Homework Statement



Ok here is the question, and I will give the answer below. I am not really clear on how the instructor got this answer. So, if anyone could explain the answer a little, I would REALLY appreciate it!

Question: A spherical balloon with radius r centimeters has volume given by the formula V(r) = 4/3 pi r^3

Find a function that represents the amount of air required to inflate the balloon from a radius of r centimeters to a radius of r + 1 centimeters.

ANSWER: f(r) = 4/3 pi (r+1)^3 -4/3 pi r^3 = 4/3 pi (3r^2 + 3r + 1)

I am not sure why and how this is the answer. ?


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution

 
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  • #2
Alright...
You know that the amount of air (volume units) in a balloon with radius r is given by the formula for the volume you've written, that is, V1 = [itex]\frac{4}{3}\pi r^{3}[/itex].
Now, the volume (=the volume the air would take) of a balloon with radius r+1 is given by the same formula, only r+1 instead of r: V2 = [itex]\frac{4}{3}\pi (r+1)^{3}[/itex].

What is then the difference between the two quantities? Well, for that you have to calculate the difference surprisingly!

Diff_V = V2 - V1

And that's what you've written.
 

1. What is a simple function?

A simple function is a mathematical relationship between two variables, where one variable (the input) is used to determine the value of the other variable (the output). It is often represented using a function notation, such as f(x), where x is the input and f(x) is the output.

2. How do you represent a radius using a function?

To represent a radius using a function, we can use the equation r = f(x), where r is the radius and x is the input. This means that the value of the radius is determined by the value of the input, and we can use this function to calculate the radius for any given value of x.

3. What is the difference between a radius and a diameter?

A radius is the distance from the center of a circle to its edge, whereas a diameter is the distance across the circle, passing through the center. In other words, the diameter is twice the length of the radius. We can represent both the radius and diameter using the function r = f(x) and d = 2f(x), respectively.

4. Can a function represent different values of radius?

Yes, a function can represent different values of radius depending on the value of the input. For example, if we use the function r = f(x) to represent the radius of a circle, we can input different values of x to calculate the corresponding radius for each value. This allows us to model the relationship between the radius and input in a mathematical way.

5. How is a function related to a circle's circumference?

A function can be used to calculate the circumference of a circle by using the formula C = 2πr, where C is the circumference, r is the radius, and π is the mathematical constant pi. Since the radius is a function of the input, we can also say that the circumference is a function of the input, which allows us to calculate the circumference for any given value of x.

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