Find slant height of a cone

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In summary, the steps to find the slant height of a cone with a total surface area of 300π cm² and a radius of 10 cm are to use the formula s = (A_T - πr^2) / πr, where s is the slant height, A_T is the total surface area, and r is the radius. For a cone with a slant height of 20 cm and a curved surface area of 330 cm², the circumference of its base can be found by using the formula r = A_L / (πs) and then using the formula for a circle's circumference.
  • #1
gazparkin
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Hello,

Could anyone help me understand the steps on the below questions?

A cone has a total surface area of 300π cm² and a radius of 10 cm. What is its slant height?


A cone has a slant height of 20 cm and a curved surface area of 330 cm2. What is the circumference of its base? I'd really like to know what steps I need to take to get to the answer on these.

Thank you in advance :-)
 
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  • #2
gazparkin said:
Hello,

Could anyone help me understand the steps on the below questions?

A cone has a total surface area of 300π cm² and a radius of 10 cm. What is its slant height?


A cone has a slant height of 20 cm and a curved surface area of 330 cm2. What is the circumference of its base? I'd really like to know what steps I need to take to get to the answer on these.

(1) total surface area = lateral surface area + base area

$A_T = \pi r s + \pi r^2$, where $s$ is the slant height and $r$ is the base radius

solving for $s$ $\implies s = \dfrac{A_T - \pi r^2}{\pi r}$

(2) assuming "curved surface area" is the lateral surface area ...

$A_L = \pi r s \implies r = \dfrac{A_L}{\pi s}$

use the formula for a circle's circumference to finish
 
  • #3
Suppose a cone (minus the circular bottom) has radius r and slant height s. Cut a slit along the slant and flatten it (Unlike a sphere a cone can be flattened. it is a "developable surface."). It will form part of a circle with radius h. That entire circle has radius h so area [tex]\pi h^2[/tex] and circumference [tex]2\pi h[/tex]. But the base of the cone had radius r so circumference [tex]2\pi r[/tex]. The cone is only [tex]\frac{2\pi r}{2\pi h}= \frac{r}{h}[/tex] of the entire circle so has area [tex]\frac{r}{h}\pi h^2= \pi rh[/tex].
 

What is the formula for finding the slant height of a cone?

The formula for finding the slant height of a cone is √(r² + h²), where r is the radius of the base and h is the height of the cone.

How do I measure the slant height of a cone?

To measure the slant height of a cone, you will need a ruler or measuring tape. First, measure the radius of the base of the cone. Then, measure the height of the cone from the tip to the center of the base. Plug these values into the formula √(r² + h²) to find the slant height.

What is the difference between slant height and height of a cone?

The height of a cone refers to the distance from the tip to the center of the base, while the slant height refers to the distance from the tip to any point on the edge of the base. The slant height is always longer than the height of a cone.

Can I use the Pythagorean theorem to find the slant height of a cone?

Yes, the formula for finding the slant height of a cone is derived from the Pythagorean theorem, which states that in a right triangle, the square of the length of the hypotenuse (in this case, the slant height) is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides (radius and height).

Do I need to know the volume or surface area of a cone to find the slant height?

No, the formula for finding the slant height of a cone only requires the radius and height of the cone. However, knowing the volume or surface area of a cone can help you verify that your calculation for the slant height is correct.

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