To determine the increase in the minor and greater radius given only the ratio of the heights for similar shapes, it's essential to understand that all corresponding distances change proportionally. If the ratio of the heights is r:1, then the corresponding areas will be in the ratio r²:1, and the volumes will be in the ratio r³:1. This means that even without knowing the exact formula for volume, one can derive the new volume based on the height ratio. The discussion emphasizes the importance of similarity in geometric transformations and how it applies to calculating volume changes. Understanding these relationships allows for volume calculations based solely on height ratios.