Help with Giant Hersey Kiss problem

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter QuantumTheory
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around determining the volume of a giant Hershey Kiss, a chocolate candy that is approximately three times the size of a regular Hershey Kiss. Participants explore various methods for calculating the volume, including both practical and theoretical approaches.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests using a liquid measuring device to find the volume by submerging the Hershey Kiss and measuring the water displacement.
  • Another participant proposes a more tedious method involving graph paper to approximate the volume by treating the Hershey Kiss as a surface of revolution and calculating areas of trapezoids.
  • A participant humorously comments on the ethics of submerging chocolate in water for measurement purposes.
  • One participant expresses uncertainty about translating mathematical concepts into practical applications, specifically regarding finding anti-derivatives and calculating area based on measurements.
  • Another participant mentions the idea of melting the chocolate and measuring the volume in a measuring cylinder as an alternative method.
  • A question is raised about the motivation behind wanting to know the volume of a Hershey Kiss, indicating curiosity about the purpose of the inquiry.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants present multiple methods for calculating the volume, but there is no consensus on which method is preferable or most effective. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the best approach to take.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty about the practical application of mathematical concepts, particularly in relation to real-world measurements and calculations. There are also varying levels of familiarity with the mathematical techniques involved.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to those exploring practical applications of calculus, volume measurement techniques, or anyone curious about the properties of chocolate candies.

QuantumTheory
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Nice to be back folks! I have a problem once again.. I'm not sure how to approach this one.

Have you been to the store lately? Surely you know what Hersheys kisses are! They are chocolate candies. Well, there is a GIANT hersey kiss verison available, its about 3x or so big as a normal hershey kiss. I want to figure out the total volume of one of these, but I don't know how to get the measurements needed for it.

How do I start?

(PS: I know how to integrate, etc, I just can't figure out what to measure to start integrating!)
 
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Two methods:
The easy method is to fill a device used for measuring liquid volumes with enough water to cover the kiss, and then carefully place the kiss underwater, measuring the difference in volume.
The tedious method is to place the kiss in front of graph paper and mark as many points as you want. The kiss is a surface of revolution and you just find the areas of the trapezoids and rotate them.
 
The easy method is to fill a device used for measuring liquid volumes with enough water to cover the kiss, and then carefully place the kiss underwater

I think there are laws against such abuses of chocolate...
 
hypermorphism said:
Two methods:
The easy method is to fill a device used for measuring liquid volumes with enough water to cover the kiss, and then carefully place the kiss underwater, measuring the difference in volume.
The tedious method is to place the kiss in front of graph paper and mark as many points as you want. The kiss is a surface of revolution and you just find the areas of the trapezoids and rotate them.


Thank you. I will try the first method, however..when it comes to real life applications, I have trouble remembering exactly what to do. I know how to do the math, but to PUT it into equations, is another question. First, how do I find the family of anti-deriviatives of the curve as the slope curves down the y-axis starting at the point C, where C is some unknown constant and the upper part of the kiss should be in the form:
f(x) = x^2 + C until the slope of the kiss is constant, ie 0.

What exactly do I use to calcululate the area? Do I measure the diameter, then express it in terms of pi?
 
I saw complicated forumlas but i don't know if this was posted,

you could melt the giant chocolate down and using a measuring cylinder ...
 
Just out of curiosity, why do you want to know the volume of a Hershey Kiss?
 

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