Ratio volume of cylinder inside cone

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves finding the volume of an upright cylinder inscribed in an upright cone and demonstrating that this volume is 4/9 times the volume of the cone. The discussion touches on concepts from geometry and calculus, particularly the use of similar triangles and differentiation.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss using the similarity of triangles to relate the dimensions of the cylinder and cone. There are attempts to derive the volume of the cylinder in terms of the cone's dimensions and to optimize this volume using differentiation.

Discussion Status

Some participants have provided guidance on using differentiation to find the maximum volume of the cylinder. There are differing interpretations of the relationships derived from the similarity of triangles, leading to questions about the correct setup of equations. The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring various approaches and clarifying assumptions.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working under the constraints of a homework assignment, which may limit the information they can use or the methods they can apply. There are noted discrepancies in the equations derived from the similarity of triangles, prompting further exploration and clarification.

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Homework Statement


Show that the volume of an upright cylinder that can be inscribe in an upright cone is 4/9 times the volume of cone


Homework Equations


volume of cone
volume of cylinder
differentiation ??
similarity of triangle


The Attempt at a Solution


I draw the picture of cylinder inside a cone and by using similarity of triangle I got:
(H-h) / h = r / R
where: H = height of cone, h = height of cylinder, r = radius of cylinder, R = radius of cone

But I can't find the answer. The final form I can get is:
Vcylinder / Vcone = 3 (H - h)2/(Hh)

I encountered this problem in differentiation chapter. How to use differentiation to solve this problem?

Thanks
 
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yes, you are correct using similarity of triangle. After that you have to use the differentiation to optimize cylinder's volume, dV_c = 0.

Subsitute for h from the ratio into above eqn, to get the radius of cylinder.

and, finally you can proof it the ratio for cylinder's volume to cone.
 
lepton5 said:
yes, you are correct using similarity of triangle. After that you have to use the differentiation to optimize cylinder's volume, dV_c = 0.

Subsitute for h from the ratio into above eqn, to get the radius of cylinder.

and, finally you can proof it the ratio for cylinder's volume to cone.

From (H-h) / h = r / R ==> r = R (H-h) / h

Vcylinder=πr2h , substitute r from above equation
=πR2(H-h)2 / h

Assume R and H are constant and differentiating with respect to h
dV / dh = 0
-2πR2(H-h)h - πR2(H-h)2=0

After a little work, -h = H ? :cry:
 
It's more simple if you substitue for h, since h in eqn of cylinder volume is not quadratic form.

so subs h = H - \frac{H}{R} . r to volume of cylinder.


then optimize it, the differential is more simple with this way.
 
lepton5 said:
It's more simple if you substitue for h, since h in eqn of cylinder volume is not quadratic form.

so subs h = H - \frac{H}{R} . r to volume of cylinder.


then optimize it, the differential is more simple with this way.

I can't find the answer because the my equation obtained from similarity of triangle is different than yours. I don't know how to obtain your equation. Can you explain it a little bit more because from similarity I got (H-h) / h = r / R

Thanks
 
use this one, \frac{H - h}{H} = \frac{r}{R}.


you are wrong when you use h as denominator at left side, since you have equate it with R (radius of cone) you must also use H (height of cone).

can you see : big triangle vs little triangle (from top of cone).
 
lepton5 said:
use this one, \frac{H - h}{H} = \frac{r}{R}.


you are wrong when you use h as denominator at left side, since you have equate it with R (radius of cone) you must also use H (height of cone).

can you see : big triangle vs little triangle (from top of cone).

Ahh, why don't I realize it. Thanks :smile:
 

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