Simple Geometry problem is stumping me

  • Thread starter PotentialE
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    Geometry
Set that equal to 3/4 the volume of the cylinder, \pi r^2 L, then divide by the cross section area, and solve for h.In summary, the problem involves finding the height of liquid in a cylindrical tank with a radius of 1m, viewed from the side. A vertical rod is lowered to touch the bottom of the tank and the reading on the rod indicates the level of liquid. Using trigonometry, the central angle and cross-section area of the liquid are calculated, and the volume of the liquid is set equal to 3/4 of the volume of the cylinder. By solving for the height of the liquid, the mark on the rod can be determined.
  • #1
PotentialE
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Homework Statement


A cylindrical tank of gas with a radius is viewed from the side (so that it looks like a circle, not a rectangle) and has a radius of 1m. Through a hole in the top, a vertical rod is lowered to touch the bottom of the tank. When the rod is removed, the gasoline level in the tank can be read from the mark on the rod. Where on the rod would the mark be if the tank was 3/4 full?

Homework Equations


A = ∏r2


The Attempt at a Solution


I attached a picture (in paint) of my attempts, which mainly consist of some trig, but I can't seem to put it all together
 

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  • #2
PotentialE said:

Homework Statement


A cylindrical tank of gas with a radius is viewed from the side (so that it looks like a circle, not a rectangle) and has a radius of 1m. Through a hole in the top, a vertical rod is lowered to touch the bottom of the tank. When the rod is removed, the gasoline level in the tank can be read from the mark on the rod. Where on the rod would the mark be if the tank was 3/4 full?

Homework Equations


A = ∏r2


The Attempt at a Solution


I attached a picture (in paint) of my attempts, which mainly consist of some trig, but I can't seem to put it all together

I have a little different opinion than your approach.
The rod is lowered to touch the bottom. It is vertical, not horizontal.
And are you sure no other quantities are given?
 
  • #3
Have you covered the area of a sector of a circle?
 
  • #4
If the cylinder has radius R and the stick reads that height of liquid is h, Then drawing radii from the center of the tank to the points on the tank where the top of the liquid is gives two right triangles with hypotenuse r and one leg of length r- h. The other leg has length, from the Pythagorean theorem, [itex]\sqrt{r^2- h^2}[/itex]. you can calculate the central angle (between the two radii) as [itex]2 arccos((r-h)/r)[/itex]. The cross-section area, as seen on your picture, from the end, of those two right triangles is [itex]2(1/2)(r-h)\sqrt{(r^2- h^2}= (r-h)\sqrt{r^2- h^2}[/itex]. The cross-section area of the region above the two radii is
[tex]\frac{arccos((r-h)/r)}{\pi} r[/tex]
The total cross-section area, above the liquid, is the sum of those and the cross section area of the liquid is the area of the circle, [itex]\pi r^2[/itex], minus that. Finally, the volume of the liquid is that cross section area time the length of the cylinder.
 

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