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maximum problem (1 Viewer)

fannymasta

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Find the maximum volume of a right circular cone whose slant edge has a constant length measure a.

the answer is

(2root3 x pi x a^3) /27

please help :)
 

lolokay

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what's the volume of the cone in terms of a, and say, the height of the cone?
 

Timothy.Siu

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umm.. well i know v = 1/3 x pi x r^2 x h

are you saying i need to eliminate r?
prolly just go a^2=r^2+h^2

and then u can eliminate r and then differentiate find the value for max. and sub it back in and ur done
 
Last edited:

Trebla

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Let h be the height of the cone, and r be the radius of the cone. We know that r² = a² - h² from Pythagoras' theorem.

V = πr²h/3
= π(a² - h²)h/3
= π(a²h - h³)/3

dV/dh = πa²/3 - πh²
Maximum occurs when dV/dh = 0
i.e. πa²/3 - πh² = 0
=> h = a/√3 (taking positive root as h > 0)
d²V/dh² = - 2πh < 0 for all h > 0, therefore concave down so local maximum occurs at h = a/√3

Vmax = π(a²[a/√3] - [a/√3]³)/3
= π(a³/√3 - a³/3√3)/3
= 2πa³/9√3
Rationalising denominator gives
= 2√3πa³/27
 

fannymasta

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Let h be the height of the cone, and r be the radius of the cone. We know that r² = a² - h² from Pythagoras' theorem.

V = πr²h/3
= π(a² - h²)h/3
= π(a²h - h³)/3

dV/dh = πa²/3 - πh²
Maximum occurs when dV/dh = 0
i.e. πa²/3 - πh² = 0
=> h = a/√3 (taking positive root as h > 0)
d²V/dh² = - 2πh < 0 for all h > 0, therefore concave down so local maximum occurs at h = a/√3

Vmax = π(a²[a/√3] - [a/√3]³)/3
= π(a³/√3 - a³/3√3)/3
= 2πa³/9√3
Rationalising denominator gives
= 2√3πa³/27
THANKs trebla!
 

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