Ball & Dome

Geometry Level 3

A sweets shop sells candies in 2 different styles: a spherical ball and a dome. The dome-like shape is a spherical section of a larger sphere with height h h and base radius R , R, as shown above, while the candy ball has radius r r with 2 r = R + h 2r = R + h .

If both shapes have the same total surface area, what is the ratio R h \frac{R}{h} ?


The answer is 2.

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1 solution

From the question, it is obvious that the total surface area of a pink candy ball = 4 π r 2 4\pi r^2 .

For the blue dome, the total surface area = the base area + the spherical section area

Then the base area = 4 π R 2 4\pi R^2 .

Now in order to calculate the spherical section area, we need to find out the radius of the original full sphere, S S :

By using Pythagorean theorem, S 2 = ( S h ) 2 + R 2 S^2 = (S-h)^2 + R^2 .

Thus, 2 S h = h 2 + R 2 2Sh = h^2 + R^2 .

Hence, S = h 2 + R 2 2 h S = \dfrac{h^2 + R^2}{2h} .

Now according to Archimedes' Hat-Box Theorem , any spherical section from spherical radius R R and of height h h will have its lateral surface area equal to the lateral surface area of a cylinder of radius R R and height h h :

That is, the spherical section area = 2 π S h = π ( 2 h ) h 2 + R 2 2 h = π ( h 2 + R 2 ) 2\pi Sh = \pi (2h)\dfrac{h^2 + R^2}{2h} = \pi(h^2 + R^2)

Therefore, the total surface area of a blue dome = π R 2 + π ( h 2 + R 2 ) = π ( 2 R 2 + h 2 \pi R^2 + \pi(h^2 + R^2) = \pi (2R^2 + h^2 ).

Setting up equation with 2 r = R + h 2r = R + h :

4 π r 2 = π ( 2 r ) 2 = π ( R + h ) 2 = π ( 2 R 2 + h 2 4\pi r^2 = \pi (2r)^2 = \pi (R+h)^2 = \pi (2R^2 + h^2 ).

2 R h = R 2 2Rh = R^2

R = 2 h R = 2h .

As a result, the ratio R h = 2 \dfrac{R}{h} = \boxed{2} .

Nice solution, but you lost some Latex towards the end there:)

Dan Ley - 4 years, 6 months ago

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Oh, thanks. 😉

Worranat Pakornrat - 4 years, 6 months ago

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