3.

2 EXERCISES

1. The corresponding edges of two regular tetrahedrons are 1 cm and 3 cm. If the sum

of the weights of the two tetrahedrons is 100 grams and both solids are made up of the

same materials, find the weight of the bigger solid.

m1 = V1 *d

m2 = V2*d

Both tetrahedrons have the same density.

1 a √3
2
V = ( ¿( )(h)
3 4

1
V1 = ( ¿ ( 1 )
3 ( )( √√32 )= √122 cm ³
2 √3

1
V2 = ( ¿ ( 3 )
3 ( )
2 √3

4
( √ 6 )= 9 √ 2 cm ³
4

m1 : m2 =
√2 : 9 √2
12 4

m1 ( 9 √4 2 )=m 2( √122 )
m1 = m2/27

m1 + m2 = 100 g
m2/27 + m2 = 100/*27

m2 + 27m2 = 2700

28m2 = 2700

m2 = 2700 : 28

m2 = 96.42 g

2. The areas of two similar tetrahedrons are 24 sq. in. and 96 sq. in. Find the ratio of

their volumes.

A ( 2) 2
=k
A ( 1)

96 2
=4
24

k=2

V (2 ) 3
=k
V ( 1)

2³ = 8

V ( 1) 1
=
V (2 ) 8
3. The weight of a piece of crystal in the form of a regular dodecahedron is 360 lb., and

each of its edges is 10 inches long. What is the weight of a similar piece of crystal

whose edge measures 16 in.?

10 inches x 12 sides x 3 = 360 lb.

So, 16 inches x 12 sides x 3 = 576 lb.

4. Find the length of a diagonal of a regular octahedron if its edges measures 5 cm.

Given: edge measure of a regular octahedron is 5cm

To find: length of diagonal

Solution: we know that the diagonal of octahedron is a diagonal of one of squares.

Diagonal = a√2 = 5√2 cm. Hence, the answer is 5√2 cm.

5. Find the number of edges and the number of vertices of a regular polyhedron whose

number of faces, each of which a triangle, is 20.

V-E+F=2

V = 20 * 3 = 60
E = 20 * 3 = 60

F = 20

60 - 6 0 + 20 = 2

20 = 2

6. Find the total area of a regular octahedron if a diagonal measures 10 m.

According to the diagonal measures 10m. We can caculate the side length is:

√5²+52=52

{ The total area of a regular octahedron is A= 2√3a², a is its side length }

The toral area of a regular octahedron is A=2√3a² = 2√3x (552)² = 100√3= 173.2 sqm.

7. Find the volume of a regular tetrahedron whose altitude measures 10 cm.

h=
√6 a =10
3

3 h 30
so, a = =
√6 √6

area =
√2 a3
12

√2 x 30
( )
3
=
12 √ 6
V = 216.5 cm³

8. The total area of a regular octahedron is 288 √3 in.², find the measure of one edge.

A = 2 × √3 × edge length²

288√3 = 2 × √3 × a²

288 √ 3
a² =
2× √ 3

288
a² =
2

√a² = √144

a = 12 in²

9. Find the volume of a regular dodecahedron if the total area is 2,498 ft².

Ad = 3√25 +10√5 × s²

Ad = 2,298 ft²

Atotal = 12 × Apentagon

2,498 = 12 × 3√25 + 10√5 × s²

 2,498
s² =
36 ×3 √ 25+10 √ 5

69.388
s² =
√25+ 10 √5

s ≈ 1.65 ft

15+7 √ 5 3
Vd = × ( 1.65 )
4

Vd ≈ 8.82 ft.³

10. Find the altitude of a regular tetrahedron whose volume is 486 √2 cm³.

Using the formula:

V = a^3 / 6 square root of 2

h = square root 2/3 x a

h = 2/3 x 3%

V^1/3 = 2/3 x 3% x 486^2/3 = 13.09348

11. The total area of a regular dodecahedron is 1,672.3 sq. in. Find the length of an

edge of the platonic solid.

Surface Area = 3√5(5 + 2√5) xs²

1672.3 = 3√5(5 + 2√5) xs²

3√5(5 + 2√5) xs²

√s² = √80.999

s = 9 inches

12. The area of a face of a regular octahedron is √3 m² , find the total surface area and

the volume of the polyhedron.

Atotal = 8 × Aface

Af = √3m²

At = 8√3 m²

Given:

√3 m²

√3 =
√3 × s2
4

√s² = √4

s=2
Vo =
√ 3 × ( 2 )3
2

=
√3 ×8
2

8 √3 3
Vo = m
2

13. The edges of a tetrahedron measures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 units. Find the edges of a

similar tetrahedron containing 27 times the volume.

Analysis:

1 1
Because the volume of the tetrahedron is equal to × ( a× b ) ×h ×
2 3

{ a, b are the two right sides of the base triangle }.

The lengths of the middle side are respectively 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8.

{ Take 3, 4, 5 as the base triangle, we know from the pythagorean theorem that is a

right triangle }.

1 1 1
V1 = × × ( a 1× b 1× h 1 )= a 1b 1 h 1
2 3 6

1 1 1 1
V2 = × × ( a 2× b 2 ×h 2 )= a 2 b 2h 2= × a2 × b 2× h 2=27 V 1
2 3 6 6
 1 1
= a2 b 2 h 2=27 × a 1 b 1 h1
6 6

{ Proportional to the corresponding edges are similar }

The sides grow to three sides proportional. So the edge lengths of the similar

tetrahedrons are 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, and 24

14. Find what fraction of the altitude of a tetrahedron must be cut off by a plane parallel

to the base of the tetrahedron such that the volume of the cut-off tetrahedron is one

third of the original volume.

V1 1
=
V2 3

1
V= • B 1• h
3

h1 1
=
h2 3

1 3
15. Verify that the volume of a regular octahedron is V = D , where
6

D is the diagonal of the octahedron.

D² = 5² + h²
 ()()
2 2
5 5
h² = +
4 4

2
5
h² =
2

2
3s
D² =
2

2 2
s² = D
3

s=
√2 D2
3

V=
3 3 ( )
1 2 2 √2 2
D ×
3
D

Vo = (2)(V)

4
V= D³
9

1
V= √2 D ³
3

16. Verify that the volume of a regular tetrahedron is V =

√ 2 s3 , where s
12

is the measure of an edge of the tetrahedron.

Let 1 be the edge in the problem.

Write the formula for the volume of a tetrahedron.

3
s
V=
6 √2

Substitute in the length of the edge provided in the problem.

( 1cm )3 1
V= = c m3
6 √2 6 √2

Rationalize the denominator.

c m3 • √ = √ c m3
1 2 2
V=
6 √2 √2 12

17. Verify that the 3 diagnonals of a regular octahedron are equal in length.

Using the pythagorean theorem we can find the length of the diagonals of the square

pyramid.

d = √(a² + a² = √2a²

= √2 × a

Since the regular octahedron is made up of two congruent squae pyramids, the length

of the diagonals of the octahedron is equal in length.

which is = √2 a