Question

Which cone empty faster one with cone downward or one with the cone upward

Answer 1

 



Quandaries and Queries

 

 

A vertically inverted cone( i.e. vertex down) has a radius 7

inches and height 24 inches. Water is filled to one third of its

height .Find the ht of water when cone is turned upside down 

 

Hi,

When I read this problem I saw a conical shaped paper cup, one-third full of water. When you turn it over all the water runs out so the height s zero. But this is probably not the answer you want.

The important expression is that the volume of a cone is given by

volume = 1/3 pi  r2  h

where r is the radius of the base and h is the height. You also have to use some information about similar triangles. Below is a sketch of one cone