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Subsection 2.7.8 Surface area of a Frustum

Activity 2.7.11.

Modelling a frustum using a paper cup or cone-shaped fruit juice glass and calculate its surface area.
\(\textbf{ Materials needed:}\)
  • Printable nets of a cone (to cut and create a frustum)
    🔹 Rulers or measuring tape
    🔹 Scissors
    🔹 Tape or glue
    🔹 Formula sheet
    🔹 Worksheets for sketching and calculations
  • A frustum is formed when the top part of a cone is cut off parallel to the base.
  • Surface area includes:
    🔹 \(\textbf{Curved surface area}\) (side)
    🔹 \(\textbf{Area of both circular bases}\)
  • Build the Frustum Model.
    🔹 Take the cone net and cut off the top part (smaller cone) parallel to the base.
    🔹 Assemble the remaining portion to form a frustum
    🔹 Alternatively, use actual paper/plastic cups and measure directly
  • Label Dimensions
    🔹 Radius of the larger base (R)
    🔹 Radius of the smaller top base (r)
    🔹 Slant height (l) of the frustum
    🔹 (If not provided, measure the height and use the Pythagorean theorem)
  • Calculate Surface Area
  • 🔹 Use the surface area formula:
    🔹 Total Surface Area = \(\pi (R+r)\ell + \pi R^2 + \pi r^2\)
  • 🔹 \(\pi(R+r)\)l: Curved surface
    🔹 \(\pi R^2\text{:}\) Area of bottom base
    🔹 \(\pi r^2\text{:}\) Area of top base
  • Example: Given Top radius (r): 3 cm , Bottom radius (R): 5 cm and Slant height (l): 6 cm
    \begin{align*} \text{Surface Area } =\amp \pi(5\, \text {cm}+3\, \text {cm})(6\, \text {cm}) + \pi(5\, \text {cm})^2 + \pi(3\, \text {cm})^2 \\ = \amp 3.14 \times (8\, \text {cm})\times(6\, \text {cm}) + 3.14 \times 25\, \text {cm} + 3.14 \times 9\, \text {cm}\\ =\amp (3.14 \times \, 48 \text {cm} ) \times(3.14 \times \, 25 \text {cm} ) \times(3.14 \times \, 9 \text {cm} ) \\ = \amp 150.72 \, \text{cm}^2 + 78.50 \, \text{cm}^2 + 28.26\, \text{cm}^2 \\ = \amp257.48\, \text{cm}^2 \end{align*}
  • \(\textbf{Study Questions}.\)
    🔹 What would happen to the surface area if the top radius increased?
    🔹 Why is it necessary to measure the slant height, not the vertical height?
    🔹 Can you find any real-life objects shaped like a frustum?
  • \(\textbf{Assignment}\)
    Design their own frustum cups with chosen dimensions.
  • Given a full cone, how much surface area is “lost” when the top is cut off?
\(\textbf{Key Takeaway}\)
A frustum is a cone or pyramid is cut parallel to its base, removing the top portion. This results in a truncated shape with two parallel bases one smaller than the other e.g a lampshades, Truncated cones in engineering, buckets, Tunnels, Cooling towers in power plants etc
  • Thereby a frustum is the portion of a cone (or pyramid) that remains after the top part is cut off parallel to the base.
    \(\textbf{Properties of a Frustum}\)
  • Two Circular Bases – A frustum has a larger base and a smaller base (both circular).
  • Slant Height \(\ell\text{.}\) The distance between the two bases along the side of the frustum.
  • Height \(h\) – The vertical distance between the two bases.
  • Curved Surface Area (CSA) – The side surface that connects the two bases.
  • Total Surface Area (TSA) – The sum of the CSA and the areas of the two circular bases.
  • \(\textbf{NOTE:}\) Volume, the space inside the frustum, is calculated using a formula derived from a full cone.
\(\textbf{Types of frustums}\)
\(\textbf{Full cone}\)
Important formulas to note;
  1. Slant Height \(\ell\)
    \begin{equation*} \ell = \sqrt{(H+h)^2 + R^2} \end{equation*}
  2. Curved Surface Area (CSA)
    \begin{equation*} CSA = \pi\, RL \,\text{and} \pi\, rl \, \text{for the smaller cone} \end{equation*}
  3. 3. Total Surface Area (TSA)
    \begin{equation*} \pi RL + \pi rl \end{equation*}

Example 2.7.28.

Find the surface area of the galvanized iron bucket below.
Solution.
Complete the cone from which the bucket is made, by adding a smaller cone of height \(x \)cm.
From the cocept of similarity and enlargement;
\(\frac{R}{r} = \frac{H}{h}\) and \(\frac{H-h}{R-r} = \frac{h}{r}\)
\begin{align*} \frac{x}{15} = \amp\frac {x + 20 \text{cm} }{20 \text{cm}}\\ 20 x = \amp 15x \text{cm} + 300 \text{cm}\\ 300 \text{cm} = \amp 20 x - 15 x \\ 300 \text{cm} = \amp 5x\\ 60 \text{cm} = \amp x \end{align*}
Surface area of a frustrum = Area of curved surface of bigger cone - Area of curved surface of snaller cone
\(\pi RL - \pi rl\)
\begin{align*} \text{Surface area (Large)} = \amp \frac {22}{7} \times 20 \text{cm} \times \sqrt{80^2 + 20^2} \\ = \amp 5183.33 \text{cm}\\ \text{Surface area (small)} = \amp \frac {22}{7} \times 15 \text{cm} \times \sqrt{60^2 + 15^2} \\ = \amp 2915.62 \text{cm} \\ \text{Differences in the Surface areas} = \amp 5183.33 \text{cm} - 2915.62 \text{cm}\\ = \amp 2267.71 \text{cm}^2 \end{align*}
\(\textbf{Exercise}\)
1. A frustum of a square pyramid has:
Top square side length: 4 m
Bottom square side length: 6 m
Slant height (along one face): 5 m. Calculate the total surface area of the frustum.
2. A conical frustum has a bottom radius of 6 cm, no top (the top is flat), and a slant height of 10 cm.
i. Explain the difference between the curved surface area and the total surface area of a frustum.
ii. Find only the curved surface area of the frustum.
3. A frustum is formed by cutting a cone with a height of 24 cm into two parts. The smaller cone has a height of 9 cm. If the base radius of the original cone is 16 cm, calculate the total surface area of the frustum.
4. A conical frustum has a bottom radius of 6 cm, no top (the top is flat), and a slant height of 10 cm. Find only the curved surface area of the frustum.
5. If the curved surface area of a frustum is 330 cm², the top radius is 5 cm, and the bottom radius is 10 cm, find the slant height of the frustum.
6. A flower pot is shaped like a frustum of a cone. It has a top radius of 12 cm, a bottom radius of 8 cm, and a slant height of 10 cm.

Checkpoint 2.7.29.

Checkpoint 2.7.30.