Engineering Skills

NRE106
UG1
RUBAR DIZAYEE
Examples!
A driveway entrance is build entirely from concrete.
What is the volume of concrete needed?

The total volume is the sum of the triangular prism and

the cuboid minus the volume of the semi cylinder.

• Volume of triangular prism= Area of the base or area

of triangle X height of the prism
= ½ bh X H Tan60= opposite side/ adjacent side
=1/2 X 3.25X 1.88X 0.75= 2.291 m³ Tan60= 3.25/ height
VX 2= 4.58 m³ h= 1.88m
Examples!

• Volume of the cuboid

=L x Wx H
= 6.5 x 0.75 x 3.5 = 17.0625 m³

• Volume of semi cylinder = π r² h

= 0.5 x π x 3² x 0.75
= 10.602875…m³

• Total volume of concrete needed

= 4.58 + 17.0625 - 10.6029
= 11.03
= 11.0 m³
Examples!

• The entrance needs to be painted.

Find the surface area
Key Points When solving Geometric Problems
• For finding the volumes of composite objects we add (and sometimes
subtract) the volumes of all of the simple ‘parts’.
• For finding the surface area we have to determine what are all the
faces of the composite object. We then add all of the face areas
together.
• Some of the faces may be hidden in the picture.
• Layout all of your working.
• Remember units and rounding!
Key Points When solving Geometric Problems
• 3D thinking!
• Make an estimate if possible
• List all of the given information
• Make a problem statement
• Break the problem down into smaller problems
• Draw diagrams to help you understand and solve the problem!
• Do not round intermediate answers
• Include units on answers and intermediate steps
• Use scientific notation (1.52 x 10-4) for really small/big numbers
Pyramids
• The surface area of a pyramid is obtained by
adding the areas of its faces.
• A pyramid is a three-dimensional shape whose
base is a polygon and whose side faces (that are
triangles) all meet at a point which is called the
apex (or) vertex.
• The perpendicular distance from the apex to the
center of the base is called the altitude or height
of the pyramid.
• The length of the perpendicular drawn from the
apex to the base of a triangle (side face) is called
the "slant height"
Pyramids
• The surface area of a pyramid is a measure of the total area that is
occupied by the surface. In other words, it's the sum of areas of its faces
and hence it is measured in square units such as m2, cm2, in2, ft2, etc.
• A pyramid has two types of surface areas, one is lateral surface area (LSA)
and the other is the total surface area (TSA).
• The lateral surface area (LSA) of a pyramid = The sum of areas of the side
faces (triangles) of the pyramid.
• The total surface area (TSA) of a pyramid = LSA of pyramid + Base area.
• In general, the surface area of a pyramid without any specifications means
the total surface area of the pyramid.
Pyramids
• The surface area of any pyramid can be found
by finding the areas of each of its faces and
adding them.
• But if the pyramid is regular (i.e., a pyramid
whose base is a regular polygon and whose
altitude passes through the center of the
base), there are some specific formulas to
find the lateral surface area and total surface
area. Consider a regular pyramid whose
base perimeter is 'P', the base area is 'B',
and slant height (the height of each triangle)
is 's'. Then,
• The lateral surface area of pyramid (LSA) =
(1/2) Ps
• The total surface area of pyramid (TSA) = LSA
+ base area = (1/2) Ps + B
Examples!
Calculate the lateral surface area of a square
pyramid if the side length of the base is 14 cm
and the slant height of the pyramid is 20 cm.
Solution!
The side length of the base, x = 14 cm
Then, the perimeter of the base (square) is, P = 4x = 4(14) = 56 cm.
Slant height, s = 20 cm

• The lateral surface area of a square pyramid is

Lateral surface area (LSA) = (1/2) Ps
= (1/2) × (56) × 20
= 560 cm2
Examples!
Find the base area of a pentagonal
pyramid whose base length (side length
of the regular pentagon) is 6.4 units and
whose apothem is 16 square units.
Solution!
Given,
- side length of the pentagon is, s = 6.4 units
- apothem is, a = 16 units.
The base area (B) of the pentagonal pyramid is nothing but the area
of the regular pentagon. Thus,
B = (5/2) sa
= (5/2) × 6.4 × 16
= 256 square units.
Examples!
Calculate the total surface area of a square
pyramid if the side of the base is given as 14
cm and the height (altitude) of the pyramid is
given as 24 cm.
Solution!

Given,
TSA = (1/2) Ps + B
- the side of the base is, x = 14 cm,
- height of the pyramid is, h = 24 cm.
The perimeter of the base
By Pythagoras theorem, P = 4x
= 4(14) = 56 cm.
s2 = (x/2)2 + h2
s2 = (14/2)2 + 242 = 625 The base area
s = 25 cm. B = 142 = 196 cm2

TSA = (1/2) Ps + B
TSA = (1/2) × 56 × 25 + 196 = 896 cm2
Volume of pyramids
• The volume of a pyramid is defined as the number of cubic
units occupied by the pyramid.
• As stated before, the name of a pyramid is derived from the
shape of its base. Therefore, the volume of a pyramid also
depends on the shape of the base.
Volume of pyramids
• The general volume of a pyramid formula is given as:
Volume of a pyramid = 1/3 x base area x height.
V= 1/3 Ab h
Where Ab = area of the polygonal base and
h = height of the pyramid.

Note: The volume of a pyramid varies slightly depending on the

polygonal base.
Examples!
Calculate the volume of a rectangular pyramid
whose base is 8 cm by 6 cm and the height is
10 cm.
Solution!
- Area of a rectangle = l x w
A = 8 x 6 = 48 cm2. Volume of a pyramid = 1/3Abh

- Volume of a pyramid = 1/3Abh

= 1/3 x 48 cm2 x 10 cm
= 160 cm3.
Examples!

• A square pyramid has a base length of 13 cm and a height

of 20 cm. Find the volume of the pyramid.
Solution!
Given:
- Length of the base, a = 13 cm
- height = 20 cm

Volume of a square pyramid = 1/3 a2 h

Volume = 1/3 x 13 x 13 x 20
= 1126.7 cm3
Examples!
The suitcase is a trapezoidal prism with the
dimensions shown. What is the volume of
the suitcase?
Solution! c²= a² +h²
32²= 11²+ h²
h= 30.05 cm
• Volume=?
V= area x height between trapezium ends
Area= ½ (a+b)x h
=1/2 (12+34)x h
=1/2 x 46 x 30.05
Area= 691.15 cm²

V= area x height between trapezium ends

= 691.15 x 60= 41469 cm³ 11 11
34-12= 22
22/2=11
Examples!
To properly fill an aquarium, the water level
should be 5 cm from the top of the aquarium.
A. If the aquarium is filled at a rate of 6 liters
per minute, how long will it take to properly
fill up the aquarium?
B. What is the mass of the aquarium when it is
properly filled with water.
Solution!
Key Points
• 3D thinking!
• What to include in the presentation/documentation of a
problem solving procedure (of an assignment level of
complexity).
• Draw diagrams to help you understand and solve the problem!
• Do not round intermediate answers
• Include units on answers and intermediate steps
• Use scientific notation (1.52 x 10-4) for really small/big
numbers
• Inspect units to help solve unfamiliar problems
• Team work and group problem solving
• Listen to other people’s ideas
• Define the problem systematically