Pyramids, cones, spheres and composite solids
8 exam-style questions, grades 3 to 9. Worked solutions and the marks are on the last page.
- Question 1
A sphere has a radius of 6 cm. Volume of a sphere , where is the radius.
(a) Work out the volume of the sphere. Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.
- Question 2
A pyramid has a square base of side 6 cm. Its perpendicular height is 10 cm and each sloping edge is 11.6 cm long. Volume of a pyramid area of base perpendicular height.
(a) Work out the volume of the pyramid.
- Question 3
A sphere has radius 4 cm. It is melted without loss into small spheres of radius 1 cm.
Volume of a sphere
(a) Find the number of small spheres produced.
(b) Find the exact total surface area of the small spheres. Surface area of a sphere
- Question 4
A pyramid has rectangular base 5 cm by 7 cm and volume 105 cm³. The volume of a pyramid is base area perpendicular height.
(a) Find the perpendicular height.
(b) A prism has the same base area and volume. Find its height.
- Question 5
A solid cone has base radius 5 cm, perpendicular height 12 cm and slant height 13 cm. Curved surface area of a cone , where is the slant height. Volume of a cone .
(a) Work out the volume of the cone. Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.
(b) Work out the total surface area of the cone. Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.
- Question 6
(a) A sphere has volume cm³. Work out its radius. Use V = (4/3)
- Question 7
(a) A solid frustum is made by removing the top of a right circular cone with a cut parallel to its base. The frustum has lower radius 6 cm, upper radius 2 cm and vertical height 8 cm. Work out its volume in terms of Volume of a cone You must show your working.
- Question 8
(a) A paper sector has radius 15 cm and angle Its two straight edges are joined without overlap to form the curved surface of a cone. Work out the volume enclosed by the cone. Give your answer in terms of Volume of a cone You must show your working.
Worked solutions and marks
Question 1
(a)
- Substitute .
- Correct to 3 significant figures: .
- M1 .
- A1 (awrt 905).
Question 2
(a)
- Base area.
- M1 Base area 36 used with the height 10.
- A1 .
Question 3
(a)
- Divide the large sphere volume by the volume of one small sphere.
- Therefore .
- P1 Divide the large sphere volume by the volume of one small sphere.
- A1 Correct answer:
(b)
- Multiply one small sphere’s area by the number of spheres.
- Therefore .
- M1 Multiply one small sphere’s area by the number of spheres.
- A1 Correct answer:
Question 4
(a) cm
- Multiply volume by 3 and divide by base area.
- Therefore cm.
- M1 Multiply volume by 3 and divide by base area.
- A1 Correct answer: cm
(b) cm
- A prism’s volume is base area times height.
- Therefore cm.
- M1 A prism’s volume is base area times height.
- A1 Correct answer: cm
Question 5
(a)
- M1 .
- A1 (awrt 314).
(b)
- Curved surface.
- Circular base.
- Total.
- P1 The curved surface area .
- P1 Adding the base, .
- A1 (awrt 283).
Question 6
(a) cm
- Substitute the volume: (4/3) =
- Divide by and multiply by 3/4: = 729.
- The positive cube root of 729 is 9, so the radius is 9 cm.
- P1 Establishing or an equivalent valid method.
- P1 Establishing or an equivalent valid method.
- A1 Correct answer: cm
Question 7
(a)
- The removed cone and original cone are similar with radius ratio 2:6 = 1:3, so their heights are also in ratio 1:3.
- The frustum height is two equal height parts: each part is 8/2 = 4 cm. The removed and original cone heights are 4 cm and 12 cm.
- Subtract cone volumes: V = (1/3) 12 (1/3) 4.
- V = /3 = /3 cm³.
- P1 Establishing or an equivalent valid method.
- P1 Establishing or an equivalent valid method.
- A1 Correct answer:
Question 8
(a)
- The sector arc becomes the base circumference: (216/360) 15 = cm.
- Thus = and the base radius is r = 9 cm. The sector radius becomes the slant height, 15 cm.
- The vertical height follows from Pythagoras: h = ( ) = 12 cm.
- Volume = (1/3) 12 = cm³.
- P1 Establishing or an equivalent valid method.
- P1 Establishing or an equivalent valid method.
- P1 Establishing or an equivalent valid method.
- A1 Correct answer: