# PSAT Math : How to find the radius of a sphere

## Example Questions

### Example Question #81 : Solid Geometry

A cube with volume 27 cubic inches is inscribed inside a sphere such that each vertex of the cube touches the sphere. What is the radius, in inches, of the sphere?

8.5

9

(3√3)/2 (approximately 2.60)

√3/2 (approximately 1.73)

(3√3)/2 (approximately 2.60)

Explanation:

We know that the cube has a volume of 27 cubic inches, so each side of the cube must be ∛27=3 inches. Since the cube is inscribed inside the sphere, the diameter of the sphere is the diagonal length of the cube, so the radius of the sphere is half of the diagonal length of the cube. To find the diagonal length of the cube, we use the distance formula d=√(32+32+32 )=√(3*32 )=3√3, and then divide the result by 2 to find the radius of the sphere, (3√3)/2.

### Example Question #1 : Spheres

The surface area of a sphere is 100π square feet.  What is the radius in feet?

π

10

100

25

5

5

Explanation:

S = 4π(r2)

100π = 4π(r2)

100 = 4r2

25 = r2

5 = r

### Example Question #22 : Solid Geometry

A spherical water tank has a surface area of 400 square meters. To the nearest tenth of a meter, give the radius of the tank.

Explanation:

Given radius , the surface area of a sphere  is given by the formula

Set  and solve for :

meters.

### Example Question #23 : Solid Geometry

A spherical tank is to hold 50,000 liters of water. Given that one cubic meter is equal to 1,000 liters, give the radius of this tank to the nearest tenth of a meter.

Explanation:

Given radius , the volume  of a sphere is given by the formula

Since 1,000 liters = 1 cubic meter, 50,000 liters = 50 cubic meters, and we find  by setting :

meters.

### Example Question #1 : How To Find The Radius Of A Sphere

The Kelvin temperature scale is basically the same as the Celsius scale except with a different zero point; to convert degrees Celsius to Kelvins, add 273. Also, by Charles's law, the volume of a given mass of gas varies directly as its temperature, expressed in Kelvins.

In the early morning, when the temperature is , a spherical balloon is filled with helium until its radius is 100 meters. At 2:00 PM, the temperature is . To the nearest tenth of a meter, what is the radius of the balloon at this time?

Explanation:

The volume of the balloon is given by the formula

.

Also, by the variation relationship,

We do not need to calculate the original volume of the balloon; we can simply replace the volume with the formula:

Dividing both sides by   yields a new equation:

The initial temperature is

The final (noon) temperature is

Substitute to find the final radius:

meters.

### Example Question #25 : Solid Geometry

The city of Washington wants to build a spherical water tank for the town hall. The tank is to have capacity 120 cubic meters of water.

To the nearest tenth, what will the radius of the tank be?

The correct answer is not given among the other responses.

Explanation:

Given the radius , the volume  of a sphere is given by the formula

We find the inner radius  by setting :

meters.

### Example Question #26 : Solid Geometry

The Kelvin temperature scale is basically the same as the Celsius scale except with a different zero point; to convert degrees Celsius to Kelvins, add 273. Also, by Charles's law, the volume of a given mass of gas varies directly as its temperature, expressed in Kelvins.

A spherical balloon is filled with 10,000 cubic meters of gas in the morning when the temperature is . The temperature increases to  by noon, with no other conditions changing. What is the radius of the balloon at noon, to the nearest tenth of a meter?

None of the other responses gives the correct answer.

Explanation:

First, we use the variation equation to figure out the volume of the balloon at noon. First, we add 273 to each of the temperatures.

The initial temperature is

The final (noon) temperature is

Since volume varies directly as temperature, we can set up the equation

The volume of a sphere is given by the formula

so set  and solve for :

meters.

### Example Question #27 : Solid Geometry

Find the radius of a sphere whose volume is  .

Explanation:

Use the equation for the volume of a sphere to find the radius.

So, the radius of the sphere is 3

### Example Question #28 : Solid Geometry

If a sphere has a volume of , then what is the radius of the sphere?