BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem
TTP OnDemand GMAT Video Course
Featured Course

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Scott Woodbury-Stewart’s private virtual classroom — 400 hours of master-class video lessons for the GMAT Focus Edition.

  • 715+ score guarantee — highest in the industry (99th percentile)
  • 52 chapters · 1,500+ lessons · 4,000+ practice questions
  • 400 hours of video · 1,500+ instructor-led HD smartboard lessons
  • 300,000+ students accepted to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Booth & Sloan & more
  • 24/7 live support + weekly Zoom office hours with GMAT instructors
  • TTP AI Assist — 24/7 AI-powered virtual tutor for instant help
  • 1,200+ flashcards + AI-powered study assistant & daily calendar
  • OnDemand, LiveTeach & GMAT Bootcamp formats available
  • Also: GRE, SAT Math & Executive Assessment courses
  • MBA Admissions Consulting now available
  • 🏆 2025 EdTech Breakthrough Award: Test Prep Solution Provider of the Year
  • 200,000+ students served
  • 5-day free trial — $0 to start, no auto-billing, cancel anytime
★★★★★ 5.0 (559 reviews)
130-pt guarantee
$0 to start then $127/mo
Start Free 5-Day Trial Read 559 Reviews →

Biggest Cylinder in a Box

Expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 9:36 am
by mchaubey » Thu May 06, 2010 12:55 pm
A large rectangular box is 4 feet wide, 5 feet long, and 8 feet tall. A metal cylinder is to be fitted snugly into the box and stood upright on its base, resting on any one of the 6 sides of the box. Of all such cylinders that could fit into the box, what is the diameter, in feet, of the one that has the largest possible volume?

a. 2
b. 2.5
c. 4
d. 5
e. 8
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Problem Solving |
Legendary Member
Posts: 759
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 10:15 amFollowed by: 3 members
Thanked: 85 times

by clock60 » Thu May 06, 2010 1:08 pm
mchaubey wrote:A large rectangular box is 4 feet wide, 5 feet long, and 8 feet tall. A metal cylinder is to be fitted snugly into the box and stood upright on its base, resting on any one of the 6 sides of the box. Of all such cylinders that could fit into the box, what is the diameter, in feet, of the one that has the largest possible volume?

a. 2
b. 2.5
c. 4
d. 5
e. 8
base of the box 4*5 with d=4 and h=8, volume=pi*4*8=32*pi

base of the box 5*8 with d=5 and h=4, volume=pi*2,5^2*4=25*pi

base of the box 8*4 with d=4 and h=5, volume=pi*4*5=20*pi

so i got C with diameter=4
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 9:36 am

by mchaubey » Thu May 06, 2010 6:22 pm
C is correct but Why couldn't it be 5

The total volume of cylinder with diameter 5 and height 8 would be 157
and volume of the box will be 5*4*8= 160
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 270
Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2010 9:00 amFollowed by: 2 members
Thanked: 24 times

by neerajkumar1_1 » Thu May 06, 2010 6:31 pm
mchaubey wrote:C is correct but Why couldn't it be 5

The total volume of cylinder with diameter 5 and height 8 would be 157
and volume of the box will be 5*4*8= 160
it cant be as your base is 4 X 5 , so u cant fit a cylinder of diameter 5 when one side of the box is of side 4.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 385
Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2009 10:16 pmFollowed by: 2 members
Thanked: 29 times
GMAT Score:710

by debmalya_dutta » Thu May 06, 2010 7:25 pm
Base of the box is a rectangle of 5 by 4 dimension and the cylinder base should fit that dimension . remember that the diameter of the cylinder should fit the base both lengthwise (5) and width wise (4) .
So the diameter of the cylinder is 4

the diameter cannot be 5 because you cannot fit a circle of diameter = 5 in a rectangle of dimensions 5 by 4
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1