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Surface area of cone radius 2 m slant height 7 m

Step by step, with the reason for every step · Cones · Geometry

Step by step

The question

Question: find the surface area of a cone with radius 2 m and slant height 7 m.

1 Count the parts

The surface area is the area of all the outside.

A cone has a circle at the bottom and a curved side.

2 The base

The base is a circle with radius 2 m.

A circle is π × r².

base = π × r2

Now put the numbers in: r = 2.

base = π × 22

2² means 2 times 2.

That is 4.

22 = 2 × 2 = 4

So the base is 4π.

base = 4π m2

3 The curved side

Cut the curved side open and lay it flat.

It is part of a bigger circle.

Its area is π × r × l.

Careful: l is the slant height, down the side.

Not the height inside the cone.

π is a special number for circles.

It is about 3.14.

So the curved side is π × r × l.

side = π × r × l

Now put the numbers in: r = 2 and l = 7.

side = π × 2 × 7

2 times 7 is 14.

So the side is 14π.

side = 14π m2

4 Add the parts

Now we add the base and the curved side.

S = 4π + 14π

4 plus 14 is 18.

So S = 18π.

We keep π in the answer.

That is the exact answer.

S = 18π m2

5 About how much

To see about how much, put 3.14 for π.

S ≈ 18 × 3.14

18 times 3.14 is 56.52.

So the surface area is about 56.52 m².

S ≈ 56.52 m2

Let's look back.

First: count the parts.

Then: the base.

Then: the curved side.

Then: add the parts.

Last: about how much.

Answer
S ≈ 56.52 m2

Your turn

Try this one yourself, then check:

Find the surface area.
Show the answer
S ≈ 84.78 m2

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