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Surface area of hemisphere radius 4 cm

Step by step, with the reason for every step · Spheres and hemispheres · Geometry

Step by step

The question

Question: find the surface area of a hemisphere (half a ball) with radius 4 cm.

1 Count the parts

A hemisphere has a curved part on top and a flat circle at the bottom.

2 The curved part

The skin of a whole ball is 4 circles.

The curved part is half of it: 2 circles.

π is a special number for circles.

It is about 3.14.

So the curved part is 2 × π × r².

curved = 2 × π × r2

Now put the numbers in: r = 4.

curved = 2 × π × 42

4² means 4 times 4.

That is 16.

42 = 4 × 4 = 16

So curved = 2 × π × 16.

curved = 2 × π × 16

2 times 16 is 32.

So the curved part is 32π.

curved = 32π cm2

3 The flat circle

The flat circle at the bottom has radius 4 cm.

A circle is π × r².

flat = π × r2

Now put the numbers in: r = 4.

flat = π × 42

4² is 16, as before.

So the flat circle is 16π.

flat = 16π cm2

4 Add the parts

Now we add the curved part and the flat circle.

S = 32π + 16π

32 plus 16 is 48.

So S = 48π.

We keep π in the answer.

That is the exact answer.

S = 48π cm2

5 About how much

To see about how much, put 3.14 for π.

S ≈ 48 × 3.14

48 times 3.14 is 150.72.

So the surface area is about 150.72 cm².

S ≈ 150.72 cm2

Let's look back.

First: count the parts.

Then: the curved part.

Then: the flat circle.

Then: add the parts.

Last: about how much.

Answer
S ≈ 150.72 cm2

Your turn

Try this one yourself, then check:

Find the surface area.
Show the answer
S ≈ 9.42 cm2

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