Expert: Sherman D. - 11/27/2005

Question
Hello again,
Sherman could you tell me the volume of a soup can in cubic inches. It can be any cylinder soup can it doesn't matter. Also, could you please break down the formula for me again so I can study and learn it more effectively.
Thanks a million!
Shelly

Answer
V = Pi * r^2 * h

Let me explain how the formula came to be

Take of a cylinder as a rectangle to which you bend it to form a circle. Now since the rectangle forms a circle, the length will not matter, since the length forms the circle, The only thing that matters is the circumference of the circle and the height of the cylinder/bent rectangle

V = (Pi * r^2) * h

Or in this case

V = (Area of Circle) * Height

I hope this helps you understand the formula more clearly. Which you probably already know how the formula became to be, but in case you didn't, i told you how.

Info found at http://mathforum.org/dr.math/faq/formulas/faq.cylinder.html#rccylinder