Last visit was: 24 Apr 2026, 01:35 It is currently 24 Apr 2026, 01:35
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
User avatar
GODSPEED
Joined: 24 Sep 2008
Last visit: 06 Aug 2012
Posts: 126
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 7
Schools:MIT / INSEAD / IIM - ABC
GPA: 3.6
Posts: 126
Kudos: 1,239
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
abohassan
Joined: 04 Nov 2008
Last visit: 22 Jan 2009
Posts: 8
Own Kudos:
Posts: 8
Kudos: 1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
GMAT TIGER
Joined: 29 Aug 2007
Last visit: 17 Aug 2011
Posts: 1,012
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 19
Posts: 1,012
Kudos: 1,796
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
FN
User avatar
Current Student
Joined: 28 Dec 2004
Last visit: 07 May 2012
Posts: 1,575
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 2
Location: New York City
Concentration: Social Enterprise
Schools:Wharton'11 HBS'12
Posts: 1,575
Kudos: 687
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
i have no clue on this question, can someone please explain why 6 rectangles? 2 Hex??

i was going with the approach that the ball is a sphere and as such its surface area is 4pir^2

so surface area of ball=16pi
User avatar
GMAT TIGER
Joined: 29 Aug 2007
Last visit: 17 Aug 2011
Posts: 1,012
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 19
Posts: 1,012
Kudos: 1,796
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hope visualization might help, hoever I could not get a picture for solid hexagon better than this one.
Attachments

Solid Hexagon.jpg
Solid Hexagon.jpg [ 29.87 KiB | Viewed 1769 times ]

User avatar
scthakur
Joined: 17 Jun 2008
Last visit: 30 Jul 2009
Posts: 608
Own Kudos:
Posts: 608
Kudos: 453
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Draw a regular hexagon and a circle inside it such that the circle touches the opposite sides (since the question is asking for the minimum surface area of the box, diameter of the circular ball should be the same as the distance between two opposite sides of the hexagon.

Now, half of diameter is 2 and since the center of the circle and two adjacant edges of hexagon form an equilaterl triangle, the side of the square = 4/sqrt(3).
Also, since we are talking of the minimum surface area, height of the box should be the same as the diameter of the ball.

Hence, total surface area (of course outside surface area) = 6 sides * 4/sqrt3 * 4 (height of box) = 32 * sqrt(3).
additionally, top and bottom surfaces of the hexagon will have area = 2 (top and bottom) * 6 (equlateral triangles in a hexagon) * 1/2 * 2 * 4/sqrt(3) = 16 * sqrt(3).

Hence, total area = 48 * sqrt(3).



Archived Topic
Hi there,
This topic has been closed and archived due to inactivity or violation of community quality standards. No more replies are possible here.
Where to now? Join ongoing discussions on thousands of quality questions in our Problem Solving (PS) Forum
Still interested in this question? Check out the "Best Topics" block above for a better discussion on this exact question, as well as several more related questions.
Thank you for understanding, and happy exploring!
Moderator:
Math Expert
109802 posts