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GMAT Focus 1: 735 Q90 V89 DI81
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starting radius be 100 units
new r = 100*1.2*1.2 = 144
% decrease in height = 44 / 144 = 30% approx
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Solution



Given:
    • Radius of a right circular cylinder is increased by 20%.

To find:
    • Percent decrease in height so that volume remains unchanged.

Approach and Working

    • Volume of a right circular cylinder= π*\(R^2\)*h
If R is increased by 20% then new R will be 1.2 R.
    • New height= H
    • New volume of cylinder= π*\((1.2R)^2\)*H

However, new volume= Old volume
    • π*\((1.2R)^2\)*H = π*\(R^2\)*h
    • 1.44 \(R^2\) *H= \(R^2\) *h
    • 1.44 H=h
    • H= h/1.44 = 0.6944h = 0.7h
Therefore, percentage reduction in height= 30%

Correct answer: Option D
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sambit140
Let Radius be r and height be h
Volume = pir r^2 h

Increased radius = r+(r/5)= 6r/5
Volume increased by (36/25)

To make the volume be the same , height should decrease by (11/36)
i.e h-(11/36)h= (25/36)h

To get percent decrease, (11/36)*100=~ 30 %

can you explain how we decrease the height to 11/36? is it the difference?
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V = (pi) * (r)^2 * h


If we Increase the radius by 20% -----> we are Increasing the Radius by 1/5 -----> we are Multiplying the Radius by a Factor of (6/5)

New V = (6/5r)^2 * h

New V = (36/25) * (r)^2 * h

New V = (36/25) * (Old V)


In order to maintain the Same Volume, we need to Multiply the Height (which is Inversely Proportional to the Radius Squared) by a Factor of (25/36)

Multiplying a Number by a Factor of (25/36) is the Same as a --------> Decrease in that Number by -(11/36)

-(11/36) ~ .30 = 30%

-D-
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