A company manufactures aluminum mailboxes in the shape of a box with a half-cylinder top. The company will make

1646
mailboxes this week. If each mailbox has dimensions as shown in the figure below, how many square meters of aluminum will be needed to make these mailboxes? In your calculations, use the value
3.14
for
π
, and round up your answer to the next square meter.
0.45m
0.2m
0.5m

1 answer

To find the total surface area of the aluminum mailboxes, we first need to calculate the surface area of one mailbox which consists of a rectangular box and a half-cylinder on top.

Step 1: Calculate the Surface Area of One Mailbox

Dimensions of the Mailbox:

  • Height of the rectangular part (box): \( h = 0.45 , \text{m} \)
  • Width of the box (this will also be the diameter of the half-cylinder): \( d = 0.2 , \text{m} \) → The radius \( r = \frac{d}{2} = 0.1 , \text{m} \)
  • Length of the box: \( L = 0.5 , \text{m} \)

Area of the Rectangular Box:

The rectangular box has:

  • Two sides of dimensions \( L \times h \)
  • Two ends of dimensions \( d \times h \) (where \( d \) is the width)
  • The bottom is not included as it is open

Calculating the areas:

  • Area of the two long sides:
    \[ 2 \times (L \times h) = 2 \times (0.5 , \text{m} \times 0.45 , \text{m}) = 0.45 , \text{m}^2 \]
  • Area of the two ends:
    \[ 2 \times (d \times h) = 2 \times (0.2 , \text{m} \times 0.45 , \text{m}) = 0.18 , \text{m}^2 \]

Total area of the rectangular part (excluding the bottom): \[ \text{Area of box} = 0.45 + 0.18 = 0.63 , \text{m}^2 \]

Area of the Half-Cylinder:

The curved surface area of a cylinder is given by the formula \( 2 \pi r h \). Since we only have a half-cylinder, it will be: \[ \text{Half-cylinder area} = \text{Curved surface area of cylinder} = \pi r L \]

Substituting the values: \[ \text{Half-cylinder area} = 3.14 \times 0.1 , \text{m} \times 0.5 , \text{m} = 0.157 , \text{m}^2 \]

Total Surface Area of One Mailbox:

The total surface area of one mailbox: \[ \text{Total Area} = \text{Area of box} + \text{Half-cylinder area} \] \[ \text{Total Area} = 0.63 , \text{m}^2 + 0.157 , \text{m}^2 = 0.787 , \text{m}^2 \]

Step 2: Calculate Total Surface Area for 1646 Mailboxes

Now calculate the total surface area for 1646 mailboxes: \[ \text{Total Area for 1646 mailboxes} = 0.787 , \text{m}^2 \times 1646 = 1290.282 , \text{m}^2 \]

Step 3: Round Up to the Next Square Meter

Rounding up \( 1290.282 , \text{m}^2 \) gives: \[ 1291 , \text{m}^2 \]

Conclusion

The total area of aluminum needed to make 1646 mailboxes is 1291 square meters.