To find the height of the cylindrical candle, we can use the formula for the volume of a cylinder, which is:
\[ V = \pi r^2 h \]
where \( V \) is the volume, \( r \) is the radius, and \( h \) is the height.
Given:
- The volume of the candle \( V \approx 159 \) cubic inches.
- The distance from the wick to the edge of the candle is \( 2 \frac{1}{4} \) inches (which is \( 2.25 \) inches). This distance is the radius of the candle.
So, we can calculate the radius \( r \):
\[ r = 2.25 \text{ in} \]
Now we can substitute the values into the volume formula to solve for \( h \):
\[ 159 = \pi (2.25)^2 h \]
Calculating \( (2.25)^2 \):
\[ (2.25)^2 = 5.0625 \]
Now substituting it back into the formula:
\[ 159 = \pi (5.0625) h \]
\[ 159 = 15.9043 h \quad (\text{using } \pi \approx 3.14159) \]
Now, we solve for \( h \):
\[ h = \frac{159}{15.9043} \approx 10 \]
Thus, rounding to the nearest whole number, the candle's approximate height is:
\[ \boxed{10} \text{ inches} \]