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Cola Can

Age 11 to 14
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow starYellow star
Secondary curriculum
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This printable worksheet may be useful: Cola Can.


Once the lower level thinking covered in the Hint has been assimilated students might be guided if necessary to see the value of a spreadsheet when solving a problem of this sort.

Additionally the use of a graph representing the spreadsheet values is particularly helpful for 'picturing' the behaviour of the surface area function as either base radius or can height varies.

There is a valuable opportunity to work with each of the two obvious independent variables : base radius and height. Starting with either of these the other is calculable from the specified volume of 330 ml, and once both r and h are known the surface area is calculable.


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The NRICH Project aims to enrich the mathematical experiences of all learners. To support this aim, members of the NRICH team work in a wide range of capacities, including providing professional development for teachers wishing to embed rich mathematical tasks into everyday classroom practice.

NRICH is part of the family of activities in the Millennium Mathematics Project.

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