School based assessment

Additional mathematics
The use of calculus in the design of a water tank for
Frankfield, Jamaica

Name of Candidate: XXXXXXX

Candidate Number:
Centre Number: XXXXXXX
Teachers Name: XXXXXXXX
Territory: Jamaica
Year: XXXX

Title page

Title: The use of calculus in the design of a water tank for

Frankfield, Jamaica.

Name of Candidate: XXXXXXX

Candidate Number:
Centre Number: XXXXXX
Teachers Name: XXXXXX
Territory: Jamaica
Year: XXXX

Page | 1

Table of content

Acknowledgement

Aim

Statement of Problem

Important Elements to Note

Method of Solving the problem

Diagram of proposed water tank

Solution of the Problem

Proofing

12

Final Results

15

Conclusion

16

Page | 2

Acknowledgement
I would first of all like to thank my teacher, Mr. Hendricks, for allowing me to undertake this
project for my Additional Mathematics School Based Assessment. Embarking this project has
helped to open my eyes to the linkage between mathematics and the real world. It has also
helped be to better understand the uses of calculus. I would also like to thank my parents who
gave me their constant support in my endeavors, as usual. Last but certainly not least, I would
like to thank God, who continually strengthens me, allowing me to complete this task as well as
many others. I extend my gratitude to all who helped, no matter how great or small.

Page | 3

Aim
1. To satisfy the requirements of the Additional Mathematics School Based Assessment for
the CSEC (Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate).

2. To apply mathematical concepts, skills and procedures from a particular topic in order to
understand, describe, or explain a real world phenomenon.

Page | 4

Statement of problem:
Frankfield, a community in rural Jamaica, requested that a closed, cylindrical water tank, be built
for its residents. The tank they desire must be capable of holding 3.6 x10 6 cm3 of water and is to
be manufactured from sheets of stainless metal of negligible thickness. The surface area must be
known and also the dimensions of the tank so that the area of the sheet of metal for the project
can be determined and hence purchased. It is required to determine the dimensions of a tank
which satisfies the capacity specified and requires the minimum amount of sheet material.

Important Elements to note:

The volume and surface area will be used to come up with the mathematical model.
The minimum surface area will result in minimum cost for constructing the tank.
Extra material must be added to compensate for any potential errors and flaws.

Page | 5

Method of solving the Problem

It is given that the tank must be cylindrical in shape. Therefore, the design and dimensions of the
tank must be done with respect to the radius of the cylinder and the height of the cylinder.
For the ease of notation; let height of the cylinder be h , and let the radius of the cylinder be r
The volume of a cylinder can be expressed as the product of the area of its circle and its height.

Therefore, the volume will be represented by the formula:

represents pi and will be used as

22
7

o lume= r h

, where

throughout the calculations.

The total surface area of the closed cylinder can be expressed as the area of its 2 circles plus the
area of what is essentially a rectangular sheet, making up its height. The width of the rectangle is
equal to the circumference of the circle, while the length is equal to the height of the cylinder.
Therefore, the total surface area will be represented using the formula:
Total Surface Area=2 r 2+2 rh

There are two unknowns in the formula, in the form of the height and the radius. To make
solving easier, one of the variables need to be eliminated. Since the volume which the tank needs
to hold, was given as 3.6 x106 cm3, the formula for the volume can be rewritten as:
3.6 106 = r 2 h

Page | 6

This equation can then be transposed, making h the subject:

h=

3.6 10 6
r2

Making h

the subject is done so that we can substitute the formula for

into the formula

for the total surface area, thereby eliminating one of the unknowns. Hence:

Total Surface Area=2 r 2+2 r

Calculus

must

2 r 2 +2 r

then

3.6 10 6
r2

be

3.6 10
r2

used

to

)
find

[The mathematical model]

the

first

derivative

of

the

expression

as it is assumed that in order to find the minimum surface area, the

derivative of the expression must be equated to zero (0). Essentially,

ds
=0
dr

will be used to

find the minimum surface area required.

Afterwards, calculus will again be used to prove that the mathematical model is truly a minima
function. It is given:
To satisfy that a function is a minimum, the second derivative of the function must be greater

d2 s
than 0. Therefore, d r 2 >0

will prove that the mathematical model is a minima.

Page | 7

Page | 8

Diagram of proposed water tank

Page | 9

Solution of the problem

The calculations are done so as to find the value of the minimum total surface area of the tank.
r cm

Let the total surface area of the cylinder = TSA

Let the height of the cylinder = h
Let the radius of the cylinder = r
22
Let pi ( ) = 7

From the formulation given above:

h cm

TSA=2 r +2 rh
TSA=2 r 2 +2 r

TSA=2 r 2 +

3.6 10 6
r2

7.2 10
r

For ease of calculating the derivative of the expression it is broken down into two parts to work
with individually.
Note
r
h

- Radius
2
The derivative of 2 r can be found using the product rule:
- Height

Volume
= 3,600,000
cm3
u=2

du
=0
dx

v =r 2
dv
=2r
dx

dy
du
dv
=v +u
dx
dx
dx

Page | 10

dy 2
=r ( 0 )+ 2 ( 2r )
dx
dy
=4 r
dx

The derivative of

u=7.2 10

7.2 106
r

can be found using the quotient rule:

v =r

du
=0
dx

dv
=1
dx

du
dv
u
dy
dx
dx
=
2
dx
v
v

6
dy ( r 0 )( 7.2 10 ) 1
=
dx
r2

dy 7.2 106
=
2
dx
r

The derivative of the expression

2 r2 +

7.210 6
r

is

4 r

7.2 106
r2

It is assumed that equating this expression to zero (0) will enable the minimum surface area to be found.

4 r

7.2 106
=0
2
r

Page | 11

4 r =

7.2 106
r2

r 2 ( 4 r )=7.2 106
4 r 3=7.2 10 6
r 3=7.2 106

88
7

r 3=572727.273
r= 3 572727.273
r=83.045 cm

The value of the radius needed to cause the minimum surface area to be achieved, was found to be
83.045 cm.
Having found the value of the last unknown in the equation, it can be used in the equation to find the total
surface area of the cylinder.

TSA=2 r 2 +

7.2 10
(as shown above)
r

(Substituting the value of

in the equation)

6
44 (
2 7.2 10
)
TSA=
83.045 +
7
83.045

TSA=

44
( 6896.472) +86699.982
7

TSA=43349.253+86699.982
Page | 12

TSA=130049.235 cm

The minimum total surface area of the cylinder is found to be 130049.235 cm2 .
The height of the cylinder can also be found using the known radius:

h=

h=

h=

h=

3.6 10 6
r2
3.6 106
22
2
( 83.045 )
7
3.6 106
22
6896.472
7
3.6 106
21674.626

h=166.093 cm
The height of the cylinder with a radius of 83.045 cm is 166.093 cm.

When the radius is 83.045 cm and the height is 166.093 cm, the total surface area of the cylinder is
130049.235 cm which is assumed to be the minimum.

Proofing:
As stated previously in the method of solving the problem, the mathematical model being a
minimum is only true if the second derivative of the function is greater than 0.

Page | 13

ds
7.2 106
=4 r
dr
r2
Again, for ease of calculation and derivation, the expression will be broken into two parts:
4r can be derived using the product rule:

u=4

v =r

du
=0
dx

dv
=1
dx

dy
du
dv
=v +u
dx
dx
dx
dy
=r ( 0 )+ 4 ( 1 )
dx
dy
=4
dx

The derivative of

u=7.2 10

7.2 106
2
r

du
=0
dx

can be found using the quotient rule:

v =r

dv
=2r
dx

du
dv
u
dy
dx
dx
=
2
dx
v
v

2
6
dy ( r 0 )( 7.2 10 ) 2 r
=
dx
r4

Page | 14

dy 1.44 107 r
=
dx
r4
dy 1.44 107
=
dx
r3

Therefore,

d2 s
1.44 107
=4
+
2
3
dr
r

Substituting the value of r3which we know from previous calculations:

d2 s
1.44 107
=4
+
2
572727.273
dr
d 2 s 88
= + 25.143
2
7
dr
d2 s
=37.714
d r2

d2 s
>0
d r2

The mathematical model satisfied the requirement of having its second derivative being greater
than zero (0), thus proving it is truly a minimum function.

To aid in proving whether or not the value obtained by the calculations for the minimum surface
area is true, an excel spreadsheet was used. The formula for the total surface area was used along
with a range of possible radii for the cylinder (including the one obtained by the calculations).
The spreadsheet determines the corresponding total surface area that each radius would need in
order to satisfy the given volume. The range or radii contained values greater and less than the
value obtained in calculations. The results are shown in the table below:

Page | 15

Radius (cm)
81.000
82.000
83.005
83.015
83.025
83.035
83.045
83.055
83.065
83.075
83.085
83.095
84.000
85.000

Height
(cm)
174.585
170.353
166.253
166.213
166.173
166.133
166.093
166.053
166.013
165.973
165.933
165.893
162.388
158.540

Volume (cm3)

Total surface Area (cm2)

3600000
3600000
3600000
3600000
3600000
3600000
3600000
3600000
3600000
3600000
3600000
3600000
3600000
3600000

130129.460
130070.021
130049.266
130049.252
130049.243
130049.237
130049.235
130049.236
130049.242
130049.251
130049.264
130049.281
130066.286
130120.168

Table 1: Showing the proof of the minimum total surface area

As shown in the table, the smallest surface area was generated by the 83.045 cm radius found in
the calculations. The table proves that the radius, for which the total surface area is a minimum,
converges to the point 83.045 cm. That minimum value for the surface area is 130049.235 cm2.

Page | 16

Final results
Final diagram proposed

r = 83.045 cm

h = 166.093 cm

Note
r

- Radius

- Height

Volume = 3,600,000 cm3

Total Surface Area = 130049.235 cm2

Page | 17

Conclusion
Mathematical concepts, skills and procedures were successfully used in determining the
dimensions of a tank as well as the minimum material which was needed to construct it. The
mathematical model is practical and the assumptions made in the calculations were proven true
through the use of calculus and an Excel spreadsheet. The dimensions of the cylindrical tank
were successfully calculated to be 83.045 cm in radius and

166.093 cm

in height. The

minimum total surface area was calculated to be 130049.235 cm 2. The minimum value of the total

surface area represents the least amount of sheet material which needs to be purchased. It hence
also reflects the minimum cost for construction.
The criteria/requirements given were achieved. However, for a community, the capacity of the
proposed water tank is small. If the proposed model is approved, then multiple tanks may have to
be built to satisfy the needs of the community, depending on the number of residents.

Page | 18