MATH 1010

Practice for Chapter 7

1. Machine Trades The linear speed 𝐿 of a grinding wheel in feet per minute (fpm) is
given by the formula
𝜋𝑑𝑟
𝐿=
12
where 𝑑 is the diameter of the wheel in inches, and 𝑟 is the rotational speed in
revolutions per minute (rpm).

What is the linear speed of a 6.0-inch grinding wheel rotating at 2500 rpm? (Round to
the nearest hundred fpm.)

2. Transportation A truck driver leaves a warehouse at 6:30 A.M. and needs to arrive at
his destination 340 miles away by noon. What average speed must the driver maintain?
(Round to the nearest whole number.)
3. Construction Structural engineers have found that a good estimate of the crushing load
for a square wooden pillar is given by the formula
25𝑡 4
𝐿= 2
ℎ
where 𝐿 is the crushing load in tons, 𝑡 is the thickness of the wood in inches, and ℎ is the
height of the post in feet. Find the crushing load for a 6-in.-thick post 12 ft high.

4. Welding Tensile strength refers to the maximum load-carrying capability of a material,

and it is given by the formula
𝐿
𝑇=
𝐴
where 𝑇 is the tensile strength in pounds per square inch, 𝐿 is the maximum load in
pounds, and 𝐴 is the original cross-sectional area in square inches.

If the maximum load of a material is 12,500 lb, and the original area is 0.175 sq in.,
calculate the tensile strength to the nearest hundred psi.
5. Manufacturing The length of belt on a roll of conveyor belt material is given by the
formula
𝐿 = 𝜋ℎ𝑛
where ℎ is the height of the center core in meters, and 𝑛 is the number of wraps on the
roll.

If a particular roll has 18 wraps of belt and the height of the center core is 2.20 meters,
what length of belt is on the roll? (Round to the nearest meter.)

6. Plumbing The formula

𝐷 5
√
𝑁= ( )
𝑑

gives the approximate number 𝑁 of smaller pipes of diameter 𝑑 necessary to supply the
same total flow as one larger pipe of diameter 𝐷.
1
Use this formula to determine the number of 2-in. pipes that will provide the same flow
1
as one 1 2-in. pipe.
7. HVAC In planning a solar energy heating system for a house, a contractor uses the
formula
𝑄 = 8.33𝐺𝐷𝑇
to determine the energy necessary for heating water. In this formula 𝑄 is the energy in
Btu, 𝐺 is the number of gallons heated per day, 𝐷 is the number of days, and 𝑇 is the
temperature difference between tap water and the desired temperature of hot water.

Find Q when G is 50 gallons, D is 30 days, and the water must be heated from 60° to
140°.

8. Machine Trades To find the taper per inch of a piece of work, a machinist uses the
formula
𝐷−𝑑
𝑇=
𝑙
where 𝐷 is the diameter of the large end, 𝑑 is the diameter of the small end, and 𝑙 is the
length. Find T if 𝐷 = 4.1625 in.,𝑑 = 3.2513 in., and 𝐿 = 8 in.
9. Construction In the remodel of a two-story home, a stairwell opening, S, is determined
by the formula
𝐻+𝑇
𝑆 = 𝑈𝑟𝑢𝑛 ⟦ − 1⟧
𝑈𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑒
where 𝑈𝑟𝑢𝑛 is the unit run, 𝑈𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑒 is the unit rise, 𝐻 is the head clearance, and 𝑇 is the
floor thickness (all measurements are in inches).

NOTE: The quantity in brackets must be rounded up to the next whole number before
multiplying by 𝑈𝑟𝑢𝑛 .

Find the stairwell opening if the unit run is 9 in., the unit rise is 7.5 in., the head
3
clearance is 7 ft, and the floor thickness is 10 in.
8

10. Electronics The inductance L in microhenrys of a coil constructed by a ham radio

operator is given by the formula
𝑟 2 𝑛2
𝐿=
9𝑟 + 10𝑙
where 𝑟 is the radius of the coil, 𝑙 is the length of the coil, and 𝑛 is the number of turns of
wire in the coil.

Find the length if the radius is 3 in., the length of the coil is 6 in., and there are 200 turns
of wire in the coil.
11. Electronics Calculate the total capacitance of the series-parallel circuit shown in the
figure using the formula given. Round to the nearest one-tenth of a microfarad.
𝐶1 (𝐶2 + 𝐶3 )
𝐶𝑇 =
𝐶1 + 𝐶2 + 𝐶3

Calculate for 𝐶1 = 14 𝜇𝐹, 𝐶2 = 4 𝜇𝐹, and 𝐶3 = 6 𝜇𝐹.

12. Electronics Solve for the variable indicated in each of these electronics formulas:
𝐾𝐿
a) 𝑅 = Solve for 𝐿.
𝐴

𝑅𝑚 𝐼𝑚
b) 𝑅𝑆 = Solve for 𝑅𝑚 .
𝐼𝑆

𝐿1 + 𝐿2
c) 𝐿 𝑇 = Solve for 𝐿𝑚 .
2𝐿𝑚
13. Automotive Trades When balancing a crankshaft, bobweights are used in place of the
piston and connecting rod. To choose the correct bobweight 𝐵 for a cylinder, the
following formula is used:
𝑆+𝑃
𝐵=𝐿+
2
where 𝐿 is weight of the large end of the connecting rod, 𝑆 is the weight of the small end
of the connecting rod, and 𝑃 is the weight of the piston assembly.

a) Find the bobweight if L=518 grams, S=212 grams, and P=436 grams.

b) Solve the formula for 𝑃.

14. Trades Management The Zeus Electronics repair shop charges $110 for the first hour
of labor and $84 for each additional hour. The total labor cost for a lighting repair job
was $656. Write an equation that allows you to solve for the total repair time, then
solve this equation.
MECH 2425 Examples

15. Belt Length The relationships between perimeter length, 𝐿𝑝 , center distance 𝐶, and the
sheave diameters for V-belts are given as
𝜋 (𝐷2 − 𝐷1 )2
𝐿𝑝 = 2𝐶 + (𝐷2 + 𝐷1 ) +
2 4𝐶
where 𝐷1 is the diameter of the smaller pulley and 𝐷2 is the diameter of the larger
pulley.

Find the belt length for a center distance between the pulleys of 40 in., and pulley
diameters of 8.4 in. and 12.4 in.

16. Center Distance If you have the correct belt and pulleys but you’re not sure how far to
space them part, the center distance can be calculated by solving the following:
𝑏 + √𝑏2 − 32(𝐷2 − 𝐷1 )2
𝐶=
16
where 𝑏 = 4𝐿𝑝 − 2𝜋(𝐷2 + 𝐷1 ).

Find the center distance for pulleys with diameters of 15.6 in. and 7.4 in. and a belt that
is 124 in. long.