SOLUTION: A regulation tennis ball has a diameter of 2 1/2 inches. Find the volume necessary to store 12 tennis balls.Round answer to the nearest integer.

Question 181627: A regulation tennis ball has a diameter of 2 1/2 inches. Find the volume necessary to store 12 tennis balls.Round answer to the nearest integer.
Answer by Alan3354(69443) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
A regulation tennis ball has a diameter of 2 1/2 inches. Find the volume necessary to store 12 tennis balls.Round answer to the nearest integer.
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First, find the volume of a tennis ball.

V =~ 8.18123 cubic inches
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If 12 are packed into a cylinder, like the cans tennis balls are sold in, the volume would be 12 times the volume of a ball,
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or ~98.175 cubic inches. I suspect that's the answer expected.
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However, that's the volume of the 12 balls. To put them into a cylinder, the cylinder would have in ID (inside diameter) of 2.5 inches, and it would be 12 times the diameter of a ball, or 30 inches.
For a cylinder,

V = ~147.26 cubic inches.
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If they're packed some other way, the volume necessary can be reduced IF a container is made that conforms to the outside surface of the balls, but it's a complex problem. For example, if they're stacked with 5, 4 and 3 in rows, the volume needed might be reduced. I doubt the problem expects to go into that, plus it would be difficult to pack them under pressure if they're in a container other than a cylinder. Tennis balls are sold in pressurized cans.

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