SOLUTION: Two barrels are geometrically similar. Their heights are 16 inches and 20 inches. The diameter of the base of the larger barrel is 8 inches. Calculate the diameter of the base of t

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Question 1136700: Two barrels are geometrically similar. Their heights are 16 inches and 20 inches. The diameter of the base of the larger barrel is 8 inches. Calculate the diameter of the base of the smaller barrel.
Found 2 solutions by ikleyn, greenestamps:
Answer by ikleyn(52782)   (Show Source):
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From similarity, you have this proportion = . (Let the index 1 refers to the smaller barrel, while the index 2 refers to the larger). In this proportion, three terms are given to you, so you can write it in the form = . From this proportion, find as the interior term = = 6.4 inches. ANSWER

Solved.

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Answer by greenestamps(13200)   (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

Heights and diameters are both linear measurements. In similar figures, the ratio of similarity is the same for all corresponding linear measurements.

The ratio of the two heights is 16:20 = 4:5; the ratio of the 2 diameters will also be 4:5.

If the diameter of the larger barrel is 8 inches, the diameter of the smaller barrel is 8*(4/5) = 32/5 inches or 6.4 inches.