Question

A cylindrical log has diameter $12$ inches. A wedge is cut from the log by making two planar cuts that go entirely through the log. The first is perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder, and the plane of the second cut forms a $45^\circ$ angle with the plane of the first cut. The intersection of these two planes has exactly one point in common with the log. The number of cubic inches in the wedge can be expressed as $n\pi,$ where $n$ is a positive integer. Find $n.$

Answer

Solution:

Take the first cut as horizontal. The line where the two cutting planes meet touches the log at exactly one point, so it is tangent to the circular cross-section of radius $6.$ The wedge therefore stands over the entire disk: its height is $0$ at the tangent point and, because the second cut is at $45^\circ,$ it rises linearly to $12$ at the diametrically opposite point.

Pair each point of the disk with its mirror image through the center: the wedge's heights over the two points add to exactly $12.$ So two copies of the wedge fit together into a cylinder of radius $6$ and height $12,$ and the wedge's volume is $\frac{1}{2}\,\pi \cdot 6^2 \cdot 12 = 216\pi.$ Thus $n = 216.$

2003 AIME II Problem 5

Solution:

Problem 5 in Other Years