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TowerProject
Introduction:
Asdauntingofataskasitis,Mrs.Copeland,weacceptthechallengeofbuildingyour
tower.Themeasurementsareprecise,andthedesignischallenging,butwebelievewecando
thisjob.Wewilldedicateourselvestothisproject,andhopewecansatisfyyourrequests.The
designoftheDetroitZooWaterTowerisverycleverandweareenthusiasticandexcitedabout
recreatingitasahome.Theaquariumtiesinnicelyaswell.Thefloorofthetowerwillbefour
inchesofPlexiglas,justasyouasked.Weunderstandthatyouwantthetowertohave20sides,
andalsomaximizeitsspaceontheplotboundaries,whichare31x31.Thewallswillbeofone
footthicknessandthefooting,whichismadeofconcrete,willbe3.5feetdeep.Again,wewill
proceedintheconstructionofthetowerimmediatelyandwecertainlyhopeyouarehappywith
ourwork.
The20SidedPolygonMaximizedonThePlot:
Thepolygonthatwillactasthebase,floor,andfootings,willbeanIcosagon,ora20
sidedpolygon.Thisicosagonwillbemaximizedontheplotsizeof31x31feet,andwillnot
breachtheboundarythreefeetfromtheedge,duetolocallaws.Therefore,thebuildablearea
willbe25x25feet.Therewillbefouricosagonsfitintothisarea.Fouredgesoftheoutermost
polygonwilltouchtheboundariesasthenumberofsidesoftheicosagon,20,isdivisiblebyfour.
Thisisbecausetheshapeboundingthetowerisasquare,whichhasfoursides.Theoutermostof
thesewillbetheouteredgeofthefoundations,orfooting.Movingonefootclosertothecenter,
theoutersideofthewallswillbegin.Thewallswillbeonefootthick,thereforeonefootcloser
willlietheinneredgeofthewalls.Finally,theinnermosticosagonwillbetheinneredgeofthe


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footings.Thesepolygonswillbeconcentric,theywillnottouchorintersectandeachpolygon
willbeexactly1footawayfromtheoneontheinsideoroutsideatanypoint.


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Figure1.AerialViewofPolygons
Figure1displaysthefouricosagonsneededtobuildthetower.Theoriginalplotsizewas
31feetby31feet,buttheicosagonswillbecontainedinaspacenolargerthan25feetby25feet
(31(3*2)=25),duetotheaforementionedlaws.
Sincethepolygonsareicosagons,20sided,thecentralanglewillbe18degrees(360/20=
18).Eachouteranglewillthenbe162degrees(18018=162).Thiswillholdtrueforallfour
polygons,astheyareallicosagon

Figure2.Polygon1


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Figure2showstheoutermosticosagon,whichwillbeusedfortheouteredgeofthe
footingusedtosupportyourtower.Itisnecessarytofindtheareasoitcanbeknownhowmuch
concretewillbeused.First,however,theapothemoftheicosagonmustbecalculated(ain
Figure3)
a=25/2
a=12.5ft
Figure3.HowtoFindtheApothemofPolygon1
Figure3showstheformulasandsubstitutionsusedtofindtheapothem,orperpendicular
distancefromthecentertoasideofapolygon,ofPolygon1.Itisknownthatthedistancefrom
themidpointofonesidetothemidpointoftheoppositesideis25,asthatistheboundary.The
apothem,however,isfromthecentertoanotheredge,thereforehalfofthisdistance.Forthis
reason,theoveralldistance,25,canbedividedbytwotofindtheapothem,12.5feet.Next,the
sidelengthshouldbecalculated(ninFigure4).
tan(9)=n/12.5
12.5*tan(9)=n/2
2*(12.5*tan(9))=n
n=3.96ft
Figure4.HowtoFindtheSideLengthofPolygon1


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Figure4abovedepictstheformulasandsubstitutionsusedtofindonesideofthe
outermosticosagon.Thefirststepistodropdownanapothemtodividetheisoscelestriangle
intotwocongruentrighttriangles.Then,theanglecreatedbetweentheapothemandthe
hypotenusemeasures9degrees(18/2=9).Thetangentof9canbedescribedas(n/2)/12.5,n
beingthesidelength,and12.5beingtheapothem.Now,12.5canthenbemultipliedtoboth
sidestofindn/2.However,weneedtofindtheentiresidelength,thereforewemultiplythisby2.
Theresultingsidelengthisn=3.96.
A20*((3.96*12.5))
A494.95ft
Figure5.HowtoFindtheAreaofPolygon1
Figure5abovegivestheequationusedtofindtheareaofPolygon1.Thisformulawas
usedbecause3.96isthebaseofthetriangle,while12.5istheheight.Theformulafortheareaof
atriangleisofbase*height.Thisformulawasmultipliedby20becausePolygon1,an
icosagon,iscomposedof20triangles.Theresultofthisis494.95ft.Takenotethatallanswers
inthispaperareinroundedform.Thenumbersusedinthecalculationswere
not
rounded,however.Also,takenotethatthecentralangle,apothem,areaandsidelengthfor
Polygon1arethesameasfortheoverallbase.


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Figure6.Polygon2
Figure6abovedepictsthesecondoutermosticosagon,Polygon2.Polygon2isusedto
findtheouteredgeofthewallofthetower.AswithPolygon1,thesidelengthandapothemare
neededtofindthearea.
a=23/2
a=11.5
Figure7.HowtoFindtheApothemofPolygon2


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Figure7aboveshowshow,withformulasandsubstitutions,onecanfindtheapothemof
Polygon2.Thedistancefromthemidpointofonesidetothemidpointoftheoppositesideis23
feet,becausePolygon1wasscaledinbyonefootoneachside.Theapothem,however,isfrom
thecentertoanotheredge,thereforehalfofthisdistance.Forthisreason,theoveralldistance,
23,canbedividedbytwotofindtheapothem,11.5feet.
tan(9)=n/11.5
11.5*tan(9)=n
2*(11.5*tan(9))=n
3.64ft=n
Figure8.HowtoFindtheSideLengthofPolygon2
Figure8abovegivestheproperformulasandsubstitutionsnecessarytofindoneside
length(n)ofPolygon2.AswithPolygon1,anapothemwillfirstbedroppeddown.Thetangent
of9degreesisthenequalton/11.5.Bothsidesarethenmultipliedby11.5sothatnisisolated.
11.5*tan(9)isthendoubled,andtheresultis3.64feet.Theapothemandthesidelengthcan
nowbeusedtofindtheareaofPolygon2.
A(3.64*11.5)*20
A418.93ft
Figure9.HowtoFindtheAreaofPolygon2


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Figure9displaystheequationusedtofindtheareaofPolygon2.Theareaofasingle
trianglewasfound,thenmultipliedby20,astheicosagonismadeupof20congruenttriangles.
Asthepolygonisatriangle,theareaformulaisA=(base)(height).Inthisinstance3.64actsas
thebaseandtheapothem,11.5,actsastheheight.Theresultingareais418.93ft.

Figure10.Polygon3
Figure3aboveshowsPolygon3whichrepresentstheinneredgeofthewall.Thisisthe
secondinnermostpolygon.Thearea,onceagain,canbefoundwiththeapothemandsidelength.


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21/2=a
10.5ft=a
Figure11.HowtoFindtheApothemofPolygon3
Figure11aboveshowstheformulausedtofindtheapothemofPolygon3.Thedistance
fromthemidpointofandedgetothemidpointoftheoppositeedgeinthisicosagonisknownto
be21.Therefore,halfofthiswouldbetheapothem,10.5feet.
tan(9)=n/10.5
2*(10.5*tan(9))=n
3.33ft=n
Figure12.HowtoFindtheSideLengthofPolygon3
WiththeformulasandsubstitutionsshownaboveinFigure12,anyonecouldfindtheside
lengthofpolygon3.Aswithallthepolygons,onceanapothemisdroppeddown,thesidelength
canbefound.Thetangentof9degreesisequalton/10.5,somultiplybothsidesby10.5to
isolaten.Then,double10.5*tan(9)sothatn=3.33ft.


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A((3.33*10.5))20
A349.24ft
Figure13.HowtoFindtheAreaofPolygon3
Figure13abovegivestheproperformulaandsubstitutionstofindtheareaofpolygon3.
Theareaofasingletrianglewasfound,thenmultipliedby20,astheicosagonismadeupof20
congruenttriangles.Asthepolygonisatriangle,theareaformulaisA=(base)(height).For
Polygon3,3.33isthebase.Theapothem,11.5,actsastheheight.Theresultingareais349.24n
ft.

Figure14.Polygon4


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Figure14aboveisagraphicdepictingPolygon4.Aswiththeotherthreepolygons,the
areacanbefoundoncethesidelengthandapothemareknown.
19/2=a
9.5=a
Figure15.HowtoFindtheApothemofPolygon4
Figure15aboveshowshowtofindtheapothemforPolygon4.Thedistancefromedgeto
edgeis19,sohalveditwouldbe9.5.
tan(9)=n/9.5
2*(9.5*tan(9))=n
3ft=n
Figure16.HowtoFindtheSideLengthofPolygon4
Figure16abovedepictstheformulasandsubstitutionstofindthesidelength(n)of
Polygon4.Onceagain,anapothemisdroppedinordertomaketwocongruentrighttriangles.
Thetangentof9degreesisn/9.5,therefore9.5ismultipliedtobothsidestoisolaten.Theresult
ofthisisthenmultipliedbytwoaswehaveonlyfoundonehalf.ThesidelengthofPolygon4is
3feet.
A(3*9.5)*20
A285.88ft


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Figure17.HowtoFindtheAreaofPolygon4
Figure17aboveshowstheequationusedtofindtheareaofPolygon4.Theareaofone
trianglecontainedintheicosagonwasfoundandthenmultipliedby20tofindtheoverallarea.
TheareaformulaforatriangleisA=(base)(height).Thebaseis3andtheheight,orapothem,
is9.5.Thisresult,multipliedby20willgivetheareaofPolygon4,285.88ft.
VolumeoftheConcretefortheFooting,thePlexiglasfortheFloor,andWaterfor
Aquarium:
Theicosagonalfootingofthetowerwillbemadeofconcrete.Thefootingswillprovidea
stablefoundationtosupportthetower.ThefootingwillstretchfromPolygon1,toPolygon4.
Thefootingwillalsobe3.5feetindepth.Insideofthefootings,therewillbeanaquariummade
ofPlexiglas.ThetopoftheaquariumwillbefourinchthickPlexiglaswhichwillactasthe
floor.Thewaterinthisaquariumwillfill75%oftheentirevolume.


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Figure18.FootingsDiagramandMeasurements
Figure18showsthefootingsofthetower.Again,thefootingstretchesfromPolygon1to
Polygon4.Now,thevolumeofthefootingmustbeidentifiedinordertofindthecostofthe
concrete.Firsttheareaoftheringmakingupthefoundationscanbefound.Then,theareacanbe
multipliedbythedepth,3.5,togetthevolumeofthefooting.
494.95285.88A
209.07A
209.07*3.5V
731.74ftV
Figure19.FindingtheVolumeofFooting


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Infigure19abovetheformulasandsubstitutionsforfindingthevolumeofthefooting
areshown.TheareaofPolygon4(Figure14)issubtractedfromtheareaofPolygon1(Figure
1).Thiswillgivetheareaofonlythefooting(Figure18).Theareaisthenmultipliedbythe
depthofthefooting,3.5,togettheoverallvolume,731.74ft.
Nowthatwehavethevolumeofourfooting,weunderstandhowmuchconcreteis
neededtobuildourfooting.Theconcretethatwillbeboughtisgoingto$115.00foreverycubic
yard.Ayard,isequalto3feet,anditmustbecubedasthevolumeisin3dimensions.3isequal
to27.
3=27
(731.74/27)27.10
28*115=C
$3220.00=C
Figure20.CostAnalysisandCubicYardsofConcrete
Here,inFigure20,wecanseethecostoftheconcrete.Thenusingthecostwecan
discoverthecubicyardsofconcreteneeded.Thereasoningforusing27isaforementioned.After
thatstep,wecandividethevolumeofthefootingby27tofindthecubicyardsofconcrete.This
canthenbemultipliedby115,asthatisthecostpercubicyard.Onceweknowthecost,wecan
divideby115,tofindthecubicyardsofconcrete.Thisisbecause115waspreviouslymultiplied
bythecubicyards,wearesimplyundoingthisstep.Also,28cubicyardsofconcretearerequired


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aswecannotbuy27.1cubicyardsofconcrete.AsshowninFigure20,thecostofthisisgoing
tobe$3220.00.

Figure21.PlexiglasDiagramandMeasures
Figure21abovedepictstheplexiglasfloorusedontheinsideofPolygon4.Itisexactly4
inchesthick.Thevolumemustbeknown,andfromthatthenumberofsheetsofplexiglasneeded
canalsobeknown.
(349.237)V
116.41V
Figure22.HowtoFindtheVolumeofthePlexiglasFloor
Figure22aboveshowstheproperformulasandsubstitutionsneededtofindthevolume
ofthePlexiglas.Itisknownthattheareaofpolygon349.24ft,sosimplymultiplythatnumber
by12toturnitintoinches,thenmultiplybytheheight,inthiscase4in,toget16763.376.


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116.41*12=4190.84
4190.84*4=16763.376
48*96*4=18432
16763.376/18432=.909
Figure23.HowtoFindtheCostofthePlexiglas
Figure23aboveshowstheformulasandsubstitutionsthatshowhowtofindthecostof
theplexiglas.Thefirststepistofindthevolumeofthespaceneededtobefilledininches.Next,
thevolumeofasheetofplexiglasmustbefound.Dividethevolumeofthespacethatneedstobe
filledbythevolumeofthesheetofplexiglas,andtheanswerwillbehowmuchofasheetof
plexiglaswillbeneeded.Sinceitisnotpossibletobuy.909ofasheetofplexiglas,onefullsheet
willneedtobebought.Therefore,thecostofplexiglasis$1,100


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Figure24.TheAquarium
Figure24abovedepictsthefilledaquarium.Thefinalstepistofindouthowmuchwater
toputintothetank.Thetankwillbefilledup75%,withtheremaining25%beingempty.
Simplyfindthevolumeofthetankandmultiplyby.75tofindtheamountofwaterneeded.
285.88*1=333.53
333.53*=250.15
Figure25.HowtoFindtheNeededAmountofWater
Figure25aboveshowstheproperformulasandsubstitutionsneededtofindthenecessary
amountofwatertofilltheaquarium.ThefirststepistomultiplytheareaofPolygon4by1,
whichistheheightoftheaquarium.Theanswerwillbe333.53ft.Next,multiply333.53by.75
toget250.15ft.Thisistheamountofwaterneededtofilltheaquarium.


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OneLateralFaceoftheOuterPrismBase:
TheouterwallsofthetowerareplacedonPolygon2.Thesewallswillbetwiceastallas
theyarewide.BecausetheareonPolygon2,theywillbeaswideasonesideofPolygon2.
Therefore,theirheightistobetwicethesidelengthofPolygon2.
Also,thewallsofthetowerwillcontainonedoorandtwowindows.Thedoorwillbe3
feetwideand5feettallandtherewillbehalfofanicosagoninthetopofthedoor.Thediameter
oftheicosagonwillbethesameasthedoors,3feet.Asforthewindows,theywillbeicosagons
similartothehalfoneabovethedoor,excepttheywillbefullicosagons.


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Figure25.PolygonofOuterPrism
Figure25aboveshowsPolygon2,whichisalsothepolygonoftheouterprism.This
polygoncontainsthedoorsandwindowsaswell.ThesidelengthofPolygon2isapproximately
3.64feet.


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Figure26.LateralFaceandDoorDiagramandMeasurements
Figure26displaysonelateralfaceoftheouterprismaswellasthedoorandthe
measurementsofboth.Thedimensionsofonelateralfaceare3.64feetby7.28feet.Thewidthis
thesidelengthofPolygon2andtheheightisdoublethat.Themeasurementofthedoorcanbe
foundwiththisknowledgeandthefacttherectangularpartofthedooris3ftby5ft.
C=2.03(tan(9))
C0.47ft
Figure27.HowtoFindoneSideLengthoftheTopoftheDoor
Figure27abovegivestheformulasandsubstitutionsnecessarytofindonesidelengthof
thesemiicosagonusedtoformthetopofthedoor.


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3*5=15
15+(1.5*0.47)*20=A
29.10ft=A
Figure28.HowtoFindtheAreaoftheDoor

Figure29.TheWindowonaLateralFace
Figure29abovedisplaysawindowasitwouldbepositionedonthelateralfaceaswellas
thecorrespondingmeasurements.


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A20()(0.47)(1.5)
A7.05ft
Figure30.Howtofindtheareaofawindow.
Sinceallofthenumberswerealreadyknownfromfindingtheareaofthedoor,itwas
onlynecessarytoplugthemintotheequation.Theareaissimplytheareaofonetriangle,
multipliedby20.
Thefinalstepistofindthelateralsurfaceareaoftheoutsideofthetower.Ofcourse,the
areaofthewindowsanddoorsmustbesubtracted.
LSA20(3.64)(7.28)(29.1+2(7.05))
LSA529.9843.2
LSA486.78ft
Figure31.HowtoFindtheLateralSurfaceAreaoftheOutsideoftheTower
Figure31aboveshowshowtofindthelateralsurfaceareaoftheoutsideofthetower.
First,simplymultiply3.64(sidelength)by7.28(height)by20(numberofsides).Thensubtract
theareaofthedoorandtwowindows,togetavalueof486.78ft.


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VolumeoftheInnerBasePrism:
Next,weshallfindthevolumeoftheinnerprism.Thisisthespacecontainedwithinthe
wallsoftheinnertower,whichstandsatPolygon3.

Figure32.PolygonoftheInnerPrismFigure32showsthePolygononwhichtheinnerprism,
andevidentlytheinnerpyramid,ispositioned.Themeasurementsofthisicosagonwere
aforementionedandshowninthefigureaswell.


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Figure33.LateralFaceofInnerPrism
Theabovefigureshowsthelateralfaceoftheinnerprism.Theheightissimilartothatof
theouterprismastheyareonwall.ThewidthofthefaceissimilartothesidelengthofPolygon
3asthatiswhereitresides.Now,tofindthevolumeoftheinnerprism.
V=349.24(7.28)
V=2542.45ft
Figure34.HowtoFindtheVolumeoftheInnerPrism


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Abovetheformulasandsubstitutionsforthevolumeoftheinnerprismareshown.The
volumecanbefoundbysimplytakingthepreviouslycalculatedareaofPolygon3,andmultiply
itbytheheight.Thevolumeoftheinnerprismis2,542.45ft.
PyramidTopoftheOuterPyramidShowingHeightoftheOuterPyramidandtheSlant
HeightofOneLateralFaceoftheOuterPyramid:
Nextupistheroofofthetower.Theroofwillbeshapedlikea20sidedpyramid,with
theheightbeingthreetimesthelengthofoneedge.Theouterpyramidwillbeboundedby
Polygon2.

Figure35.OuterPyramidDiagramandMeasures


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Figure35aboveshowsthebaseofthepyramid,inadditiontoonelateralface.Someof
themeasurementsarealreadyknown,andtherestcanbeeasilyfound.Fortheheight,simply
multiplythesidelengthby3(sincetheheightisthreetimesonesidelength).Theslantheightis
next.
s=

(10.92SQ+11.5SQ)
s=

251.50
s=15.86
Figure36.TheSlantHeightoftheOuterPyramid
Aboveinfigure36theslantheightoftheouterpyramidisfound.ThePythagorean
Theoremisused.Theheightandtheradiusserveasthelegs.Theheightis3timesthesideof
Polygon2,3.64.Theradiusishalfofthediameter,or11.5.Theslantheightoftheouterpyramid
isabout15.86.
tan
=10.92/11.5
1
=
tan
(10.92/11.5)

o
=43.5

Figure37.TheDegreeBetweenthePyramidFaceandPrismBase


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Figure37depictsthedegreemadebetweenthepyramidfaceandprismbase..Thiscanbe
foundbytakingtheinversetangentofthetastangent.Thedegreeprovestobeapproximately
o
43.5
.

OneLateralFaceoftheOuterPyramid:

Figure38.OneLateralFaceoftheOuterPyramid
Figure38aboveshowsalateralfaceoftheouterpyramid.Thebaseandsidelengthare
alreadyknown,thoughtheanglemeasuresmustalsobefiguredout.
1
m
CAB=tan
(15.85/(3.64/2))

o
m
CAB=83.43

Figure39.HowtoFindtheMeasureofaBaseAngleofaLateralFaceoftheOuterPyramid


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Figure39aboveshowshowonecanfindthemeasureofeitherangleCABorangleCBA
o
usingsimpleformulasandsubstitutions.Theresultwasaround83.43
.

mACB=180(83.43*2)
o
mACB=13.14

Figure40.HowtoFindtheUpperAngleMeasureofaLateralFaceoftheOuterPyramid
Figure40aboveshowshowtofindangleACBorBCAusingformulasandsubstitutions.
o
Theanswershouldbearound13.14
.

LSA=20()(3.64)(15.85)
LSA=576.94ft
Figure41.HowtoFindtheLateralSurfaceAreaoftheOuterPyramid.
Figure41abovedepictshowtosimplyuseformulasandsubstitutionstofindthelateral
surfaceareaoftheouterpyramid.Simplyfindtheareaofonetriangleandthenmultiplyby20.


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PyramidTopoftheInnerPyramidshowingtheHeightoftheInnerPyramid:

Figure42.InnerPyramidDiagram
Figure42aboveshowstheinnerpyramidwithmeasurements.AandDwithinthe
diagramhavesimilarmeasurementsasPolygon3.Theheighthereis3timesthesidelength.
V=(10*349.24)
3
V=1164.12ft

Figure43.VolumeoftheInnerPyramid


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Figure43displaystheformulatofindthevolumeoftheinnerpyramid.Theareaofthe
baseis349.24andtheheighthereis10ft.Thevolumeoftheinnerpyramidhascomeouttobe
3
1164.12ft
.

MyTower:

Figure44.CompleteTowerDiagram
Figure44abovedetailsacompletediagramofthetoweronceitwillbefinished.Now,
thesurfaceareaandvolumeneedtobefound.


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SA=576.94+486.78
SA=1063.72
Figure45.HowtoFindtheSurfaceAreaoftheTower
Figure45aboveshowshow,bysimplyaddingthetwosurfaceareasfromfigures31and
41,youcanfindthesurfacearea.
2542.45+1164.12=V
3706.57ft=V
Figure46.HowtoFindtheVolumeoftheInnerTower
Figure46aboveshowshowthevolumeoftheinnertowerwasfound.Thevolumesof
boththepreviouslyfoundinnerprismandpyramidwereaddedtogethertogettheoverall
volume,3706.57ft.
Conclusion:
Thesecalculationsdidprovetofrustrateusintheearlystages.However,thingssmoothed
outafterthesestages.Wecertainlyhopeourstrugglesprovedtobewellworthitintheend.We
areproudoftheworkweveputinandhopeyouaresatisfiedandbeyond.Youwillcertainly
havethebestwatertowerhouseinallofDetroit.Welltechnicallyalsotheworstbutwetrytobe
glasshalffullkindsofpeople.Welookforwardtoyourfeedback,thankyou.
Sincerely,ImranandNoah