Macomb Mathematics Science Technology Center

Tower Project
Claire Orlando and Senna Catenacci

Mr. Acre
GAT 9A
30 May, 2014

Part One: Introduction

Orlando-Catenacci 2
About 1.5 million houses are built every year by architects around the world. Architects
are very important to our society; they give people a place in which they can live and learn. The
places they build are not only places in which people live, but they are art too. As Frank Lloyd
Wright once said, The mother art is architecture. Without an architecture of our own we have no
soul of our own civilization. Geometry is an essential part of an architects education. This
project helps to show how what has been learned about geometry can be applied to real life. In
this project, a mini-tower is being built. The plot size and the number of sides of our tower were
the only information that was given. Using this and prior knowledge, a tower was built. This
shows that even with almost no information, amazing things can be created. In order to begin
the tower, the first dimensions to find were the base. Without the base nothing can be built and
nothing new and amazing can be made.

Part Two: My 18 Sided Polygon Maximized on My Plot

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The central angle is the angle that is the distance between the triangle that can be formed
from the vertex and one side of the shape, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Central Angle

Figure 1 shows what a central angle is and where it is in relation to the shape, in this case,
an 18-agon.
Knowing that the given tower had a plot of thirty feet by thirty feet and eighteen sides,the
central angle was calculated first, as shown in Figure 2.
CA=360/number of sides
CA=360/18
CA=20
Figure 2. Central Angle Calculation
Figure 2 shows how to find the measure of the central angle of the base of the tower
using formulas and substitutions.
Next, it was necessary to find the length of one side of polygon 1 in order to precede
with any other calculations. Below in Figure 3 polygon 1 and how it was split up to find the
measurements necessary to continue is shown.

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Figure 3. Polygon 1
Figure 3 displays the shape of polygon 1 along with the triangle that is made using one
edge of the 18-agon. The triangle is also pictured cut in half, which was done so that the height
and length of one side could be found. The hypotenuse of the triangle is 12 ft.

In order to do the rest of the math for the tower, the formula shown in Figure 4 was used.
sin=opposite side/hypotenuse
sin 10=y/12
(12) * sin 10= y/12 * (12)

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12 * sin 10=y
y2.08 ft.
12 * sin (10) * 24.17 ft.
Figure 4. Length of One Side of Polygon 1
Figure 4 shows how to calculate the length of one side of polygon 1 using trigonometry,
specifically sin.
Now knowing the length of one side of polygon 1, the next step was to find the height of
that polygon.
cos=adjacent side/hypotenuse
cos 10= x/12
(12) * cos 10= x/12 * (12)
12 * cos (10)=x
x11.82 ft.
Figure 5. Height of Polygon 1
Figure 5 shows how to find the height of polygon 1, the outer polygon, using cosine.
The last thing to find with polygon 1 is the area, since the height and length of one side is
now known.
Area= * base * height
= * (2y)(x)
=(12 * sin 10) * (12 * cos 10)
24.6255 ft.
Area polygon=number of sides * Area
Area polygon=18 * (12 * sin 10) * (12 * cos * 10)
Area polygon443.26 ft.
Figure 6. Area of Polygon 1
Figure 6 shows how to find the area of polygon 1 using the answers of the previous
calculations and the area formula.
Now that the length, height, and area of polygon 1 are known, the same steps must be
repeated to find the dimensions of polygons 2, 3, and 4. First, the dimensions of polygon 2 are

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going to be calculated. Below, in Figure 7 Polygon 2 is shown and how it was broken up in
order to do the math.

Figure 7. Polygon 2
Figure 7 shows the shape of polygon 2 and, as with Figure 3, the triangle that can be
made using one edge of the shape.
Now the length of one side of Polygon 2 can be found using trigonometry below in
Figure 8.
tan= opposite side/adjacent side
tan 10= y/12 * cos 10-1
(12 * cos 10-1) * tan 10= y/12 * cos 10-1 * (12 * cos 10-1)
12 * cos 10-1 * tan 10= y
y1.91 ft.

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(12 * cos 10-1) * (tan 10) * 23.81 ft.
Figure 8. Length of one side of Polygon 2
Figure 8 shows how, using tangent, the length of one side of polygon 2 was calculated.
Next, as before, the height of the polygon must be calculated, as shown in Figure 9.
Height= height of triangle in Polygon 1-1
Height= (12 * cos 10) -1
Height 10.82 ft.
Figure 9. Height of Polygon 2
Figure 9 shows how the height of polygon 2 was calculated using the same formula as the
first polygon, but subtracting 1, since each polygon decreases by 1 foot until it reaches the end of
polygon 4.
Once again, now knowing the length of one side and the height, the next step is to find
the area of polygon 2 .
Area= * base * height
= * (2y)(height)
=(12 * cos 10-1)* (tan 10)*(12 * cos 10 -1)
20.63 ft.
Area polygon= number of sides * Area
Area polygon=18 * (12 * cos 10-1) * (tan 10) * (12 * cos 10-1)
Area polygon 371.42 ft.
Figure 10. Area of Polygon 2
Figure 10 shows how to find the area of polygon 2 using the area formula and
substitutions. The area was calculated by multiplying the length of one side by the height of
polygon 2.
Now that the calculations for polygon 1 and 2 are done, it is now necessary to find the
dimensions and area of polygon 3. Figure 11, below shows polygon 3 and the way it was broken
up, so the math could be understood.

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Figure 11. Polygon 3

Pictured in Figure 11 is the outline of polygon 3 and the triangle that can be created.
The first length that was calculated was the length of one side of Polygon 3 as shown in
Figure 12 below.
tan= opposite side/adjacent side
tan 10= y/12 * cos 10- 2
(12 * cos 10- 2) * tan 10= y/12 * cos 10- 2 * (12 * cos 10- 2)
12 * cos 10- 2 * tan 10= y
y1.73 ft.
(12 * cos 10- 2 * tan 10) * 23.46 ft.
Figure 12. Length of One Side of Polygon 3
Figure 12 shows how to find the length of one side of the third polygon using tangent, as
well as substitutions.
The next step, once again, is to find the height of polygon 3, which is shown in Figure 13.

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Height= height of triangle in Polygon 1-2
Height= (12 * cos 10) -2
Height9.82 ft.
Figure 13. Height of Polygon 3
Figure 13 shows how to find the height of polygon 3, which is found by taking the height
of polygon 1 and subtracting 2, since the difference between each polygon is 1 foot.
Lastly, the area of polygon 3 is to be calculated using the two previous calculations of
polygon 2.
Area= * base * height
= * (2y)(height)
=(12 * cos 10- 2) * (tan 10) *(12 * cos 10- 2)
17 ft.
Area polygon= number of sides * Area
Area polygon=18 * (12 * cos 10- 2) * (tan 10 )* (12 * cos 10- 2)
Area polygon305.92 ft.
Figure 14. Area of Polygon 3
Figure 14 shows how to multiply the length of one side of the base by the height of
polygon 3 to find the area of polygon 3.

Now that the dimensions of the first three polygons have been found, the last dimensions
to find are those of the fourth polygon. The fourth polygon is shown, as well as one triangle in it
below in Figure 15.

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Figure 15. Polygon 4

Figure 15 shows the shape of polygon 4 along with the triangle and the triangle that is cut
in half.
As with the rest of the polygons, the first thing to find is the length of one side, as shown
in Figure 16.
tan= opposite side/adjacent side
tan 10= y/12 * cos 10- 3
(12 * cos 10- 3) * tan 10= y/12 * cos 10- 3 * (12 * cos 10- 3)
12 * cos 10- 3 * tan 10= y
y1.55 ft.
(12 * cos 10- 3 * tan 10) * 23.11 ft.
Figure 16. Length of One Side of Polygon 4
Figure 16 shows how to find the length of one side using the same formula and method
used with the other three polygons.
Again, the next step is to find the height of polygon 4, as displayed in Figure 17.

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Height= height of triangle in Polygon 1-3
Height= (12 * cos 10) - 3
Height8.82 ft.
Figure 17. Height of Polygon 13
Figure 17 shows how to find the height of the polygon by subtracting 3 from the height of
polygon 1.
Now knowing the length of one side and the height of polygon 4, the last thing to
calculate is the area of the polygon.
Area= * base * height
= * (2y)(height)
=(12 * cos 10- 3) * (tan 10) * (12 * cos 10 - 3)
13.71 ft.
Area polygon= number of sides * Area
Area polygon=18 * (12 * cos 10- 3) * t(an 10) * (12 * cos 10 - 3)
Area polygon246.78 ft.
Figure 18. Area of Polygon 4
Figure 18 shows how to use the previously calculated length and height of polygon 4 to
find the total area of the shape.
Part Three: Volume of the Concrete Needed for the Footing and the Floor
The footing and flooring were the next volumes to be calculated, as well as the water
needed for the aquarium beneath the floor. The footing will come first. The footing extends from
polygon 1 to polygon to polygon 4 and is 3.5 feet deep. A picture of it is shown below in Figure
19.

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Figure 19. Footing of Tower
Figure 19 displays the footing of the tower, which extends from polygon 1 to polygon 4.
The footing is three and a half feet deep.
Now the volume can be found. To find the volume of the footing, the volume of polygon
1 needs to be found. The volume of polygon 4 then needs to be found, since the aquarium is
between the space where the footing stops and the floor of the tower. To find the volume of
polygon the equation used is: Volume= Area of base * Height of the prism. Since the volume of
polygon needs to be found first, the area of polygon one will be used in place of the area of base.
The math to the volume is shown below in Figure 20.
Volume= Area of base * Height of prism
Volume=18(12 * sin(10)*(12 * cos(10)*3.5
Volume 1,551.4 ft.3
Figure 20. Volume of Polygon 1
Figure 20 shows how to calculate the volume of polygon 1 in order to find the volume of
the footing.

Next, the volume of polygon 4 needs to be calculated. The same equation will be used,
but instead the area of polygon 4 will be used in place of the area of base. This is shown in
Figure 21.
Volume =Area of Base * Height of prism
Volume=18 * (12 * cos 10- 3) * (tan 10) * (12 * cos 10- 3) * (3.5)
Volume 863.71 ft.3
Figure 21. Volume of Polygon 4
Figure 21 displays the formula and substitutions to find the volume of polygon 4 so that
the footing volume can be found.

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Now knowing the volumes of polygons 1 and 4, these can be subtracted to find the
volume of the footing that extends from polygon 1 to polygon 4, as shown in Figure 22 below.
Volume=Volume of Polygon 1 - Volume of Polygon 4
Volume=(18*(12 * sin(10)*(12 * cos(10)* (3.5) - (12 * cos 10- 3) * (tan 10) * (12 * cos 10 3)* (3.5))
Volume687.69 ft. 3
Figure 22. Volume of Footing
Figure 22 shows how to find the volume of the footing using the previously calculated
volumes of polygons 1 and 4.
Knowing the volume of the footing, the cost to place cement in it can now be found.
Since the cost of cement was $115 per cubic yard, this was divided by three in order to find the
cost per cubic foot. Once this was done, the cost per cubic foot equaled $38 .
Cost of Footing= Volume of Footing * Cost per Cubic Foot
Cost of Footing= (18*(12 * sin(10))*(12 * cos(10)* (3.5) - (12 * cos 10- 3) * (tan 10) * (12 *
cos 10 - 3)* (3.5)) * 38
Cost of Footing= $26, 361.50
Figure 23. Cost of Footing
Figure 23 shows how to find the cost of the footing using the volumes of polygon 1 and
polygon 4, as well as the cost per cubic foot of cement.
Next, the volume of the floor must be calculated, but first a figure of the floor is shown
below in Figure 24.

Figure 24. Floor of Tower

Figure 24 shows the flooring which is four inches deep and extends the area of polygon
4.

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The volume of the floor can be found using the same volume formula, but instead
dividing by the height of the prism, as shown in Figure 25.
Volume=Area of Polygon 4/ Height of prism
Volume= 18 * (12 * cos 10- 3) * (tan 10) * (12 * cos 10 - 3)/0.4
Volume616.94 ft.3
Figure 25. Volume of Floor
Figure 25 shows how to find the volume of the floor by dividing by 0.4, representing 4
inches, rather than multiplying by 0.4, which would decrease the volume of the flooring.
To find the cost of the plexiglass needed to make the floor, the plot size surrounding
polygon 4 needs to be found. The plot size around polygon 1 is 24 24 and every polygon is a
foot less than the previous. Since polygon 4 is 3 feet less than polygon 1 then the plot size around
polygon 1 subtracted by 3 equals the plot size around polygon 4, making the plot size 21 21.
The size of the plexiglass sheet that is sold is 4 8 4. This means that in order to make the
floor, six sheets of the plexiglass is needed, since 6 * 4 equals 24, which would be the width.
Each sheet of plexiglass costs $1,100, and in Figure 26 below the math is shown on how to find
the cost of the plexiglass.
Cost= Cost per sheet of Plexiglass * Sheets Needed
Cost= $1,100 * 6
Cost= $6,600
Figure 26. Cost of Flooring
Figure 26 shows how to find the cost of the plexiglass flooring using the information
provided above.
Next, the volume of the water in the aquarium, can be found, but a figure of what it looks
like can be seen first in Figure 27 below.

Orlando-Catenacci 15

Figure 27. Aquarium

Figure 27 pictures the aquarium which is filled with water in 75% of the volume of
polygon 4. Also, the floor is pictured above the aquarium.
The volume of the water in the aquarium, which occupies 75% of the volume of polygon
4, must be found, which is shown in Figure 28.
Volume of Water= Volume of Polygon 4 * 0.75
Volume of Water= (18 * (12 * cos 10- 3) * (tan 10) * (12 * cos 10 - 3) * 3.5) *0.75
Volume of Water= 647.78 ft.3
Figure 28. Volume of Water in Aquarium
Figure 28 shows how to find the volume the water occupies in the aquarium, which is the
volume of polygon 4.

Part Four: One Lateral Face of the Outer Prism Base

Now that the volume of the footing, flooring, and aquarium are known, the next step is to
find the dimensions of one side of the tower and the lateral surface area of the outer prism of the
tower. The face in which the outer wall of the tower comes out of polygon 2 which is shown
below in Figure 29 along with its side length labeled.

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Figure 29. Polygon 2 with Side Length Labeled

Figure 29 shows a picture of polygon 2 with one of the side lengths labeled, which is
approximately 3.81 ft.
The dimensions of one lateral face are known because it is given that the height of the
inner and outer prisms are twice the length of one side of polygon 2.
Height= Length of One Side of Polygon 2 * 2
Height= ((12 * cos 10-1) * (tan 10) * 2) * 2
Height= 3.81 * 2
Height 7.62 ft.
Figure 30. Height of Lateral Face
Figure 30 shows how to use the given information to find the height of the lateral face.
The Figure below shows how to find the lateral surface area of the outer prism, without
including the area of the door and windows.
LSA= 18 * (b*h)
LSA= 18 * ((12 * cos(10)-1) * (tan(10) * 2) * (12 * cos(10)-1) * (tan(10) * 4)
LSA= 523.93 ft. 2
Figure 31. Lateral Surface Area Excluding Windows and Doors

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Figure 31 shows how to use the lateral surface area formula to find the LSA of the outer
prism, however the total lateral surface area is shown below, and includes the subtraction of the
door and windows areas. A picture of what the door looks like is shown below in Figure 32.

Figure 32. Side with Door On It

Figure 32 displays one lateral face of the outer prism with the door and the half- polygon
on top of it, along with the four bases of the polygons of the tower.
To find the area of the whole door, the area of the door without the window on top needs
to be found first.
Area= Base * Height
Area= 5 *3
Area= 15 ft.2
Figure 33. Area of Door Without Top
Figure 33 shows how to find the area of the rectangular part of the door, without the
polygonal top.

Length= tan(10)= x/1.5

Length= 1.5 * tan(10)
Length= 0.26449 * 2
Length= 0.528981
Figure 34. Length of One Side of Window
Figure 34 shows how to find the length of one of the nine sides of the top of the door.
Area= 18 * ( * Base * Height)/2
Area= 18 * ( * 1.5 * tan(10) * 2 *1.5)/2

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Area= (7.14)/2
Area 3.57 ft.2
Figure 35. Area of Top of Door
Figure 35 displays how to find the area of the top of the door using the area formula as
well as the length of one side of the window.
Area= Area of Door + Area of Top of Door
Area= 15 + 3.57
Area= 18.57 ft.2
Figure 36. Area of Door
Figure 36 shows how to find the area of the door using the previously calculated areas of
the door and the top of the door.
Now that the area of the door is known, the area of the two windows must be found. A
picture of what the window looks like on one of the faces is shown below in Figure 37.

Figure 37. Side of Prism with Window On It

Figure 37 shows one lateral face with an 18-sided window. There are 2 windows total.
The windows have the same dimensions as the top of the door did, but they have double
the area because the top of the door was only half of the original 18-sided polygon, while the
windows are all 18 sides.
Area= 2 * Area of the Top of Door
Area= 2 * 3.57
Area= 7.14 ft.2
Figure 38. Area of a Window

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Figure 38 shows how to find the area of one window, which is 7.14 ft.2. To find the area
of both windows, simply multiply the area of one window by 2, which would total 14.82 ft.2 for
both windows.
To find the total surface area, subtract the total area of the windows and door from the
original lateral surface area calculated.
LSA= Original LSA - Combined Areas of Door and Windows
LSA= 18 * ((12 * cos(10)-1) * (tan(10) * 2) * (12 * cos(10)-1) * (tan(10) * 4) - ((15) + (18 *
( * 1.5 * tan(10) * 2 *15)/2) + (18 * ( * 1.5 * tan(10) * 2 * 1.5)
LSA= 523.93 - 33.9
LSA= 491.07 ft.2
Figure 39. Total Lateral Surface Area of the Outer Prism
Figure 39 shows how to find the total lateral surface area of the outer prism, which is
found by subtracting the combined areas of the door and windows from the original lateral
surface area, which did not include the door and windows.

Part Five: Volume of the Inner Base Prism

The next part is to find the volume of the inner base prism. This is essentially the space
in which the people would be able to move around in. The polygon on which the inner walls lie
on is shown below in Figure 40.

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Figure 40. Polygon 3 with Side Length Labeled

Figure 40 displays polygon 3, with one of the side lengths labeled, which is
approximately 3.46 ft.

The polygon that the inner walls lie on and one of the walls is shown below in Figure
41.

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Figure 41. Polygon 3 with One Wall

Figure 41 displays one of the inner walls, which lies on polygon 3.
The dimensions of this face are known because they are the same dimensions of the outer
lateral prism face.
Volume= Area of Polygon 3 * Side Length of Polygon 2 * 2
Volume= 18 * (12 * cos(10) -2) * (tan(10)) * (12 * cos(10) -2) * (12 * cos(10) -1) *
(tan(10)) *4
Volume= 2,334.12 ft.3
Figure 42. Volume of the Inner Base Prism
Figure 42 shows how to find the volume of the inner base prism using previously
calculated dimensions.

Part Six: Pyramid Top of the Outer Pyramid showing the Height of the Outer Pyramid and
the Slant Height of One Lateral Face of the Outer Pyramid

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Being that the dimensions of the prism are now known, the pyramid dimensions must be
found next. The pyramid on is placed on top of the prism as a roof, with the base of the pyramid
having the same shape and dimensions as that of the base of the prism. A picture of the top of the
pyramid and one of its sides is shown below in Figure 43.

Figure 43. Pyramid Top With One Lateral Face

In Figure 43, the pyramid, which is the top of the tower, is pictured, along with one of the
faces. The base of the pyramid is also 18-sided.
The first thing to find is the height, and it is given that the height of the outer pyramid
will be three times the length of one side of the base, which is polygon 2. Figure 44 shows how
to calculate the height of the outer pyramid.
Height= Length of One Side of Polygon 2 * 3
Height= ((12 * cos 10-1) * (tan 10) * 2) * 3
Height 11.45 ft.
Figure 44. Height of Outer Pyramid
Figure 44 shows how to use the previously calculated length of one side of polygon 2 and
the given information about the height to find the total height of the pyramid, which is
approximately 11.45 ft. tall.

Orlando-Catenacci 23
Now that the height is known, the next dimension of the outer pyramid to find is the slant
height. This can be found using the pythagorean theorem, by inserting the height of the outer
pyramid and the height of polygon 2 into the formula.
Slant Height2= Height of Polygon 22 * Height of the Outer Pyramid2
Slant Height2= (12 * cos 10) -1)2 * (((12 * cos 10-1) * (tan 10) * 2) * 3)2
Slant Height 248.175
Slant Height 15.75 ft.
Figure 45. Slant Height of Outer Pyramid
Figure 45 shows how to use the height of the outer pyramid and the height of polygon 2
to find the slant height of the outer pyramid, which is approximately 15.75 ft.
The next dimension to find is the angle measure between the prism base and the pyramid
face, which is shown below.
Measure of Angle= Sin(sin-1) = sin-1 (11.45/15.75)
Measure of Angle= Sin-1 (11.45/15.75)
Measure of Angle 46.63
Figure 46. Angle Measure Between Prism Base and Pyramid Face
Figure 46 shows how to use trigonometry to find the needed angle measure between a
base of the prism and a face of the pyramid.

Orlando-Catenacci 24
Part Seven: One Lateral Face of the Outer Pyramid
Now that the height, slant height, and angle measure is known the other dimensions of
one lateral face of the outer pyramid can be found.
Below in Figure 47, a picture of one lateral face of the outer pyramid with measurements
labeled is shown.

Figure 47. One Lateral Face of the Outer Pyramid

Figure 47 shows one of the lateral face of the outer pyramid, along with all the labeled
measurements. The height is approximately 11.45 ft., the slant height is approximately 15.75 ft.,
and the distance from the center point to the midpoint of of the outer edges is approximately
10.82 ft.
The last dimensions to find regarding the outer pyramid are the angle measures of a
lateral face, the area of one lateral face, and the lateral surface area of the outer pyramid. The
first calculations to find are the angle measures.
Measure of Angles 1 and 2= Tan(tan-1)= tan-1 (15.75/1.905)
Measure of Angles 1 and 2= Tan-1 (15.75/1.905)
Measure of Angles 1 and 2 83.1
Figure 48. Angle Measure of the Bottom Two Angles

Orlando-Catenacci 25
Figure 48 displays the steps to find the angle measure of the two bottom angles of the
triangle. These two angle measures are the same because this triangle is isosceles.
The next angle measure to find is the third angle, or the angle that is opposite to the
base of the triangle.
Measure of Angle 3= 180 - ((Measure of Angles 1 and 2) * 2)
Measure of Angle 3= 180 - (83.1 * 2)
Measure of Angle 3= 180 - 166.2
Measure of Angle 3= 13.8
Figure 49. Angle Measure of Angle 3
Figure 49 shows how to use the previously calculated bottom angles of the lateral face to
find the third angle.
The next step to calculate is the area of one lateral face of the outer pyramid.
Area= Length of One Side of Polygon 2 * Slant Height of the Outer Pyramid
Area= ((12 * cos 10-1) * (tan 10) * 2) * 15.75
Area= 3.81 * 15.75
Area 30.04 ft.2
Figure 50. Area of One Lateral Face of the Outer Pyramid
Figure 50 shows how to find the area of a lateral face of the outer pyramid using the slant
height and length of one side of polygon 2, both of which were calculated earlier.
The last dimension to find of the outer pyramid is the total lateral surface area, which
simply uses the lateral face area shown in the previous figure.
LSA= LSA of One Side of the Outer Pyramid * Number of Sides
LSA= 30.04 * 18
LSA 540.76 ft.2
Figure 51. Lateral Surface Area of the Outer Pyramid
In Figure 51, the formula to find the lateral surface area of the outer pyramid is shown,
which is done by multiplying the lateral surface area of one side by 18, which is the number of
sides of the pyramid.

Orlando-Catenacci 26
Part Eight: Pyramid Top of the Inner Pyramid showing the Height of the Inner Pyramid
Now that the outer pyramid dimensions have been calculated, the inner dimensions need
to be calculated as well. A picture of the inner pyramid is shown below in Figure 52.

Figure 52. Inner Pyramid

Figure 52 shows the inner pyramid, as well as one of the lateral faces.
The first dimension to find is the height, so that the volume can then be found. It is given
that the height of the inner pyramid is three times the height of the length of one side of polygon
3.
Height= ((12 * cos 10-1) * (tan 10) * 2)(3)
Height= 10.39 ft.
Figure 53. Height of the Inner Pyramid
Figure 53 shows how to calculate the height the inner pyramid using previous
calculations and information that was given.
The last calculation of the inner pyramid is to find the volume.
Volume= (18 * (12 * cos (10)- 2) * (tan 10 )* (12 * cos (10) - 2)) * ((12 * cos 10-1) * (tan
10) * 2)
Volume= (18 * (12 * cos (10)- 2) * (tan 10 )* (12 * cos (10) - 2)) * (10.39)
Volume= 1,059.18 ft.3
Figure 54. Volume of Inner Prism
Figure 54 shows how to find the volume of the inner prism by using the before mentioned
height of 10. 39 ft. and the area of polygon 3.

Orlando-Catenacci 27
Part Nine: My Tower
The last calculations to be found are the lateral surface area and the volume of the tower
as a whole. A picture of the whole tower together is shown below in Figure 56.

Figure 55. The Whole Tower

Figure 55 pictures the whole tower, including the outer prism and pyramid, the sides that
cannot be seen, and the four original polygon bases.
LSA= LSA of Outer Prism + LSA of Outer Pyramid
LSA= (18 * ((12 * cos(10)-1) * (tan(10) * 2) * (12 * cos(10)-1) * (tan(10) * 4) - ((15) + (18
* ( * 1.5 * tan(10) * 2 *15)/2) + (18 * ( * 1.5 * tan(10) * 2 * 1.5)) + (30.04 * 18)
LSA= 491.07 + 540.76
LSA= 1,031.83 ft.2
Figure 56. Lateral Surface Area of Tower
Figure 56 shows how to find the LSA of the whole tower, using the LSA of the outer
prism and adding it to the LSA of the outer pyramid.
Lastly, the volume of the whole tower is the final calculation to be found.
Volume= Volume of Inner Prism + Volume of Inner Pyramid
Volume= 2,334.12 + 1,059.18
Volume= 3,393.3 ft.3
Figure 57. Volume of Tower

Orlando-Catenacci 28
Figure 57 shows how to find the volume of the whole tower using the volumes of the
inner prism and the inner pyramid.
Part Ten: Conclusion
Over the course of this project, one major problem was encountered. After completing all
the math for the eight parts that required it, as well as finishing the introduction, it was
discovered that the area for polygons 2, 3, and 4 in Part 2 were wrong. The height and length of
one side had been correct, however the parenthesis in the area formula were misplaced, and thus
an incorrect answer was the result. This was later fixed, but not without a lot of wasted time and
frustration. Besides this, however, there were only small errors that were easily corrected. Also,
this project is easily related to the real world, because architecture is all around. Buildings
provide shelter and places of business. Architecture has always been around, from the Pyramids
of Egypt to the Eiffel Tower in France. No matter their looks, shape, or size, all architecture has
some purpose. It could be for someones house or a company. It could be for a hospital or a
sports arena. All architecture is vitally important to society, and all architecture is a work of art.

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