Question

Two similar triangular prisms have volumes of 27 square meters and 64 square meters.

What is the ratio of the surface area of the small prism to the surface area of the large
prism?

Answer 1

9/16

Explanation:

First we need to know that the dimensions ratio, the surface area ratio and the volume ratio have the following relation:

volume ratio = dimension ratio ^3

surface area ratio = dimension ratio ^2

The volume ratio between small prism and the large prism is 27 / 64.

To find the dimensions ratio, we need to take the cubic root of the volume scale:

dimension ratio = 3√(27/64) = 3/4

Now, to find the surface area ratio, we just need to make the square of the dimension ratio:

surface area ratio = (3/4)^2 = 9/16