HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)

HKDSE-style Questions

Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)

Key Points

Mensuration of Solids

Volume Surface area

1. Prism Volume = base area  height Total area of all lateral faces
= Ah = perimeter of base  height

h
Total surface area
= total area of all lateral faces + base area  2

base area A

2. Right circular cylinder Volume = r2h Curved Surface area = 2rh

r
Total surface area

h = curved surface area + base area  2

= 2rh + 2r2

3. Pyramid 1
Volume =  base area  height Total surface area
3
h = total area of all lateral faces + base area
1
= Ah
3

base area A

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)

Volume Surface area

4. Right circular cone Volume =
1 2
r h Curved surface area = r
3

Total surface area

h = curved surface area + base area
= r + r2

5. Sphere 4 3 Surface area = 4r2

Volume = r
3

6. Hemisphere 2 3 Total surface area

Volume = r
3 = curved surface area + base area
= 2r2 + r2
r = 3r2

Similar Solids

For two similar solids,

if we use  1 and  2 to represent a pair of corresponding sides (or line segments),
A1 and A2 to represent the areas of a pair of corresponding surfaces,
V1 and V2 to represent the corresponding volumes, then
2 3
A1   1  V  
=  and 1 =  1  .
A2   2  V2   2 

base area = A1 base area = A2

volume = V1 volume = V2

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)

~HKDSE Sample Paper (I) Q6

1. The figure shows a solid consisting of a hemisphere and a right circular
cone. The radius of the hemisphere is r cm. The height and the base radius
of the cone are 20 cm and r cm respectively. It is given that the volume of
the cone is 2 times that of the hemisphere.
(a) Find the value of r.
(b) Express the volume of the solid in terms of .

~HKCEE 2006 (II) Q18

2. The figure shows a solid consisting of a hemisphere joined to the top base of
a right circular cylinder. The radius of the hemisphere is r cm. The height and
the base radius of the cylinder are 18 cm and r cm respectively. It is given that
the volume of the cylinder is 3 times that of the hemisphere.
(a) Find the value of r.
(b) Express the total surface area of the solid in terms of .

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)

~HKDSE 2012 (I) Q9

3. In the figure, the volume of the solid right prism PQRSTU is 1080 cm3. Q

It is given that PQR = 90, QR = 12 cm and QU = 20 cm. R

P
(a) Find the length of PQ.
(b) Find the total surface area of the prism PQRSTU.

U
S
T

~HKDSE 2012 (I) Q9

4. In the figure, the volume of the solid right prism JKMNZWXY is 6750 cm3. J N

The base WXYZ of the prism is a trapezium, where WZ is parallel to XY.

K M
It is given that XWZ = 90, WX = 30 cm, WZ = 23 cm and KX = 15 cm.
W
(a) Find the length of XY. Z
(b) Find the total surface area of the prism JKMNZWXY.

X Y

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)

5. The ratio of the volumes of two similar cylinders is 27 : 64.

(a) Find the ratio of the base radius of the larger cylinder to that of the smaller cylinder.
(b) If the total surface area of the smaller cylinder is 81 cm2, find the total surface area of the
larger cylinder.

6. The ratio of the volumes of two similar prisms with a square base is 8 : 27.
(a) Find the ratio of the length of a side of the base of the smaller prism to that of the larger
prism.
(b) The cost of painting a prism is directly proportional to the total surface area of the prism.
If the cost of painting the larger prism is $432, find the total cost of painting the two prisms.

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)
~HKDSE 2019 (I) Q9

7. The sum of the volumes of two hemispheres is 4032 cm3. The radius of the larger hemisphere
is 3 times that of the smaller hemisphere. Express, in terms of ,
(a) the volume of the smaller hemisphere;
(b) the sum of the surface areas of the two hemispheres.

~HKCEE 2008 (I) Q13

8. Figure (a) shows the thin paper sector OXYZ, where OX = 20 cm and reflex XOZ = 216.
By joining OX and OZ together, OXYZ is folded to form a right circular cone as shown in
Figure (b).
Y

216°

O
X 20 cm Z
Figure (a) Figure (b)
(a) Find the curved surface area of the cone in terms of .
(b) Find the volume of the cone in terms of .

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)

~HKDSE 2018 (I) Q14

9. A right circular cylindrical container of base radius 20 cm and height 10 cm and an inverted
right circular conical vessel of base radius 22 cm and height 33 cm are held vertically. The
container is fully filled with water. The water in the container is now poured into the vessel.
(a) Find the volume of water in the vessel in terms of .
(b) Find the depth of water in the vessel.
(c) If a solid metal sphere of radius 9 cm is then put into the vessel and the sphere is totally
immersed in the water, will the water overflow? Explain your answer.

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)

~HKDSE 2013 (I) Q13

10. In a workshop, 36 identical solid metal right circular cylinders of base radius r cm are melted
and recast into 2 larger identical solid metal right circular cylinders of base radius R cm and
height 32 cm. It is given that the base area of a larger cylinder is 9 times that of a smaller one.
(a) Find
(i) r : R,
(ii) the height of a smaller circular cylinder.
(b) A craftsman claims that a larger circular cylinder and a smaller circular cylinder are
similar. Do you agree? Explain your answer.

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)
~HKDSE 2017 (I) Q12

11. A solid metal right circular cylinder of base area 160 cm2 and height 133 cm is melted and
recast into two similar solid right pyramids. The bases of the two pyramids are squares. The
ratio of the base area of the smaller pyramid to that of the larger pyramid is 4 : 25.
(a) Find the volume of the smaller pyramid.
(b) If the length of a side of the base of the smaller pyramid is 16 cm, find the total surface
area of the smaller pyramid.

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)

~HKDSE 2022 (I) Q13

12. There are two solid metal spheres. The ratio of the surface area of the smaller sphere to the
surface area of the larger sphere is 25 : 49. The radius of the larger sphere is 21 cm.
(a) Express, in terms of , the volume of the smaller sphere.
(b) The two spheres are melted and recast into two solid right circular cones P and Q. It is
given that the height and the base radius of P are 13 cm and 12 cm respectively. Betty
finds that the base radius of Q is 36 cm. Betty claims that P and Q are similar. Do you
agree? Explain your answer.

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)

~HKDSE 2022 (I) Q13

13. There are two solid metal spheres. The ratio of the surface area of the smaller sphere to the
surface area of the larger sphere is 1 : 4. The radius of the smaller sphere is 12 cm.
(a) Express, in terms of , the volume of the larger sphere.
(b) The two spheres are melted and recast into two solid right circular cones R and S. It is
given that the height and the base radius of R are 80 cm and 9 cm respectively. Vicky
finds that the base radius of S is 18 cm. Vicky claims that R and S are similar. Do you
agree? Explain your answer.

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)

~HKDSE 2021 (I) Q14

14. The base radius of the solid right circular cylinder P and the base radius of the solid right
circular cone Q are equal. The heights of P and Q are 56 cm and 12 cm respectively. The
volume of the solid right circular cone R is equal to the sum of the volume of P and the volume
of Q. The base radius of R is 3 times the base radius of P. A craftsman finds that the volume
of Q is 100 cm3.
(a) Find the base radius of Q.
(b) Are Q and R similar? Explain your answer.
(c) Find the curved surface area of R in terms of .

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)

~HKDSE 2021 (I) Q14

15. The base radius of the solid right circular cylinder A and the base radius of the solid right
circular cone B are equal. The heights of A and B are 11 cm and 15 cm respectively. The
volume of the solid right circular cone C is equal to the sum of the volume of A and the volume
of B. The base radius of C is equal to the base diameter of A. A craftsman finds that the volume
of B is 320 cm3.
(a) Find the base radius of B.
(b) Are B and C similar? Explain your answer.
(c) The craftsman claims that the sum of the curved surface area of A and the curved surface
area of B is less than the curved surface area of C. Do you agree? Explain your answer.

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)

~HKDSE 2023 (I) Q14 NEW

16. The base radius and the curved surface area of a solid metal right circular cone are 21 cm and
735 cm2 respectively.
(a) Find the height of the circular cone.
(b) The circular cone is divided into a right circular cone P and a frustum Q by a plane which
is parallel to its base. The curved surface area of Q is 3 times the curved surface area of P.
(i) Express the volume of Q in terms of .
(ii) If Q is melted and recast into 63 identical solid spheres, find the diameter of each
sphere.

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)

~HKDSE 2023 (I) Q14 NEW

17. The base diameter and the curved surface area of a solid metal right circular cone are 48 cm
and 1224 cm2 respectively.
(a) Find the height of the circular cone.
(b) The circular cone is divided into a right circular cone A and a frustum B by a plane which
5
is parallel to its base. The curved surface area of B is times the curved surface area of A.
4
(i) Express the volume of B in terms of .
(ii) If B is melted and recast into 570 identical solid spheres, find the radius of each
sphere.

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)

~HKCEE 2010 (I) Q13

18. In Figure (a), ABCZXY is a right triangular prism. It is given that AB = 21 cm, AC = 35 cm,
CZ = 60 cm and AB ⊥ BC.
X X

S R

A Y A Y Z
Z

P
Q

B B C
C
Figure (a) Figure (b)

(a) Find the area of △ABC.

(b) Find the volume of the triangular prism ABCZXY.
(c) The plane PQRS which is parallel to the face BCZY cuts the triangular prism ABCZXY
into two blocks APQRXS and PBCQRSYZ as shown in Figure (b). It is given that
P is the mid-point of AB.
(i) Find the volume of the triangular prism APQRXS.
(ii) Are the triangular prisms APQRXS and ABCZXY similar? Explain your answer.

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)

~HKDSE 2016 (I) Q11

19. An inverted right circular conical vessel contains some water. The vessel is held vertically. The
depth of water in the vessel is 16 cm. Vivian then pours 456 cm3 of water into the vessel
without overflowing. She now finds the depth of water in the vessel is 24 cm.
(a) Express the final volume of water in the vessel in terms of .
(b) Vivian claims that the final area of the wet curved surface of the vessel is at least 700 cm2.
Do you agree? Explain your answer.

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)
~HKDSE 2014 (I) Q14

20. The figure shows a vessel in the form of a frustum which is made by cutting off the lower part
of an inverted right circular cone of base radius 60 cm and height 80 cm. The height of the
vessel is 32 cm. The vessel is placed on a horizontal table. Some water is now poured into the
vessel. Jason finds that the depth of water in the vessel is 12 cm.

60 cm

32 cm

12 cm
80 cm

(a) Find the area of the wet curved surface of the vessel in terms of .
(b) Kenny claims that if some extra water of volume 0.2 m3 is added to the vessel, then
the water will overflow. Do you agree? Explain your answer.

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)

~HKDSE 2020 (I) Q12

21. The height and the base radius of a solid right circular cone are 120 cm and 27 cm respectively.
The circular cone is divided into three parts by two planes which are parallel to its base. The
heights of the three parts are equal. Express, in terms of ,
(a) the volume of the middle part of the circular cone,
(b) the curved surface area of the middle part of the circular cone.

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)

~HKDSE 2020 (I) Q12

22. A solid right circular cone is divided into three parts by two planes which are parallel to its
base. It is given that the volumes of the upper part, the middle part and the lower part of the
circular cone are 400 cm3, 2800 cm3 and 7600 cm3 respectively. Let the heights of the upper
part, the middle part and the lower part of the circular cone be h1 cm, h2 cm and h3 cm
respectively.
(a) Find h1 : h2 : h3.
(b) If the curved surface area of the middle part of the circular cone is 1500 cm2, find the
curved surface area of the lower part of the circular cone.

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)

~HKDSE 2020 (I) Q12

23. The height and the base radius of a solid right circular cone are 16 cm and 12 cm respectively.
The circular cone is divided into three parts by two planes which are parallel to its base. The
heights of the upper part, the middle part and the lower part are in the ratio 1 : 1 : 2.
(a) Find the ratio of the curved surface areas of the upper part, the middle part and the lower
part of the circular cone.
(b) Jimmy claims that the volume of the middle part of the circular cone does not exceed
260 cm3. Do you agree? Explain your answer.

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)

Multiple Choice Questions

~HKDSE 2018 (II) Q15

24. In the figure, the volume of the solid right prism is
A. 1728 cm3. 20 cm
3
B. 1920 cm .
C. 2160 cm3. 12 cm
18 cm
D. 3456 cm3.

~HKDSE 2016 (II) Q18

25. The figure shows a right prism. Find the total surface area of the prism.
A. 650 cm2 6 cm
14 cm
B. 812 cm2
C. 944 cm2 17 cm
8 cm
2
D. 1512 cm

26. The base of a solid right prism of height 15 cm is an equilateral triangle. If the perimeter of the
base is 24 cm, then the total surface area of the prism is
A. ( 180 + 16 3 ) cm2.

B. ( 360 + 16 3 ) cm2.

C. ( 180 + 32 3 ) cm2.

D. ( 360 + 32 3 ) cm2.

~HKDSE 2021 (II) Q15

27. The base of a solid right prism is a regular 6-sided polygon of side 4 cm. If the volume of the
prism is 300 cm3, find the height of the prism correct to 3 significant figures.
A. 3.61 cm
B. 7.22 cm
C. 14.4 cm
D. 43.3 cm

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)

~HKDSE 2021 (II) Q15

28. The base of a solid right prism is a regular 6-sided polygon of side 10 cm. If the volume of the
prism is 400 cm3, find the total surface area of the prism correct to the nearest cm2.
A. 260 cm2
B. 569 cm2
C. 612 cm2
D. 742 cm2

~HKDSE 2013 (II) Q17

29. In the figure, the solid consists of a right circular cone and a hemisphere with a common base.
The base radius and the height of the circular cone are 9 cm and 12 cm respectively. Find the
total surface area of the solid.
A. 270 cm2
B. 297 cm2
C. 432 cm2
D. 459 cm2

~HKDSE 2020 (II) Q10

30. The actual area of a park is 360 000 m2 and the area of the park on a map is 400 cm2. Find
the scale of the map.
A. 1 : 30
B. 1 : 90
C. 1 : 3000
D. 1 : 9000

~HKDSE 2020 (II) Q10

31. The area of a hall on a map is 500 cm2. If the scale of a map is 1 : 300, find the actual area of
the hall.
A. 1500 m2
B. 4500 m2
C. 150 000 m2
D. 450 000 m2

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)

~HKDSE 2023 (II) Q12 NEW

32. The scale of a map is 1 : 40 000. If the actual area of a shopping mall is 1.12 km2, then the area
of this shopping mall on the map is
A. 7 cm2. B. 14 cm2.
C. 70 cm2. D. 140 cm2.

~HKDSE 2023 (II) Q12 NEW

33. The scale of the floor plan of a classroom is 1 : 50. If the actual area of a desk is 0.4 m2, then
the area of this desk on the floor plan is
A. 1.6 cm2. B. 3.2 cm2.
C. 16 cm2. D. 32 cm2.

~HKDSE 2023 (II) Q15 NEW

34. The length of a side of a solid cube is 33 cm. The volume of a solid right circular cylinder is
equal to the volume of the cube while the curved surface area of the circular cylinder is equal
to the total surface area of the cube. Find the base radius of the circular cylinder.
A. 11 cm
B. 16.5 cm
C. 42 cm
D. 94.5 cm

~HKDSE 2023 (II) Q15 NEW

35. The length of a side of a solid cube is 72 cm. The volume of a solid right circular cylinder is
2 times the volume of the cube while the curved surface area of the circular cylinder is equal to
the total surface area of the cube. Find the base diameter of the circular cylinder.
A. 32 cm
B. 48 cm
C. 64 cm
D. 96 cm

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)

~HKCEE 2011 (II) Q18

36. The volume of a right circular cone of base radius R is 5 times of the volume of another
right circular cone of base radius r. If the heights of these two circular cones are the same,
then r : R =
A. 1: 5.
B. 1 : 5.
C. 5 : 1.
D. 5 : 1.

~HKDSE 2022 (II) Q15

37. The diameter of a solid hemisphere and the base diameter of a solid right circular cylinder are
equal. If the height of the circular cylinder is equal to its base radius, then the ratio of the total
surface area of the hemisphere to the total surface area of the circular cylinder is
A. 1 : 1.
B. 1 : 2.
C. 2 : 3.
D. 3 : 4.

~HKDSE 2022 (II) Q15

38. The radius of a solid hemisphere and the base diameter of a solid right circular cylinder are
equal. If the height of the circular cylinder is equal to its base diameter, then the ratio of the
total surface area of the hemisphere to the total surface area of the circular cylinder is
A. 2 : 1.
B. 4 : 3.
C. 8 : 3.
D. 8 : 5.

~HKCEE 2009 (II) Q19

39. It is given that X, Y and Z are three solid cubes. If the volume of X : the volume of Y = 27 : 125
and the surface area of X : the surface area of Z = 9 : 64, then the side length of Y : the side
length of Z =
A. 2 : 3.
B. 3 : 5.
C. 3 : 8.
D. 5 : 8.

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)

~HKDSE Sample Paper (II) Q17

40. The figure shows a right circular cylinder, a sphere and a right circular cone. If their total
surface areas are x cm2, y cm2 and z cm2 respectively, which of the following is true?

r cm
2r cm
r cm
r cm
r cm

1.5r cm
A. x<y<z
B. x<z<y
C. y<x<z
D. y<z<x

~HKDSE 2015 (II) Q16

41. The base radius of a right circular cone is 10 cm. The figure shows a frustum which is made by
cutting off the upper part of the circular cone. The radius of the upper base and the height of
the frustum are 4 cm and 9 cm respectively. Find the volume of the frustum.
A. 360 cm3
B. 468 cm3
C. 492 cm3
D. 1404 cm3

~HKDSE 2019 (II) Q15

42. The base of a solid right pyramid is a square of side 20 cm. If the height of the pyramid is
24 cm, then the total surface area of the pyramid is
A. 960 cm2.
B. 1040 cm2.
C. 1360 cm2.
D. 1440 cm2.

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)

~HKDSE 2017 (II) Q15

43. The base radius of a right circular cone is 5 times the base radius of a right circular cylinder
while the height of the circular cylinder is 4 times the height of the circular cone. If the volume
of the circular cylinder is 132 cm3, then the volume of the circular cone is
A. 275 cm3.
B. 660 cm3.
C. 825 cm3.
D. 1980 cm3.

~HKDSE 2020 (II) Q16

44. If the volume of a right circular cone of base radius 11x cm and height 8y cm is 5808 cm3,
then the volume of a right circular cylinder of base radius 8x cm and height 11y cm is
A. 1408 cm3.
B. 1936 cm3.
C. 11 264 cm3.
D. 12 672 cm3.

~HKDSE 2020 (II) Q16

45. If the total surface area of a right circular cone of base radius 2a cm and slant height 6a cm is
624 cm2, then the curved surface area of a right circular cone of base radius 5a cm and slant
height 9a cm is
A. 1755 cm2.
B. 2340 cm2.
C. 2730 cm2.
D. 3640 cm2.

~HKDSE 2021 (II) Q16

46. The sum of the total surface areas of two solid hemispheres is 918 cm2. If the ratio of the
radius of the smaller hemisphere to the radius of the larger hemisphere is 3 : 5, then the
difference of the volumes of the two hemispheres is
A. 1764 cm3.
B. 2552 cm3.
C. 3528 cm3.
D. 5104 cm3.

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HKDSE-style Questions Topic 13 Mensuration (3D)

~HKDSE 2021 (II) Q16

47. The difference of the total surface areas of two solid hemispheres is 1260 cm2. If the ratio of
the radius of the smaller hemisphere to the radius of the larger hemisphere is 4 : 11, then the
sum of the volumes of the two hemispheres is
A. 3720 cm3.
B. 7440 cm3.
C. 11 160 cm3.
D. 14 880 cm3.

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