Frustums

In geometry, a frustum 平截頭體 (plural: frusta or frustums)

is the portion of a solid (normally a cone or pyramid) that lies
between one or two parallel planes cutting it.
Frustums in our life?
Frustum of a pyramid
If the top of a pyramid is cut away by a plane which is parallel
to the face of the base of the pyramid, the remaining part is
called a frustum of the pyramid.

The removed part is also a pyramid of smaller volume.

In this case,
Volume of the frustum volume of the volume of the
=
volume of frustum volume of pyramid - volume of pyramid
of a pyramid = larger pyramid - smaller pyramid
ABCDSPQR VABCD VPQRS
Frustum of a Right Circular Cone
If the top of a right circular cone is cut away by a plane which
is parallel to the face of the base of the cone, the remaining
part is called a frustum of the right circular cone.

The removed part is a right circular cone of smaller volume.

In this case,
Volume of the volume of the volume of the
frustum
volume of a right =volume
of frustum larger of cone- smaller
right volume of cone
right
= -
circular
ABDC cone circular
VAB cone circular cone
VCD
 V
Refer to the frustum of a right circular cone
on the right.
12 cm
3 cm
Volume of cone VCB
1 C B
=  p  3 2  12 cm3 P
3 5 cm
8 cm
= 36p cm3
D Q A
Volume of cone VDA
1
=    5  (12  8) cm
2 3

3
500
 cm3
3
Refer to the frustum of a right circular cone V
on the right.
Volume of cone VCB = 36p cm3 12 cm
3 cm

500
Volume of cone VDA  cm3 C P B
3 5 cm
8 cm
Volume of frustum ABCD D Q A
= volume of cone VDA - volume of cone VCB
 500 
  36  cm3
 3 
392
 cm3
3
Follow-up question V

The figure shows a frustum ABCD of a

12 cm
right circular cone. Find the volume of 6 cm
frustum ABCD in terms of π. C P B
9 cm
6 cm
Solution D A
1 Q
Volume of cone VCB =    6  12 cm
2 3

3
 144 cm3
Volume of frustum ABCD
1
Volume of cone VDA =    9 2
 (12  6) cm 3
 (486  144 ) cm3
3
 486 cm3  342 cm3
Extra example:
Teaching Example 7.13
The figure shows a frustum ABCD of a right circular cone. The radii of the upper base
and the lower base are 2 cm and 3 cm respectively, and the height of the frustum is
2 cm.

(a) Find the length of VP.

(b) Find the volume of cone VCD.
(c) Find the volume of the frustum.
(Give your answers in terms of π if necessary.)
Solution
(a) Let VP = x cm, then VQ = (x + 2) cm.
∵ △VPC ~ △VQB (AAA)
VP PC
∴  (corr. sides, ~△s)
VQ QB
x 2

x  2 3
3x  2 x  4 Teaching Example 7.13
x  4
The figure shows a frustum ABCD of a right circular cone. The radii of the upper base
∴ VP  4 cm
and the lower base are 2 cm and 3 cm respectively, and the height of the frustum is
1
(b) Volume of cone VCD     2 2  4 cm 3 2 cm.
3
16
 cm 3
3
Solution
(a) Let VP = x cm, then VQ = (x + 2) cm.
∵ △VPC ~ △VQB (AAA)
VP PC
∴  (corr. sides, ~△s)
VQ QB
x 2

x  2 3 (a) Find the length of VP.
3x  2 x  4
x  4 (b) Find the volume of cone VCD.
∴ VP  4 cm
(c) Find the volume of the frustum.
(b) Volume of cone VCD 
1
   2 2  4 cm 3
(Give your answers in terms of π if necessary.)
3
16
 cm 3
Solution 3
(a) Let VP = x cm, then VQ = (x + 2) cm.
∵ △VPC ~ △VQB (AAA)
VP PC
∴  (corr. sides, ~△s)
VQ QB
x 2

x  2 3
3x  2 x  4
x  4
∴ VP  4 cm

(b) Volume of cone VCD 

1
3
 2 2
 4 cm 3


16 cm 3

3
(c) ∵ VQ  (4  2) cm
 6 cm

∴ Volume of cone VAB 

1
   32  6 cm 3

Teaching Example 7.13

3
 18 cm 3
Volume of the frustum

The figure shows a frustum ABCD of a right circular cone. The radii of the upper base
 volume of cone VAB  volume of cone VCD



  16
 18
 
 cm 3
 3 
38 cm

and the lower base are 2 cm and 3 cm respectively, and the height of the frustum is
3

(c) ∵ VQ  ( 4  2) cm
 6 cm 2 cm.
∴ Volume of cone VAB 
1
3
   32  6 cm3

 18 cm3
Volume of the frustum

 volume of cone VAB  volume of cone VCD


  18   16 
 cm
3

 3 

38  cm 3

(c) ∵ VQ  ( 4  2) cm
(a) Find the length of VP.
 6 cm
(b) Find the volume of cone VCD.
1
∴ Volume of cone VAB     32  6 cm3 (c) Find the volume of the frustum.
3 (Give your answers in terms of π if necessary.)
 18 cm3
Volume of the frustum

 volume of cone VAB  volume of cone VCD

 16 
 18   cm
3

 3 
38
 cm3
3
Refer to the frustum of a pyramid on the right. V
Volume of pyramid VPQRS
8 cm
= 1  30  8 cm 3 base area
S R
3 = 30 cm2 P Q
= 80 cm 3 D
C

If the volume of pyramid VABCD A B

is 200 cm3, then
volume of frustum ABCDSPQR
= volume of pyramid VABCD - volume of pyramid VPQRS
= (200 - 80) cm3
= 120 cm3
Follow-up question
V
The figure shows a frustum ABCDHEFG.
Its lower base is a square of side 7 cm.
The volume of pyramid VEFGH is H
12 cm E
G
75 cm3 and the height of pyramid F D
VABCD is 12 cm. Find the volumes of A
(a) pyramid VABCD, C
B 7 cm
(b) frustum ABCDHEFG.
Solution
1 2
(a) Vol ume of pyramid VABCD =  7  12 cm3
3
= 196 cm 3
Follow-up question
V
The figure shows a frustum ABCDHEFG.
Its lower base is a square of side 7 cm.
The volume of pyramid VEFGH is H
12 cm E
G
75 cm3 and the height of pyramid F D
VABCD is 12 cm. Find the volumes of A
(a) pyramid VABCD, C
B 7 cm
(b) frustum ABCDHEFG.
Solution
(b) Volume of frustum ABCDHEFG = (196 - 75) cm 3
= 121 cm 3
Extra example:
Teaching Example 7.13 (Extra)
In the figure, ABCFDE is a frustum and the base of pyramid VABC is a right-angled
triangle. Given that AC  6 cm , BC  9 cm , CF  5 cm and DF  4 cm , find
(a) the length of VF,
(b) the length of EF,
(c) the volume of the frustum.
(a) Let VF  x cm, then VC (x  5) cm.

Solution
∵ △VDF ~ △VAC (AAA)
VF DF
∴  (corr. sides, ~△s)
VC AC
x 4


(a) Let VF  x cm, then VC (x  5) cm.

x  5 6
6 x  4 x  20
2 x  20
x  10

∵ △VDF ~ △VAC (AAA)

∴ VF  10 cm

(a) Let VF  x cm, then VC (x  5) cm.

∵ △VDF ~ △VAC (AAA)
VF DF
∴
VF DF
 (corr. sides, ~△s) ∴  (corr. sides, ~△s)
VC AC VC AC
x 4

x5 6 x 4
6 x  4 x  20

x5 6
2 x  20
x  10 6x  4x  20
∴ VF  10 cm 2x  20
x  10
∴ VF  10 cm
(b) ∵ △VEF ~ △VBC (AAA)
EF VF
∴  (corr. sides, ~△s)
BC VC
EF 10

9 cm 10  5
10
EF   9 cm
15
 6 cm

(b) ∵ △VEF ~ △VBC (AAA)

EF VF
∴  (corr. sides, ~△s) (b) ∵ △VEF ~ △VBC (AAA)
BC VC
EF 10 EF VF
 ∴  (corr. sides, ~△s)
9 cm 10  5 BC VC
10 EF 10
EF   9 cm 
15 9 cm 10  5
10
 6 cm EF   9 cm
15
 6 cm
(c) Volume of pyramid VABC  1   1
1 1  6  9   (10  5) cm 33
(c) Volume of pyramid VABC  13   12  6  9   (10  5) cm 3
(c) Volume of pyramid VABC  3   2  6  9   (10  5) cm
 3 cm
135 2 33 
 135 cm
 135 cm 3

Volume of pyramid VDEF  1   1  4  6   10 cm 33

1 1
Volume of pyramid VDEF  13   12  4  6   10 cm 3
Volume of pyramid VDEF  3   2  4  6   10 cm
 3 cm
40  233 
 40 cm
∴ Volume of the frustum
∴ Volume of the frustum  40 cm 3


∴ Volume
 volume
volume ofof
thepyramid
of pyramid VABC 
frustumVABC  volume
volume of of pyramid
pyramid VDEF
VDEF

 volume
(135  of) cm
40 pyramid
33 VABC  volume of pyramid VDEF
 (135  40) cm

 (135 3340) cm
3
 95
95 cm
cm
 95 cm3