Cutting Logs
Calculus
How much wood is here? - Explore the mathematical principles and create your own unique investigation.
Introduction
Can you cut a log like this into 3 equal pieces by volume? How could you generalise that?
Guiding Questions
- Model a log as a cylinder or a cone cut off at the top. Which fits a real log better?
- Estimate the volume of wood in one log from measurements you can take with a tape measure.
- How much do you lose when cutting round logs into rectangular planks? Find the biggest plank a log allows.
- Scale up to a stack of logs: estimate the total volume and check against the forestry industry's own formulas.