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WAEC SSCE - General Mathematics - 1999 (Objective)

Question 1 Report

The height of a pyramid on square base is 15cm. If the volume is 80cm\(^3\), find the length of the side of the base

Answer Details
The volume of a pyramid is given by the formula: V = 1/3 * Base Area * Height The base of a square pyramid is a square, so the Base Area is equal to the side length squared (B = s²). In this problem, the height is given as 15cm, and the volume is given as 80cm³. We are asked to find the length of a side of the base. Let's call that length "s". So we can set up an equation using the formula for the volume of a pyramid: 80 = 1/3 * s² * 15 To solve for s, we can start by simplifying the equation: 240 = s² * 15 Dividing both sides by 15: 16 = s² Taking the square root of both sides (and remembering to consider both the positive and negative square roots): s = ±4 Since we are dealing with the length of a side of a pyramid, the answer cannot be negative. Therefore, the length of a side of the base is 4cm (option C). Answer: 4.0cm