The radius r and height h of a right circular cylinder are measured with possible errors of 5% and 1%, respectively. Approximate the maximum possible percent error in measuring the volume.
A) 18 %
B) 11 %
C) 24 %
D) 12 %
E) 7 %

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The volume of a cylinder is given by $V = \pi r^2 h$. The maximum percent error in measuring the volume can be approximated by adding the percent errors in measuring $r$ and $h$, considering that the error in $r$ is squared in the formula. Thus, the maximum possible percent error is $2(5\%) + 1\% = 11\%$.

The Radius R and Height H of a Right Circular