Prisms and Pyramids

thingiverse

An intriguing connection exists between the volume of a cylinder and the volume of a cone sharing identical height and base area. Specifically, the volume of the cylinder is three times greater than that of its corresponding cone. This relationship also applies to prisms and their corresponding pyramids. These objects can be used by students to demonstrate this link. For instance, if you fill the cone with water, sand, or rice, then transfer the contents to the matching cylinder, you'll discover it takes three repetitions to completely fill the cylinder. As a teacher of blind and visually impaired high school students, I created these objects using OpenSCAD to illustrate the concept of volume relationships between pointy and non-pointy shapes. However, they can be employed by any student to grasp this fundamental principle. Regarding the spherical knob atop each cone, it was added to prevent cooling/deformation issues common with most printers when printing pointed objects. Additionally, it adds a decorative touch. I've included the .scad files for those who wish to customize these objects for their needs. This might enable other educators to explore OpenSCAD and use it to benefit their students. Soon, I will upload images of my prints featuring these objects. Enjoy!