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The semi vertical angle of a right circular cone of maximum volume of a given slant height is

Solution

✅ Correct Option: 3

Let the semi-vertical angle be α\alpha (the angle between the height and the slant height).

Given that slant height =l= l (fixed/constant)

From trigonometry in the right-angled triangle:

Height: h=lcos⁡αh = l \cos \alpha

Radius: r=lsin⁡αr = l \sin \alpha


Volume of cone =13πr2h= \frac{1}{3}\pi r^2 h

Substituting rr and hh:

V=13π(lsin⁡α)2(lcos⁡α)V = \frac{1}{3}\pi (l\sin\alpha)^2 (l\cos\alpha)

V=13πl3sin⁡2αcos⁡αV = \frac{1}{3}\pi l^3 \sin^2\alpha \cos\alpha


To find maximum volume, differentiate with respect to α\alpha:

dVdα=13πl3[2sin⁡αcos⁡α⋅cos⁡α+sin⁡2α⋅(−sin⁡α)]\frac{dV}{d\alpha} = \frac{1}{3}\pi l^3 \left[2\sin\alpha\cos\alpha \cdot \cos\alpha + \sin^2\alpha \cdot (-\sin\alpha)\right]

dVdα=13πl3[2sin⁡αcos⁡2α−sin⁡3α]\frac{dV}{d\alpha} = \frac{1}{3}\pi l^3 \left[2\sin\alpha\cos^2\alpha - \sin^3\alpha\right]

dVdα=13πl3sin⁡α[2cos⁡2α−sin⁡2α]\frac{dV}{d\alpha} = \frac{1}{3}\pi l^3 \sin\alpha\left[2\cos^2\alpha - \sin^2\alpha\right]


Setting dVdα=0\frac{dV}{d\alpha} = 0:

sin⁡α[2cos⁡2α−sin⁡2α]=0\sin\alpha\left[2\cos^2\alpha - \sin^2\alpha\right] = 0

Since α≠0\alpha \neq 0:

2cos⁡2α−sin⁡2α=02\cos^2\alpha - \sin^2\alpha = 0

2cos⁡2α=sin⁡2α2\cos^2\alpha = \sin^2\alpha

Using sin⁡2α=1−cos⁡2α\sin^2\alpha = 1 - \cos^2\alpha:

2cos⁡2α=1−cos⁡2α2\cos^2\alpha = 1 - \cos^2\alpha

3cos⁡2α=13\cos^2\alpha = 1

cos⁡2α=13\cos^2\alpha = \frac{1}{3}

cos⁡α=13\cos\alpha = \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}


Therefore, the semi-vertical angle is:

α=cos⁡−1(13)\alpha = \cos^{-1}\left(\frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}\right)

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