What sheet size is required to fabricate a cylinder that is 20 inches long and 8 inches in diameter?

What sheet size is required to fabricate a cylinder that is 20 inches long and 8 inches in diameter?

• A. 20 inches x 24 inches
• B. 20 inches x 26 inches
• C. 25-9/64 inches x 20 inches
• D. 20 inches x 25-9/64 inches

Answer: (D)

When forming a cylinder from a sheet, one dimension must wrap around the circumference and the other must match the cylinder’s length. The diameter is 8 inches, so the wrap-around distance needs to be at least the circumference: C = πd ≈ 8 × 3.1416 ≈ 25.13 inches. The cylinder length is 20 inches, so the sheet must be at least 20 inches long in the direction along the cylinder. The smallest sheet size that satisfies both is 20 inches by 25-9/64 inches. The 25-9/64 inches equals about 25.1406 inches, just above the required 25.13 inches, giving a little clearance for overlap or tolerance, while the 20-inch dimension matches the cylinder length.

When forming a cylinder from a sheet, one dimension must wrap around the circumference and the other must match the cylinder’s length. The diameter is 8 inches, so the wrap-around distance needs to be at least the circumference: C = πd ≈ 8 × 3.1416 ≈ 25.13 inches. The cylinder length is 20 inches, so the sheet must be at least 20 inches long in the direction along the cylinder.

The smallest sheet size that satisfies both is 20 inches by 25-9/64 inches. The 25-9/64 inches equals about 25.1406 inches, just above the required 25.13 inches, giving a little clearance for overlap or tolerance, while the 20-inch dimension matches the cylinder length.