Container Weight

[Guest]

A storage container is constructed with 10mm plate steel for the sides, bottom, and center divider.

Dimensions:

Length- 14 meters.

Width- 8 meters.

Height- 3 meters.

Plate steel weighs 15.3 lbs. per square foot for 10mm (approx. 3/8 inch).

Calculate weight of the container to the nearest kilogram. Thanks.

[Guest]

My solution:

Bottom- 14*8=112
Length- 14*3= 42
Length- 14*3= 42
Width- 8*3=24
Width- 8*3=24
Center- 14*8=112
Center- 8*3=24

Total- 112+42+42+24+24+24+112+24 = 380 square meters.

Convert- 15.3 lbs. per square foot = 74.701142580339 kilograms per square meter.

15.3*74.701142580339 = 28386.48 = 28386 kilograms. (nearest)

That is not correct. Where did I make the error(s)?

[Guest]

Correction to my post:

380 * 74.701142580339 = 28386.43 = 28386 kilograms.

That is not correct. Where did I make the error(s)?

[Guest]

You didn't say which way the central divider was placed
You took it the length way, I took it the width way.
Maybe it was even diagonal...??
And the top is not mentioned.....

Your calcs..???
15 lbs per sq foot times 10 sq feet per sq metre approx divided by 2 to get kilograms per sq metre approx
would be roughly 15 x 10 / 2 = 75 kg /sqm approx
so your 380 x 75 = 28500 might be OK if you had done the conversions correctly, taking the divider length ways.

So my calcs......
With No Top on Container..??
and divider across the middle width...

3 x 8 x 3 = 72
14 x 3 x 2 = 84
8 x 14 x 1 = 112
Total = 268 sq metres
conv. to sq feet = 268 x 10.764 sq. feet
conv. to lbs = 268 x 10.764 x 15.3 = 44135.3 lbs

conv. to kilograms = 44135.3 / 2.2046 = 20019.64 kilograms

approx 20 tonnes

..............Simple...........

[Guest]

I added center divider dimensions in the total square meters instead of separately for lengthwise or widthwise placement. I didn't think about diagonal.

The problem did not indicate if the container had a top. I am guessing it would for a storage container.

Thanks.

[Guest]

Aaaaaah....I hadn't noticed before. In your first solution you took 2 dividers, one across width and one length ways.
The question just mentioned a central divider.....surely that means just 1 divider.
But it doesn't say which direction.......

Is the answer still wrong..??????

If you have the answer then post it.......

.........Simple..........

[Guest]

No I am wrong, you took a top and a central divider across width.....

...........Simple.............

[Guest]

It has only one divider. In my first solution I added both lengthwise and widthwise dimensions for the divider to the total instead of one or the other.

[Guest]

No top was indicated in problem.

[Guest]

This is part of your first solution with my notes

Bottom- 14*8=112........the area of bottom of the container
Length- 14*3= 42......the area of 1 side
Length- 14*3= 42........the area of the other side
Width- 8*3=24......the area of 1 end
Width- 8*3=24........the area of the other end
Center- 14*8=112.......the area of horizontal middle divider,same size as bottom
Center- 8*3=24............the area of a central widthwise divider, same as side

Total- 112+42+42+24+24+24+112+24 = 380 square meters.
you have an extra 24 in your total list (total 404).....the total of the areas worked out is 380.

The question does not mention a Top and does not state how the divider is fitted
So there is not a solution.....all we are doing is guessing.

If you have a solution or an answer why not post it.

............Simple..........

[Guest]

I added an extra 24 by mistake- my miscalculation.

I used both divider dimensions to calculate either length or width placement- I did not specify- my error. I will take your solution for width placement.

The problem did not indicate a top. I was guessing it may have since it is for storage.

I did not have a solution or answer. When you mentioned if I had done the conversions correctly, then I was not sure how to solve from that point.

Thanks again.

[Guest]

OK....I think we have beaten this thing to "death" by now.
We will conclude with the fact that we don't know the question and therefore don't know the answer....?

.................Simple.................