ShmoopTube

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Here’s an unshmoopy question you’ll find on an exam somewhere in life.

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If the dimensions of a rectangular prism were all halved…

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…the resulting volume would be how much smaller than the volume of the original prism?

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And here are the potential answers...

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This question is testing our ability to compare

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the volumes of rectangular prisms with their different dimensions.

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The formula for calculating the volume of a rectangular prism is length of base times

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width of base times height.

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Assuming we label our original length, width and height with the variables x, y, and z…

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…the volume of our original prism is x times y times z.

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The dimensions of the smaller prism would be 1/2x by 1/2y by 1/2 z...

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so the volume would be 1/8 xyz.

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Since the original prism has a volume of xyz, the smaller prism has a volume 1/8 of the original.

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Were you supposed to know this off the top of your head?

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No, that's why we give you these problems, so you have a pattern.

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Anyway, looks like our answer is C.

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