GCSE Maths Practice: surface-area

Question 7 of 10

This question introduces the concept of unrolling the curved surface of a cylinder into a 2D shape.

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\( \begin{array}{l}\text{What 2D shape forms the curved surface of a cylinder when unrolled?}\end{array} \)

Choose one option:

\( \text{Rectangle} \) \( \text{Circle} \) \( \text{Square} \) \( \text{Triangle} \)

Identify height and base circumference to find rectangle dimensions. Visualize flattening the cylinder.

The lateral surface of a cylinder is curved, and when you flatten it, it forms a rectangle. The height of the rectangle is the height of the cylinder, and the width equals the circumference of the base circle (2πr). Understanding this helps visualize surface area problems and prepares for more complex 3D shapes. Practice with different cylinder dimensions to see how the rectangle dimensions change. Real-world applications include packaging, rolling paper, and metal sheets.