A slice of cheese is cut from a wheel of parmesan, and the wedge approximates the shape of a rectangular pyramid. Its base is 5 cm wide and 8 cm long. The wedge is 20 cm tall. What is the volume of the piece of cheese. If needed, round to the nearest tenth.
The volume of a rectangular pyramid is calculated using the formula:
V = (1/3) * base area * height
First, we need to find the base area of the rectangular pyramid. Since the base is a rectangle, the base area is:
Base area = length * width
Base area = 8 cm * 5 cm
Base area = 40 cm²
Now, we can calculate the volume of the rectangular pyramid:
V = (1/3) * 40 cm² * 20 cm
V = (1/3) * 800 cm³
V = 266.7 cm³
Therefore, the volume of the piece of cheese is approximately 266.7 cm³.