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Here’s an unshmoopy question you’ll find on the exam…
If the dimensions of a rectangular prism were all halved…
…the resulting volume would be how much smaller than the volume of the original prism?
And here are the potential answers: This question is testing our ability to take
the volumes of two pyramids and subtract the smaller from the larger.
The formula for calculating the volume of a rectangular prism is length of base times
width of base times height.
Assuming we label our original length, width and height with the variables x, y, and z…
…the volume of our original prism is x times y times z.
The dimensions of the smaller prism would be 1/2x by 1/2y by 1/2 z... so the volume
would be 1/8 xyz.
Since the original prism has a volume of xyz, the smaller prism has a volume 1/8 of the
original.
Looks like our answer is C.
As in, “Cuneiform.”