Question

select the correct answer from each drop - down menu. how can the surface area of the onion be approximated? the surface area of the onion can best be modeled by a drop - down menu with options cylinder, sphere, cube. based on the model, the approximate surface area of the onion is blank square inches.

Explanation:

Step1: Choose the correct 3D model

An onion has a rounded, roughly spherical shape, so it is best modeled by a sphere.

Step2: Determine sphere radius

The onion's width is 3.5 in (diameter $d=3.5$ in). Radius $r = \frac{d}{2}$
$r = \frac{3.5}{2} = 1.75$ in

Step3: Apply sphere surface area formula

The surface area of a sphere is $SA = 4\pi r^2$
$SA = 4\pi (1.75)^2 = 4\pi (3.0625) = 12.25\pi \approx 38.48$ square inches

Answer:

The surface area of the onion can best be modeled by a sphere. Based on the model, the approximate surface area of the onion is $\boldsymbol{38.5}$ square inches (rounded to one decimal place, or $12.25\pi$ for the exact value).