Estimating and Calculating Volume Assignment

Part One – The Design 

Create 3 chocolate piece designs following the guidelines above. Draw a reasonable sketch of what your three pieces will look like and include the relevant measurements (no calculations are needed at this point). 

Part Two – Estimating and Calculating Volume 

a) Consider what kind of simple solid would have approximately the same volume as your chocolate pieces design. Using a few appropriate measurements from your design and your chosen approximate shapes, find an estimate of the separate volumes of them. Show the process you use to do this. 

b) Carry out all the calculations needed to find the actual volume of chocolate that would be needed to manufacture your three chocolate pieces. You must show all working, formulas used, and measurement units. Set the calculations out clearly. 

c) Compare your answers for parts a) and b) and discuss how accurate your prediction was. Are there are any ways that you could make a more accurate prediction without carrying out the full calculations? Also comment on how the wastage could affect production costs, businesses must consider how their costs can be reduced. 

Part Three – Calculating Surface Area 

Carry out all the calculations needed to find the surface area of a plastic tray that would need to be made to protect and hold the three chocolate pieces inside the box (this area includes all surfaces that ‘hold’ each of the three chocolate pieces). You will also need to calculate the surface area of the packaging box. 

Please provide a net diagram for each chocolate piece. As in Part Two, you must show all working, formulas used and measurement units, and set the calculations out clearly. 

Part Four – Calculating Cost 

The chocolate has a cost $20.50 for a 1kg bag. The special ‘chocolate holder tray’ is $4.30 per square metre. The cardboard packaging costs $2.80 per square metre. Use the information above to calculate the cost of making your box of chocolates. Show all your calculations clearly. 

Part Five – The Report 

• Write an introduction which explains in your own words what this project is about and how it has been presented (i.e. brief description of the layout of your document). 

• Include the 3D sketch of your designs from Part 1 (this can be done with or without the use of technology) and a scaled diagram of one chocolate piece showing the measurements. 

• Provide all calculations and any discussion from Parts 2 to 4. 

• A conclusion summarising your results, and a discussion of any assumptions that you have made and limitations to your results for this task.