How to Calculate the Square Feet of a Bottom Head

A bottom head is a generic term for the bottom of a cylindrical object. You will find a bottom head at the base of a drum, and also at the bottom of cylinders in nuclear power plants. Because the bottom of a cylinder is circular, you can solve the problem with basic geometry; use the general formula for a circle (area = pi x radius x radius) to find the area of the bottom head in square feet.

Things You'll Need

  • Tape measure
  • Calculator
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure the diameter of the bottom head, in feet. The diameter is the widest part of the circle, from one edge to the other, going straight through the center of the circle.

    • 2

      Divide the diameter by two to obtain the radius. For example, if your measurement is 70 feet, then the radius is
      70/2 = 35 feet.

    • 3

      Square the radius you obtained in Step 2. For example: 35 feet x 35 feet = 1,225 square feet

    • 4

      Multiply the number in Step 3 by pi (pi = 3.14159): 1,225 square feet x pi = 3,848 square feet. (Your calculator may have a pi key.) This is the number of square feet in the bottom head.

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