Question

The cubit is an ancient unit. Its length equals six palms. (A palm varies from 2.5 to 3.5 inches depending on the individual.) We are told Noah's ark was 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high. Estimate the volume of the ark (in cubic feet). Assume the ark has a shoe-box shape and that 1 palm = 3.10 inch.

Answer 1

Assuminhg the ark has a shoe-box (cuboid) shape it´s volume would be:

$V_{cuboid}=lenght*width*height$

We have this three measurements ($l=300cubits;w=50cubits;h=30cubits)$) and it can be as simple as replacing them in the equation and solving but they are in all in $cubits$. We will convert them to $ft$ because the problem requires the answer in $ft^{3}$. In order to do this we will use the given equivalences:

$1cubit=6palms\\1palm=3.10in$

and another one:

$1ft=12in$

First we will convert from cubits to palms:

$l=300cubits*\frac{6palms}{1cubit}=1800palms\\w=50cubits*\frac{6palms}{1cubit}=300palms\\h=30cubits*\frac{6palms}{1cubit}=180palms$

now from $palms$ to $in$:

$l=1800palms*\frac{3.10in}{1palm}=5580in\\w=300palms*\frac{3.10in}{1palm}=930in\\h=180palms*\frac{3.10in}{1palm}=558in$

now from $in$ to $ft$:

$l=5580in*\frac{1ft}{12in}=465ft\\w=930in*\frac{1ft}{12in}=77.5ft\\h=558in*\frac{1ft}{12in}=46.5ft$

We can calculate the Volume now like this:

$V_{ark}=465ft*77.5ft*46.5ft=1675743.75ft^{3}$

The volume of trhe ark would be $1675743.75ft^{3}$