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Why are manhole covers round? Seriously - It was a math test question

R

RecklaZ

Senior member
Can someone please tell me? Seriously.... It was a question on a math study guide my friend had. Its some basic high school math thingy
 
Originally posted by: RedRooster
So they could use the least amount of steel to make the biggest cover.
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Yup, sounds like an optimization problem. Are you in Calc?
 
Originally posted by: RecklaZ
but wouldn't it be just as easy to fall in if it was squared?
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The round covers have a larger diameter than the hole, hence they cannot fall in. A square cover could turn diagonally and fall right through.

Round covers are idiot proof.

 
Originally posted by: 911paramedic
Originally posted by: RecklaZ
but wouldn't it be just as easy to fall in if it was squared?
Click to expand...
The round covers have a larger diameter than the hole, hence they cannot fall in. A square cover could turn diagonally and fall right through.

Round covers are idiot proof.
Click to expand...

Yup.. not matter which way you place a round cover over the hole it has the same width, so it can't fall in
 
I remember seeing this on some kid's show probably 20 years ago.

If you flip a square cover up, it'll fall in. (The length or width is less than corner to corner, therefore it can fall in.)
 
Ya, so it doesn't fall in. And besides, I figure that if you remove the man hole, you can roll it out of the way rather than before forced to carry it.
 
I'm astonished that some people have so little to do that they think about manhole covers. 😛
 
Richard Feynman knows it all:


The hole below the cover is round because a cylinder is the strongest shape against the compression of the earth around it. Also, the term "manhole" implies a passage big enough for a man, and a human being climbing down a ladder is roughly circular in cross-section. So a cylindrical pipe is the natural shape for manholes. The covers are simply the shape needed to cover up a cylinder.
 
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