How many ping pong balls would fit in a regulation size ping pong table

Question

Math 123 Quanitive Reasoning 

Answer 1

how many would fit ON a regulation ping pong table.  To compute, we need dimensions of the rectangular table area, and we need the diameter of a ping pong ball.  Get that data!

 

Next, make a drawing showing circles representing cross-sections of the balls, so that the circles can all line up with the edge of the table, end-to-end, in each direction, and successive rows of balls will be tangent to other rows, etc, to get maximum coverage.

 

Does this give you sufficient information to finish the job yourself? The following has been added upon receipt of data:

 

Ping pong ball's diameter is 40 mm = 4 cm or 4/2.54 in = 1.575 inch diameter, which sounds reasonable.

Ping pong table is 9 ft long, 5 feet wide so Length= 9(12)(2.54)cm Width = 5(12)(2.54)cm

 

Across length 274.32 cm, and dividing by 4 cm diameter, it appears that 68 ping pong balls could be placed side by side.

Across width 152.4 cm, and dividing by 4 cm diameter, it appears that there could be 38 rows of balls.

 

38 rows of 68 pingpong balls each gives answer 2584 balls. Don't try this at home because the darned things would be apt to roll off and you'd go nuts picking them up!