Answer: Each tank must be approximately 37.61 inches wide to carry 50 gallons of fuel in the given space.
Explanation:
To determine the width of each fuel tank, you'll first need to calculate the volume of the tank in cubic inches, given that there are 231 cubic inches per gallon.
Calculate the additional fuel required for the Cessna P-210G:
The Cessna P-210G needs to carry 100 gallons more fuel than a standard P-210G. So, the additional fuel required is 100 gallons.
Calculate the volume of the additional fuel required:
Volume (cubic inches) = Additional fuel (gallons) * 231 (cubic inches per gallon)
Volume = 100 gallons * 231 cubic inches/gallon = 23,100 cubic inches
Now, you need to find the dimensions (width, length, and height) of the rectangular fuel tank. You know the distance between the fore and aft spar (4' 6 1/2" or 54.5 inches) and the wing thickness (11 3/4" or 11.75 inches).
Let's assume the width of the tank is "W" inches, the length is "L" inches, and the height is "H" inches.
To find the volume of a rectangular tank, you can use the formula:
Volume = Length (L) * Width (W) * Height (H)
Given that the volume is 23,100 cubic inches and the length (L) is 54.5 inches, and the thickness (H) is 11.75 inches, we can rearrange the formula to solve for the width (W):
W = Volume / (L * H)
W = 23,100 cubic inches / (54.5 inches * 11.75 inches)
W ≈ 37.61 inches (rounded to two decimal places)
Each tank must be approximately 37.61 inches wide to carry 50 gallons of fuel in the given space.