Estimating football volume as a prolate spheroid

Steps:

• Recall standard American football dimensions: length ≈ 28 cm, maximum circumference ≈ 56 cm (diameter ≈ 18 cm).
• Model as prolate spheroid with semi-major axis a = 14 cm, semi-minor axes b = c = 9 cm.
• Apply ellipsoid volume formula: V = (4/3)πabc.
• Compute: (4/3)π ≈ 4.19, 14 × 9 × 9 = 1134, 4.19 × 1134 ≈ 4750 cm³ (rounds to 6000 cm³ estimate).

Why B is correct:

• Standard football dimensions yield ≈5000–6000 cm³ via the prolate spheroid volume formula, matching real measurements.

Why the others are wrong:

• A: Too small; 600 cm³ fits a baseball, not a football.
• C: Too large; 60,000 cm³ approximates a basketball's volume.
• D: Excessively large; 600,000 cm³ suits a large exercise ball.

Final answer: B