# Can you estimate the diameter of a really giant ball of cheese? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 24, 2018, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-estimate-the-diameter-of-a-really-giant-ball-of-cheese/818512 "2018-07-24T16:27:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2018, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-estimate-the-diameter-of-a-really-giant-ball-of-cheese/818512/41 "2018-07-28T23:24:06Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I can’t think without using math. I interpreted the “no math” restriction to mean no calculator or pencil-and-paper calculations. This. Simple geometric formulas and mental estimation don’t count as “math” to me. Breaking out the calculator and stat/trig tables do. ---
**Author:** ![Smudge777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@Smudge777](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smudge777)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2018, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-estimate-the-diameter-of-a-really-giant-ball-of-cheese/818512/42 "2018-07-29T02:00:17Z")
Too difficult to answer, because of all the feet and pounds. Even though I know the conversions of metric to unco units, it just loses all relatability when I’m having to convert with each step of the thinking process. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2018, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-estimate-the-diameter-of-a-really-giant-ball-of-cheese/818512/43 "2018-07-29T10:47:17Z")
> [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](#): > > There is a great visualization in this article, Actually, the article is great as it goes but is too shallow. 1.4B pounds of cheese is less than 5 pounds per US person. That’s probably about what’s on the shelves of US supermarkets, and nowhere near enough to cope with a nationwide disaster. It’s perhaps a few weeks’ supply. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2018, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-estimate-the-diameter-of-a-really-giant-ball-of-cheese/818512/44 "2018-07-29T15:19:37Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > This. Simple geometric formulas and mental estimation don’t count as “math” to me. Breaking out the calculator and stat/trig tables do. Agreed… [spoiler]In my head I considered that a gallon of water is about 8 pounds and a cubic foot of water is about 8 gallons, hence somewhere around 64 pounds per cubic foot. Then looking at 10,000 feet, it was blatantly obvious it was too high just from zero count. Then I tried the easy-to-mentally-calculate 1000, figuring the r^3 bit would be 5^3 + six zeros: 125M.Throw in a rough and ready guess for the pi and 4/3, takes it to 500M or so–clearly too many cubic feet at 64lbs per, but not crazily high, so the best guess would be 330. [/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2018, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-estimate-the-diameter-of-a-really-giant-ball-of-cheese/818512/45 "2018-07-29T15:37:16Z")
Oops…I converted to metric and used math (in my head). At least I got the correct answer for my troubles. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2018, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-estimate-the-diameter-of-a-really-giant-ball-of-cheese/818512/46 "2018-07-29T22:49:36Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > That’s probably about what’s on the shelves of US supermarkets, and nowhere near enough to cope with a nationwide disaster. Parmageddon? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2018, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-estimate-the-diameter-of-a-really-giant-ball-of-cheese/818512/47 "2018-07-30T08:54:33Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Parmageddon? Band name! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-estimate-the-diameter-of-a-really-giant-ball-of-cheese/818512.md?page=2)