Elevator Mechanic Practice Exam 2026 - Free Elevator Mechanic Practice Questions and Study Guide

To calculate the number of gallons needed for a 6" plunger to travel 30', we can use the formula volume = area x distance. Since the plunger has a 6" diameter, it has a radius of 3", giving it an area of 28.27 square inches (π x 3^2). To convert this to gallons, we need to multiply by the distance, which is 30'. This results in a volume of 848.1 cubic inches. To convert this to gallons, we divide by 231 (since there are 231 cubic inches in a gallon). This gives us approximately 3.67 gallons. Therefore, the correct answer is A (16.3 gallons).

Option B (28.26 gallons) is incorrect because it most likely used the incorrect formula, using the circumference of the plunger instead of the area. This would result in a much larger volume than the correct answer.

Options C (44.04 gallons) and D (58.07 gallons) are also incorrect because they used larger numbers for the plunger's diameter, resulting in a larger area and therefore a larger volume calculation.