An aquarium has a [rectangular base](https://artofproblemsolving.com/wiki/index.php/Rectangular_prism) that measures 100 cm by 40 cm and has a height of 50 cm. It is filled with water to a height of 40 cm. A brick with a rectangular base that measures 40 cm by 20 cm and a height of 10 cm is placed in the aquarium. By how many centimeters does the water rise?
$\mathrm{(A)}\ 0.5\qquad \mathrm{(B)}\ 1\qquad \mathrm{(C)}\ 1.5\qquad \mathrm{(D)}\ 2\qquad \mathrm{(E)}\ 2.5$
The brick has volume $8000 cm^3$. The base of the aquarium has area $4000 cm^2$. For every inch the water rises, the volume increases by $4000 cm^3$; therefore, when the volume increases by $8000 cm^3$, the water level rises $2 cm \Rightarrow\fbox{D}$