SOLUTION: Mr. Perez wishes to make a pan by cutting squares from each corner of a 16-inch by 26-inch rectangular sheet of tin and folding up the sides. What should be the length of the side

Algebra ->  Quadratic Equations and Parabolas -> SOLUTION: Mr. Perez wishes to make a pan by cutting squares from each corner of a 16-inch by 26-inch rectangular sheet of tin and folding up the sides. What should be the length of the side       Log On


   

Question 980329: Mr. Perez wishes to make a pan by cutting squares from each corner of a 16-inch by 26-inch rectangular sheet of tin and folding up the sides. What should be the length of the side of each square if the base of the pan is to have an area of 200 square inches?
Answer by macston(5194) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
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x=length of side of square
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%2816in-x%29%2826in-x%29=200in%5E2
x%5E2-42x%2B416=200 Subtract 200 from each side.
x%5E2-42x%2B216=0
%28x-6%29%28x-36%29=0
x-6=0 OR x-36=0
x=6 OR x=36
Since in our case, x=36 in makes no sense, the correct answer is x=6.
ANSWER: The length of each side of the square should be 6 inches.