SOLUTION: Folding Sheet Metal: A square is to be cut from each corner of an 8 inch by 11 inch rectangular piece of copper and the sides are to be folded up to form a box. If the area of the

Question 106151: Folding Sheet Metal: A square is to be cut from each corner of an 8 inch by 11 inch rectangular piece of copper and the sides are to be folded up to form a box. If the area of the bottom is to be 50 inches squared, what size square should be cut from each corner?
I've tried and gotten this far:
(11-2x)(8-2x)=?
(88-22x)(-16x+4x^2)
22(4-x)-4x(4-x)
22-4x=? 4-x=?
I'm not sure what it is supposed to equal. I have tried several different answers. I have set it equal to 50 inches squared, 50 inches, 88 inches, and 44 inches. If you can help me with this problem, I would appreciate it! Thank you!
Answer by stanbon(75887) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Folding Sheet Metal: A square is to be cut from each corner of an 8 inch by 11 inch rectangular piece of copper and the sides are to be folded up to form a box. If the area of the bottom is to be 50 inches squared, what size square should be cut from each corner?
I've tried and gotten this far:
(11-2x)(8-2x)=50
(88-22x-16x+4x^2) = 50
4x^2-38x+38 = 0
2x^2 - 19x +19 = 0
x = [19 +- sqrt(19^2-4*2*19)]/4
x = [19 +- sqrt(209)]/4
x = 8.364 inches or x = 1.1358 inches
-----------
Only x = 1.1358 is realistic.
============
Cheers,
Stan H.

RELATED QUESTIONS
Folding sheet metal A square is to be cut from each corner of an 8x11 inches. rectangular (answered by josgarithmetic)

Thomas is going to make an open-top box by cutting equal squares from the four corners of (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)

Peter has a piece of metal 18 inches wide and 20 inches long, he wants to make an open... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)

Dimensions of a piece of sheet metal. A rectangular piece of sheet metal is 4 inches less (answered by josgarithmetic,ikleyn)

Tracey is going to make an open-top box by cutting equal squares from the four corners of (answered by checkley77)

90. Open-top box. Thomas is going to make an open-top box by cutting equal squares from... (answered by checkley77)

Thomas is going to make an open-top box by cutting equal squares from the four corners of (answered by Mathtut)

Please help. Thomas is going to make an open-top box by cutting equal squares from the... (answered by nerdybill,ankor@dixie-net.com)

Open-top box. Thomas is going to make an open-top box by cutting equal squares from the... (answered by stanbon,scott8148,MathTherapy,solver91311)