document.write( "Question 255965: Can you please explain to me how to do this??\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Mr. Greene has 8.5-by-11 in. cardboard sheets. As a class project, Mr. Greene asked each of his students to make an open-top box under these conditions:
\n" ); document.write( "I) Each box must be made by cutting small squares from each corner of a cardboard sheet.
\n" ); document.write( "II) The box must have a volume of 48 in^3.
\n" ); document.write( "III) The amount of cardboard waste must be minimized.
\n" ); document.write( "What is the approximate side length for the small squares that would be cut from the cardboard sheet?
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Algebra.Com's Answer #188423 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)\"\" \"About 
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Mr. Greene has 8.5-by-11 in. cardboard sheets. As a class project,
\n" ); document.write( " Mr. Greene asked each of his students to make an open-top box under these conditions:
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "I) Each box must be made by cutting small squares from each corner of a cardboard sheet.
\n" ); document.write( "II) The box must have a volume of 48 in^3.
\n" ); document.write( "III) The amount of cardboard waste must be minimized.
\n" ); document.write( "What is the approximate side length for the small squares that would be cut from the cardboard sheet?
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Draw a rectangle representing the 8.5 by 11 in sheet. Cut out a small square in each corner, label the side of the square as x.
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Visualize bending the sides up to form an open box; it will be apparent that
\n" ); document.write( "Box dimensions will be:
\n" ); document.write( "(11-2x) = box length
\n" ); document.write( "(8.5-2x) = box width
\n" ); document.write( "x = box height
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Vol: height * Length * width
\n" ); document.write( "x*(11-2x)*(8.5-2x) = 48
\n" ); document.write( "FOIL
\n" ); document.write( "x(93.5 - 22x - 17x + 4x^2) = 48
\n" ); document.write( "x(93.5 - 39x + 4x^2) = 48
\n" ); document.write( "93.5x - 39x^2 + 4x^3 - 48 = 0
\n" ); document.write( "The equation
\n" ); document.write( "4x^3 - 39x^2 + 93.5x - 48 = 0
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Now the easiest way, is to plot this equation on a graphing calc
\n" ); document.write( "\"+graph%28+300%2C+200%2C+-4%2C+8%2C+-20%2C+30%2C+4x%5E3-39x%5E2%2B93.5x-48%29+\"
\n" ); document.write( "Note we have 3 solutions for x, the last one x=6+ is not valid but
\n" ); document.write( "x = .7 and = 2.7 are, however, the removed square would be \"waste\" therefore
\n" ); document.write( "x = .7 would be the smallest square, that would be the choice
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