document.write( "Question 259875: Open-top box. Thomas is going to make an open-top box
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document.write( "by cutting equal squares from the four corners of an
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document.write( "11 inch by 14 inch sheet of cardboard and folding up the
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document.write( "sides. If the area of the base is to be 80 square inches, then
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document.write( "what size square should be cut from each corner? \n" );
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Algebra.Com's Answer #191379 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! make an open-top box by cutting equal squares from the four corners of an \n" ); document.write( "11 inch by 14 inch sheet of cardboard and folding up the sides. \n" ); document.write( " If the area of the base is to be 80 square inches, \n" ); document.write( " then what size square should be cut from each corner? \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "Let x = the side of the 4 squares to be cut from each corner \n" ); document.write( "then the dimensions of the base will be: \n" ); document.write( "(11-2x) by (14-2x) \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "Given the area, we have: \n" ); document.write( "(11-2x)*(14-2x) = 80 \n" ); document.write( "FOIL \n" ); document.write( "154 - 22x - 28x + 4x^2 = 80 \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "4x^2 - 50x + 154 - 80 = 0 \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "A quadratic equation \n" ); document.write( "4x^2 - 50x + 74 = 0 \n" ); document.write( "; \n" ); document.write( "simplify divide by 2 \n" ); document.write( "2x^2 - 25x + 37 = 0 \n" ); document.write( "; \n" ); document.write( "Solve this using the quadratic formula; a=2; b=-25, c=37 \n" ); document.write( "you should get the reasonable answer of \n" ); document.write( "x = 1.715 inches is the side of the removed squares \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "Check this on a calc: enter (11-2(1.715)) * (14-2(1.715)) = 80.015 ~ 80 \n" ); document.write( " |