document.write( "Question 884901: Sandy makes an open-top box by cutting equal squares from the corners of a rectangular piece of corrugated cardboard and folding up the sides. If the original piece measured 16 inches by 10 inches, and if the area of the box bottom is to be 216 in^2, what size square should Sandy cut from each corner? \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #534773 by josgarithmetic(39616) $\"\"$ $\"About$

You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let x = the side length square to cut.
\n" ); document.write( "The bottom area will be $\"highlight_green%28%2816-2x%29%2810-2x%29=216%29\"$ and this ends my part of the response. Solve for x.\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " $\"%2816-2x%29%2810-2x%29=216\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"160-20x-32x%2B4x%5E2=216\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"4x%5E2-52x%2B160=216\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"x%5E2-13x%2B40=54\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"x%5E2-13x-14=0\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"%28x%2B1%29%28x-14%29=0\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"highlight%28cross%28x=14%29%29\"$ ----THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE! Not enough length on either dimension to cut a side of a square of 14 inches. \n" ); document.write( "

\n" );