document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=946856>Question 946856</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> A rectangular piece of metal is 15 inches longer than it is wide. Square with sides 3 inches long are cut from the four corners and the flaps are folded upward and taped to form an open-topped box. If the volume of the box is 648 cubic inches, what was the original width (shorter side) of the piece of metal? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #577645 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=josgarithmetic><B>josgarithmetic(39618)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=josgarithmetic><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=577645\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Just to begin,\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "w, the width<BR>\n" );
document.write( "L, the length<BR>\n" );
document.write( "L=w+15<BR>\n" );
document.write( "h, the side length of the squares cut out<BR>\n" );
document.write( "h=3<BR>\n" );
document.write( "v, the volume of the box when the flaps folded<BR>\n" );
document.write( "v=648<BR>\n" );
document.write( "The only true unknown here is the width, w.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "The bottom area will be  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28w-2h%29%28L-2h%29=wL-2Lh-2wh%2B4h%5E2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28w-2h%29%28L-2h%29=wL-2Lh-2wh%2B4h%5E2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >;<BR>\n" );
document.write( "The volume will be <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28wL-2Lh-2wh%2B4h%5E2%29%2Ah=v ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28wL-2Lh-2wh%2B4h%5E2%29%2Ah=v\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >;<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Substitute for L, and simplify.  This should be a quadratic equation in the symbolic form with w being the only unknown variable.  \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "You would solve the resulting quadratic equation in w, and plugin the known values any time you are ready. </SPAN>\n" );
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