SOLUTION: To build a box, you find a square piece of cardboard that measures 10 inches on each side. From each corner of the cardboard, you cut out congruent squares. Use the picture to find

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Question 935222: To build a box, you find a square piece of cardboard that measures 10 inches on each side. From each corner of the cardboard, you cut out congruent squares. Use the picture to find the area of the cardboard you will use for your box.
Answer by josgarithmetic(39617) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The unknown variable is the side length of the congruent squares to cut. You want to derive a formula for the area of the box.

The flaps folded upward will be the height of the box. Let the side of each square to cut be length x. This makes height x also.

The area of just the bottom of the box is %2810-2x%29%5E2. The four box sides will also be congruent, and are of area x(10-2x).

Total area of this box is highlight_green%28%2810-2x%29%5E2%2B4%28x%2810-2x%29%29%29; and just needs to be simplified to finish it.