SOLUTION: What size cubic blocks would you use to make a rectangular prism that is 2 1/2in by 3 1/2in by 4in? Explain your choice.

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Question 875465: What size cubic blocks would you use to make a rectangular prism that is 2 1/2in by 3 1/2in by 4in?
Explain your choice.
Answer by Theo(13342) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
i would probably use half inch cubes because 3 and 1/2 is equal to 5/2 and 4 and 1/2 is equal to 7/2 and 4 is equal to 8/2.

this way each cube can fit into each dimension without having to break the cube up in order to make it fit the dimension.

you could use smaller cubes but that would not be necessary since 1/2 inch cubes does the job nicely without requiring more cubes than necessary.

your total volume is equal to 5/2 * 7/2 * 8/2 = 280/8 cubic inches.

the volume of a 1/2 inch cube is equal to 1/2 * 1/2 * 1/2 = 1/8 cubic inches.

you would require 280 of them because 280/8 is equal to 280 * 1/8 cubic inches.

consider that a length of 2 and 1/2 requires 5 of them and a length of 3 and 1/2 requires 7 of them and a length of 4 requires 8 of them and the total number of cubes required is 5 * 7 * 8 = 280.