Question 166560
1st one: A lot is in the shape of a right triangle. The shorter leg measures 180 m. The hypotenuse is 60 m longer than the length of the longer leg. How long is the longer leg??
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Let x = length of longer leg
then
x+60 = hypotenuse
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Applying pythagorean's theorem:
180^2 + x^2 = (x+60)^2
180^2 + x^2 = (x+60)^2
32400 + x^2 = x^2 + 120x + 3600
32400 = 120x + 3600
28800 = 120x
240 meters = x (longer leg)
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2nd one: A rectangular piece of cardboard measuring 28 inches by 29 inches is to be made into a box with an open top by cutting equal size squares from each corner and folding up the sides. Let x represent the length of a side of each such square. For what value of x will the volume be a maximum? If necessary, round to 2 decimal places.
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Volume = x(28-2x)(29-2x)
Volume = x(812-56x-58x+4x^2)
Volume = x(812-114x+4x^2)
Volume = 812x-114x^2+4x^3
Volume = 4x^3-114x^2+812x
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Taking the derivative:
4x^3-114x^2+812x 
12x^2-228x+812 = 0
6x^2-114x+406 = 0
Solving the above with the quadratic equation we get:
x = {14.25, 4.75}
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Solution: 4.75 inches
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Details of quadratic equation:
*[invoke quadratic "x", 6, -114, 406 ]