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Can someone please help me?!

A box without a top is to be made from a rectangular piece of cardboard, with dimensions 8 in. by 10 in., by cutting out square corners with side length x and folding up the sides.
(a) Write an equation for the volume V of the box in terms of x.
(b) Use technology to estimate the value of x, to the nearest tenth, that gives the greatest volume. Explain your process.

User Christy
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1 Answer

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V=x(8-2x)(10-2x) or expanded

V=x(4x^2-36x+80)

V=4x^3-36x^2+80x

...

If you were to graph the above equation for V(x) you will see a maximum point where the "y" value is maximized, but be careful as V will increase without bound at values of x that are not part of the domain, ie, in this case x<8/2, x<4 to have any meaning...The proper domain of this function is:

x=(0,4), Mathematically finding this point quickly is by differentiating it with respect to x...

dV/dx=12x^2-72x+80, The maximum volume will occur when dV/dx=0 and the x value is within the correct domain...

12x^2-72x+80=0 (using the quadratic formula for ease)

x=(72±√1344)/24, and since x<4

x≈1.472in (to the nearest one thousandth of an inch)
User Cindy Turlington
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