Final answer:
To find the amount of material needed to cover one side of the suitcase, we can use the Pythagorean theorem to determine the width, since the length and diagonal form a right triangle. The width turns out to be 18 inches, and thus 432 square inches of material is required to cover one side of the suitcase.
Step-by-step explanation:
To cover one side of the suitcase, we need to calculate the area of that side. We have been given the length of the suitcase, which is 24 inches, and the length of the diagonal, which is 30 inches. Using the Pythagorean theorem (since the diagonal and the length form a right triangle with the width as the other side), we can find the width of the suitcase.
The Pythagorean theorem states that, in a right-angled triangle, a² + b² = c², where c is the hypotenuse (in this case, the diagonal of the suitcase) and a and b are the other two sides. Our equation is:
24² + b² = 30²
b² = 30² - 24²
b² = 900 - 576
b² = 324
b = √324
b = 18 inches
Now that we have the width (b), we can compute the area of the surface to be covered with material: Area = length × width.
Area = 24 inches × 18 inches = 432 square inches.
Therefore, 432 square inches of material is needed to cover one side of the suitcase.
Complete question:
A suitcase measures 24 inches long and the diagonal is 30 inches long. How much material is needed to cover one side of the suitcase?