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A box has a square top and bottom and its height is 5cm longer than its base width. The

volume is 4cm. Determine all possibilities for the dimensions of the box.

User Lakeweb
by
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1 Answer

3 votes

The dimensions of the box are ;

length = 0.82 cm

width = 0.82 cm

height = 5.82 cm

The volume of prism is generally expressed as

volume = base area × height

let the base width be x

the height of the box = x +5

A square has equal sides, therefore

volume = x × x ( x + 5)

4 = x³ + 5x²

= x³ + 5x² - 4 = 0

= (x +1) ( x² + 4x -4) = 0

(x² + 4x -4) = 0

-b ± √b² - 4ac)/2a

x = -4 ± √ 4² - 4 × 1 × -4)/2

x = -4 ± √16+16)/2

x = -4 ± 4√2)/2

x = (-4 + 4√2)/2or (-4 - 4√2)

x = -2 + 2.82) or -2 - 2.82)

x = 0.82 or - 4.82

Therefore the positive value of x is 0.82

= 0.82

therefore x = 0.82

the height = 5 + 0.82 = 5.82cm

Therefore the dimensions of the box could be

length = 0.82 cm

width = 0.82 cm

height = 5.82 cm

User Onknows
by
8.1k points