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A box is made from thin metal sheet,with vertical sides a d no top. The base is a rectangle whose length is twice the breadth. If the box can hold 288cm3, what are it's dimensions of the minimum amount of material is to be used? (Ignore any overlap)

User Gatogordo
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Let the length of the base be 2x and the breadth of the base be x (since the length is twice the breadth).

The height of the box can be denoted by h.

The volume of the box is given as 288 cm³, so we have:

Volume of box = Length x Breadth x Height

288 = 2x * x * h

288 = 2x²h

h = 144/x²

To find the minimum amount of material used, we need to minimize the surface area of the box. The surface area of the box is given by:

Surface area = 2lh + 2bw + lb

Substituting the value of h, we get:

Surface area = 2(2x)(h) + 2(x)(2x) + (2x)(h)

Surface area = 4x(144/x²) + 4x² + 2x(144/x²)

Surface area = 576/x + 4x² + 288/x

To minimize the surface area, we need to differentiate it with respect to x, and set the derivative equal to zero:

d(Surface area)/dx = -576/x² + 8x + 288/x² = 0

Multiplying both sides by x², we get:

-576 + 8x³ + 288 = 0

Simplifying further, we get:

x³ = 36

Taking the cube root of both sides, we get:

x = 3∛(36)

x = 3∛(2^2 * 3^2)

x = 6∛2

Therefore, the breadth of the base is 6∛2 cm, and the length of the base is 2 times the breadth, which is 12∛2 cm.

Substituting the value of x in the equation for h, we get:

h = 144/(6∛2)²

h = 8∛2

Therefore, the dimensions of the box that uses the minimum amount of material are:

- Length: 12∛2 cm

- Breadth: 6∛2 cm

- Height: 8∛2 cm.

User Amcelwee
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