Answer: To determine if a cube with a given volume is suitable for Elaine's project, we need to check if the edge length of the cube is less than 5 inches.
The formula for the volume of a cube is V = s^3, where s represents the length of each side of the cube.
Let's calculate the edge length for each given volume option:
A. Cubes with a volume of 216 in³:
Taking the cube root of 216, we get ∛216 = 6. This means each side of the cube is 6 inches long. Since 6 is not less than 5, option A does not work.
B. Cubes with a volume of 125 in³:
∛125 = 5. This means each side of the cube is 5 inches long. Since 5 is equal to 5, option B does work.
C. Cubes with a volume of 64 in³:
∛64 = 4. This means each side of the cube is 4 inches long. Since 4 is less than 5, option C does work.
D. Both B and C would work:
Based on the analysis above, option B (volume of 125 in³) and option C (volume of 64 in³) both have edge lengths less than 5 inches, so they would work for Elaine's project.
Therefore, the correct answer is D. Both B and C would work.