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Easy calc problem help (10 pts for best answer)!!?

If a total of 1600 square centimeters of material is to be used to make a box with a square base and an open top, find the largest possible volume of such a box.

Could you also please show a bit of work so I can understand how to do the problem?

Thank you!!!

3 Answers

Relevance
  • 2 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    Let's call the width of the box x and the height of the box y.

    The volume of the box is:

    V = x² y

    The area of the material is:

    A = 4xy + x²

    1600 = 4xy + x²

    The goal is to write the volume V in terms of just one variable. To do that, solve for y:

    1600 − x² = 4xy

    y = (1600 − x²) / 4x

    Substitute into the volume equation:

    V = x² y

    V = (1600 x − x³) / 4

    V = 400 x − 1/4 x³

    To maximize, find dV/dx and set to 0:

    dV/dx = 400 − 3/4 x²

    0 = 400 − 3/4 x²

    3/4 x² = 400

    x² = 1600 / 3

    x = 40 / √3

    x ≈ 23.1 cm

    y ≈ 11.5 cm

    V ≈ 6158.4 cm³

  • Ash
    Lv 7
    2 years ago

    Let the base side = b and height = h

    Then surface area of base = b²

    the four sides surface area = 4 bh

    Total surface area = b² + 4bh

    1600 = b² + 4bh

    4bh = 1600 - b²

    bh = (1600 - b²)/4 .....(1)

    Volume of the box,

    V = b x b x h

    plug bh from (1)

    V = ¼b(1600 - b²)

    V = 400b - ¼b³ ....(2)

    To find optimal volume, find derivative with respect to 'b' and equate to 0

    V' = 400 - ¾b²

    0 = 400 - ¾b²

    ¾b² = 400

    b² = 1600/3

    b = 23 cm

    plug in (2)

    V = 400(23) - ¼(23)³ = 6158.25 cm³

  • ?
    Lv 6
    2 years ago

    square base; let each side be 'b'

    height of box be 'h'

    SA = b^2 + 4bh

    V = b^2 h

    1,600 = b^2 + 4bh

    h = (1,600 - b^2) / 4b

    V = b^2 [(1,600 - b^2) / 4b]

    V = b/4 (1,600 - b^2)

    V = 400b - b^3 / 4

    dV/db = 0 = 400 - (3/4)b^2

    b = 23.1 cm

    h = 11.5 cm

    V = 6,137 cm^3

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