The Aggravating yet Satisfying Cube in a Cube

Khalil Roy

Mr. Acre & Mrs. Gravel

GAT/IDS 9B

16 January 2017
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Aggravating yet Satisfying Cube in a Cube

Origami has been around for quite some time. It's beauty is easily expressed but what

isn't usually expressed is the mathematical equations and measurements used to make them. This

project included some very stress filled origami and a lot of mathematics in order to make it. In

this paper the exact measurements of Surface Area, Volume, and the formulas to get them will be

explained.

Figure 1. Side Lengths of Inner Cube

Figure 1 shows how to find the length of one side of the inner cube.
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Figure 2. Side Lengths of Outer Cube

Figure 2 shows how to find the measurement of one leg of the outer cube.

Surface Area(SA)= 6(Side)^2 Cube Surface Area Formula

SA = (6)(.5x2)^2. Substitution Property of Equality

SA = (6)(.5(6)2)^2 Substitution Property of Equality

SA= 108 in^2 Multiplication Property of Equality

Figure 3. Finding Outer Cube Surface Area

Figure 3 shows how to find the surface area of just the outer cube without subtracting the

holes yet.

Surface Area(SA)= (Side)^2 Square Surface Area Formula

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SA= (.25x2)^2 Substitution Property of Equality

SA= 6(.25(6)2)^2 Substitution Property of Equality
SA= 27 in^2 Multiplication Property of Equality

Figure 4. Finding Holes Surface Area

Figure 4 shows how to find the are of the hole which is by finding the surface area of the

inner cube.

SA outercube SA hole= SA outer cube w/ holes

108 27 = Substitution Property of Equality
81in^2 = Subtraction Property of Equality

Figure 5. Finding Area of Outer Cube with Hole

Figure 5 shows How to find the area of the outercube with holes in it. Which is the area

of what the Outer Cube would be if it was full subtracted by the surface area of the holes.

Surface Area(SA)=6(Side)^2 Formula for Surface Area of Cube

SA= 6(.25x2)^2. Substitution Property of Equality
SA=6(.25(6)2)^2. Substitution Property of Equality
SA=27 in^2. Multiplication Property of Equality

Figure 6. Finding Surface Area of Inner Cube

Figure 6 shows how to find the surface area of the smaller cube.

TSA=SA outer cube w/ holes + SA inner cube. Total Surface Area

TSA=81 + 27. Substitution Property of Equality
TSA= 108 in^2. Addition Property of Equality

Figure 7. TSA(Total Surface Area) of Cube in a Cube

Figure 7 shows the total surface area of the whole cube in a cube project which is the

outside cube with holes added to the surface area of the smaller cube inside the outside cube.
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Finding the Surface Area is simple just tedious. However, messing up one step

could ruin all of the math, so it must be done meticulously. First finding the Surface Area of the

the Outside Cube with and without the holes and finding the Surface area of the inner cube then

adding the amounts together. If any of those numbers or measurement are off all the math will be

wrong.

Volume(V)=(Side)^3. Formula for Volume of a Cube

V=(.25x2)^3. Substitution Property of Equality
V=(.25(6)2)^3. Substitution Property of Equality
V=92 in^3. Multiplication Property of Equality

Figure 8. Volume of Inner Cube

Figure 8 shows how to find the volume of the small inner cube.

Volume(V)=(Side)^3. Formula for Volume of a Cube

V=(.5x2)^3. Substitution Property of Equality
V=(.5(6)2)^3. Substitution Property of Equality
V=542 in^3. Multiplication Property of Equality

Figure 9. Volume of Outer Cube

Figure 9 shows how to find the volume of the Outer Cube.

V outercube V innercube= Total Volume(TV). Formula for Empty Space Volume

542 - 92 =. Substitution Property of Equality
452 in^3. Subtraction Property of Equality

Figure 10. Volume of EmptySpace

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Figure 10 shows how to find the volume of what's not being taken up by the smaller cube

inside the outside cube.

Finding the Volume of the Empty Space is a very simple process. First finding the

Volume of the outer cube and the inner cube. Once those measurements were found you must

subtract the outer cube from the inner cube.

Though it is easy to find the measurements for the Surface Area and Volume of the cubes

and empty spaces it is possible for errors to occur. Poorly measured side lengths could change

the results. For example if it was actually 6.5 inches for the length of the side of the paper instead

of the solid 6. However, if the process is followed step by step making sure the measuring and

formulas are correct those mistake shouldnt occur. It's also possible to have incorrect folds.

Imprecise folds cause the cube to be harder to construct and could possibly alter the formula to

get one edge of either the outer or inner cube. If all the steps and formulas are done correctly and

the folds are nice and crisp the cube in a cube should turn out great and the math correct.