There are two possible boxes we can offer to make if supplied with a square supply of material.

One is a square box, in which the length and width are the same size. The other option is a rectangular box. A. Dimensions The following table shows the dimensions of the different boxes for a model made from a 15cm x15cm sheet of paper. Because the box is made from a square sample, the dimensions of the boxes will always be proportional to the size of the sample. To prove this, the dimensions of the boxes can be represented as a fraction of the side length. (ex. The length of a square box is half the length of a side and therefore L= S ; where S is the length of the side) Formulas for the dimensions Box Type Square Box Formula Side Length 15cm x 15cm SxS Box Length 5.5cm Box Width 5.5cm Box Height 2.7cm H = (9/50)S H = (0.18)S 1.875cm H = (1/8)S H= (0.125)S

Rectangle Box Formula

15cm x 15cm SxS

L = (11/30)S W = L = (0.367)S (11/30)S W= (0.367)S 7.5cm 3.75cm L = (1/2)S L = (0.5)S W = (1/4)S W = (0.25)S

B. Volume To calculate the formula for volume, all the dimensions had to be multiplied. This would give us S cubed. For the rectangle box V= (((0.5)S)x((0.25)S)x((0.125)S)) = ((0.0156)S )) or

For the square box V= (((0.367)S)x((0.367)S)x((0.18)S)) = ((0.0242)S ))

or

The following graph represents the volume formulas for both boxes. (TI-83 Plus) Only possible values are placed on the graph. This means any positive value, as a box can not be made with a negative side length.

The calculated values of volume using the measurements from a 15cm side length are compared with the calculated values using the formula. Rectangle Box Measured Volume Calculated Volume with the Formula = (3375/64)cm = 52.73cm = (3375/64)cm = 52.73cm Square Box = (3267/40)cm = 81.68cm = (3267/40)cm = 81.68cm

This shows that the formula works for measuring the volume of a box given the length of a side S. The formula also works to give the side length needed for a specific volume. First, replace the volume variable with a value (1000cm ). Next, we multiplied the volume by the inverse of the fraction. Then we cube root the product, isolating S, and finding the side length. Square Box a square box of volume 1000cm requires a side length of approximately 34.57cm Rectangle Box a rectangular box with a volume of 1000cm requires a side length of 40cm To find the size of a box with a fixed volume V we simply have to rearrange the formula. We want the side length S, so the constant fraction in the formula is inversely multiplied with V. S is cubed and we need it squared (area of the square). To solve this, put the volume and the inversed constant to the power of 2/3. Square Box formula for size square needed for a fixed volume

Rectangle Box - formula for size square needed for a fixed volume

When relating the volumes of the two boxes, it is easy to see that the square box has a greater volume then the rectangular box. Vrectangle = (625/968)Vsquare and so Vsquare = (968/625)Vrectangle = (0.646)Vsquare = (1.549)Vrectangle

C. Surface Area The surface area is the area of all outer sides of the boxes. To calculate it we multiplied all sides by the height of the box and added

them together. Then, we added the width multiplied by the length for the base of the box. This is the surface area (SA). SA = (WxH) + (WxH) + (LxH) + (LxH) + (LxW) By implementing the formulas into the variables we get a formula for surface area.

Square Box surface area formula

Rectangle Box surface area formula

For the square box we calculated a surface area of about 89.65cm or (1793/20)S . For the rectangle box the surface area was about 70.31cm or (5/16)S . The rectangle box is also smaller then the square box in surface area. SA square = (7172/5625)SA rectangle and so SA rectangle = (5625/7172)SA square = (1.275)SA rectangle = (0.784)SA square

D. Volume and Surface Area When developing the formula for volume as a function of surface area, it is easiest to start by placing them on opposite sides of an equal sign. Volume contains S cubed and surface area has S squared. We know that the surface area has to not only be multiplied by another S to become cubed, but also by a constant value C because the fractions are not the same. Solve for the value C and place it in a volume as a function of surface area formula.

Below is the mathematical step as well as the final formula, followed by the functions on a graph. (TI-83 Plus) Square Box Rectangle Box