Math Problem Statement
You are going on a cruise, and your baggage is limited. Following a friend’s advice, you decide to buy packing cubes to put in your suitcase. The larger packing cubes are 6 inches thick, 6 inches wide, and 12 inches long, while the smaller ones are 8 inches thick by 4 inches wide and 4 inches tall. Your suitcase has inside dimensions of 29 inches by 18 inches by 6 inches. If you pack 5 of the large packing cubes, how many small packing cubes can you fit? (remember, if you have a decimal you MUST round down because you can’t fit the last one in there).
Solution
To solve this problem, we need to follow a step-by-step approach, calculating the volume of both the suitcase and the packing cubes, and then determining how many small cubes can fit in the remaining space.
Step 1: Calculate the volume of the suitcase
The suitcase has inside dimensions of 29 inches by 18 inches by 6 inches. The volume of the suitcase is:
Step 2: Calculate the volume of one large packing cube
Each large packing cube has dimensions 6 inches thick, 6 inches wide, and 12 inches long. The volume of one large packing cube is:
Step 3: Calculate the volume of 5 large packing cubes
If you pack 5 large packing cubes, the total volume they occupy is:
Step 4: Calculate the remaining volume in the suitcase
The remaining volume in the suitcase after packing the 5 large cubes is:
Step 5: Calculate the volume of one small packing cube
Each small packing cube has dimensions 8 inches thick, 4 inches wide, and 4 inches tall. The volume of one small packing cube is:
Step 6: Determine how many small cubes can fit in the remaining space
To find how many small cubes can fit in the remaining volume, we divide the remaining volume by the volume of one small cube: Since we cannot fit a fraction of a cube, we round down to the nearest whole number, which is 7.
Conclusion:
You can fit 7 small packing cubes in the remaining space of your suitcase.
Do you need any further details or explanations on this problem?
Here are 5 related questions to explore:
- How much total volume do the large and small packing cubes occupy together?
- What if the suitcase had dimensions 30 x 19 x 6 inches—how would this change the outcome?
- How many large cubes could fit in the suitcase without any small cubes?
- What would happen if the suitcase height were reduced by 1 inch?
- How much unused space remains in the suitcase after packing both the large and small cubes?
Tip: When dealing with packing problems, always focus on the shape of the objects and see if rearranging can maximize space!
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Math Problem Analysis
Mathematical Concepts
Geometry
Volume Calculation
Division
Formulas
Volume of a rectangular prism = length × width × height
Remaining volume = Total suitcase volume - Volume of packed large cubes
Number of small cubes = Remaining volume / Volume of one small cube
Theorems
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Suitable Grade Level
Grades 6-8
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