5.1.

4 Practice: Modeling: Multiplying

Polynomials Practice
Algebra II Name:
Date:
Use the questions below to keep track of key concepts from this lesson's study
activity.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT: Boxing Up Your Sports

SportBounceCo makes and packages balls for different sports. Use your knowledge
of polynomials to help the company design the box for one of its products.

Your selection

1. Which ball did you select? What do you know about the base of the box? (2 points:
1 point for the selection, 1 point for the information)

I chose the Volleyball

● Volleyball is a sphere.
● It’s box will need a square surface
● The company makes volleyballs in three different diameters which are 8
inches, 9 inches, and 10 inches.

Modeling your box

2. Here is some more information about making the boxes:

• SportsBounceCo uses flat sheets of cardboard to make boxes.

• The company uses square sheets for volleyball boxes and rectangular sheets for
football boxes.
• The boxes will have a clear plastic top, so customers can see the product.
• The height of the box is always 1 inch greater than the width of the ball.
• To assemble the box, corners are cut out of each sheet and the edges are taped
together.

Draw and label the necessary dimensions for your cardboard sheet. Use x for the
width and x + 1 for the height. (4 points: 2 points for the drawing, 2 points for
correct labels)
3. Now use your drawing to write an equation for the area of the entire sheet of
cardboard. First write the equation as the product of two binomials, and then as a
simplified trinomial. You can the tile tool to check your work by moving x-tiles and
unit tiles to the vertical and horizontal bars in the tool. (4 points: 2 points for the
product of binomials, 2 points for trinomial form)

Each side of the square box is (3x+2)

The equation for the area is (3x+2)(3x+2) or (3x+2)^2 = 9x^2 + 12x + 4

4. Next write an equation for the surface area of the box (after the sheet has been
folded). Don't include a top for the box; the top will be added later. (2 points: 2 points
for the correct equation)

x^2 + 4x^2 + 4x
= 5x^2 + 4x
5. Fill in the table below to calculate the amount of material wasted in producing
each size of box. Show your work. (6 points: 2 points for each different width)

Ball diameter Area of full sheet Surface area of Area removed

of cardboard box from corners

8 in 678 in^2 352 in^2 324 in^2

9 in 841 in^2 441 in^2 400 in^2

10 in 1024 in^2 484 in^2 484 in^2

6. SportsBounceCo makes only boxes that have sides that are measured in whole
inches, like the boxes you have been describing so far. Is it possible for them to
produce a box that has a surface area that is not a whole number? How do you
know?

(2 points: 1 point for a correct response, 1 point for an explanation)

It is impossible to get a box with a surface area that is not a whole number because
the volleyball is a whole number and the box for the volleyballs are always made of
whole numbers. When we add or multiply whole numbers with each other, the
solution will always be a whole number.
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5.1.4 Practice: Modeling: Multiplying Polynomials