6.

1 CUBIC
FUNCTIONS
Lab
1. Take a sheet of graph paper and cut out a 20 by 10 rectangle.
2. Cut out an equal size square from each corner of your rectangle. Choose any size
square, but keep them all the same size.
3. Fold up the tabs to make an open-top box.
4. Find the volume of your box.
Example
Example Answers
Finding Maximum Values
◦ Use your graphing
calculator to graph the
function 𝑉 𝑥 =
20 − 2𝑥 10 − 2𝑥 𝑥
Calculator
◦ Where on the
graph is the
maximum box
volume we can
achieve?
◦ What domain is
relevant to our
situation?
Example 2
𝑚
If an object has mass 𝑚 and volume 𝑉, then its density 𝑑 is 𝑑 = 𝑉 .
a) Write a function 𝑉(𝑥) to model the volume of a cube with side length 𝑥.
b) Use your function and the density equation to estimate the length of an edge of a
child’s alphabet block (a cube) that has a mass of 23 𝑔 and is made from oak with a
density of 0.72 𝑔/𝑐𝑚3 .
Example 2 Answers
a) Write a function 𝑉(𝑥) to model the volume of a cube with side length 𝑥.
𝑉 𝑥 = 𝑥3
b) Use your function and the density equation to estimate the length of an edge of a
child’s alphabet block (a cube) that has a mass of 23 𝑔 and is made from oak with a
density of 0.72 𝑔/𝑐𝑚3 .
𝑚
If 𝑑 = 𝑉 , we can substitute the information we know and solve for 𝑥.
23
0.72 = 3
𝑥
3
0.72𝑥 = 23
𝑥 3 = 31.9
3
𝑥 = 31.9
𝑥 ≈ 3.2 𝑐𝑚