A pizza box with a square base is to be made from a rectangular sheet of cardboard by cutting six 1-inch squares from the corners and the middle sections and folding up the sides (see the figure). If the area of the base is to be 144 in^2, what size piece of cardboard should be used?

Question

shorter side in
longer side in

Answer 1

The final product will have a 12 by 12 base -> 144in^2. With one inch cut out from each corner, you need a (12+1+1) by (12+1+1) base to start.

Since the base is square, all sides are equal.