A straw is placed inside a rectangular box that is 6 inches by 6 inches by 1 inches, as shown. If the straw fits exactly into the box diagonally from the bottom left corner to the top right back corner, how long is the straw? Leave your answer in simplest radical form.

1 answer

To find the length of the straw that fits diagonally from the bottom left corner to the top right back corner of a rectangular box, we can use the three-dimensional version of the Pythagorean theorem.

Given the dimensions of the box:

  • Length \( l = 6 \) inches
  • Width \( w = 6 \) inches
  • Height \( h = 1 \) inch

The formula for the diagonal \( d \) of a rectangular box in three dimensions is given by:

\[ d = \sqrt{l^2 + w^2 + h^2} \]

Substituting the given dimensions into the formula:

\[ d = \sqrt{6^2 + 6^2 + 1^2} \]

Calculating each term:

\[ 6^2 = 36, \quad 6^2 = 36, \quad 1^2 = 1 \]

Now, sum these values:

\[ d = \sqrt{36 + 36 + 1} = \sqrt{73} \]

Thus, the length of the straw is:

\[ \boxed{\sqrt{73}} \text{ inches} \]