The Box Problem: Optimizing Volume in Rectangular Cardboard Boxes - Grades 8-9

Explore a challenging math enrichment problem for 8th and 9th-grade students in this 21-minute video tutorial. Dive into 'The Box Problem' with NCSSM Math instructor Linda Henderson as she guides students through creating a box from a rectangular piece of cardboard to maximize its volume. Learn to use physical models, tables, and graphs to investigate the problem, define variables, and write a function for box volume. Utilize graphing TI-83+ calculators to create detailed tables and graph the function. Discover how this problem aligns with North Carolina Essential Standards in Mathematics, covering topics such as volume formulas, scatter plots, and creating equations. Gain valuable insights into high-level STEM learning opportunities provided by the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics.