Representing the Lengths of Each Board

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 71 views

Introduction

In this problem, we are presented with a scenario where a 6-foot long board is cut into three equal pieces, and then each new section is cut into three more equal sections. This process is repeated recursively, resulting in a sequence of board lengths. Our goal is to determine the function that represents the lengths of each board in inches.

Initial Conditions

Let's start by analyzing the initial conditions. The board is 6 feet long, which is equivalent to 72 inches (since 1 foot = 12 inches). When Miguel cuts the board into three equal pieces, each piece will be 24 inches long (72 ÷ 3 = 24).

Recursive Cutting Process

Now, let's consider the recursive cutting process. Each new section is cut into three more equal sections. This means that the length of each new section will be one-third of the original length. In other words, if we have a section of length x, the new sections will have lengths of x/3, x/3, and x/3.

Representing the Lengths of Each Board

To represent the lengths of each board, we can use a function f(x) that takes an integer x as input and returns the length of the x-th board. Since each board is cut into three equal pieces, the length of each board will be 3 times the length of the previous board.

Function Representation

Let's analyze the function representation. We can start by considering the first board, which has a length of 24 inches. The second board will have a length of 24 × 3 = 72 inches, the third board will have a length of 72 × 3 = 216 inches, and so on.

Function Options

We are given two function options:

A. $f(x) = 3(12)^x$ B. $f(x) = 12(3)^x$

Analyzing Option A

Let's analyze option A: $f(x) = 3(12)^x$ . This function represents the length of the x-th board as 3 times the length of the previous board, multiplied by 12 raised to the power of x. Since 12 is the length of the first board, this function seems to be a good representation of the lengths of each board.

Analyzing Option B

Now, let's analyze option B: $f(x) = 12(3)^x$ . This function represents the length of the x-th board as 12 times the length of the previous board, multiplied by 3 raised to the power of x. However, this function does not seem to be a good representation of the lengths of each board, since the length of each board is not multiplied by 3.

Conclusion

Based on our analysis, we can conclude that the function that represents the lengths of each board in inches is:

$f(x) = 3(12)^x$

This function accurately represents the lengths of each board, taking into account the recursive cutting process and the initial conditions.

Understanding the Function

To understand the function $f(x) = 3(12)^x$ , let's break it down:

The base of the exponent is 12, which represents the length of the first board.
The exponent is x, which represents the number of times the board is cut.
The coefficient 3 represents the fact that each new section is cut into three more equal sections.

Graphing the Function

To visualize the function, let's graph it:

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy as np

x = np.arange(0, 10, 1)
y = 3 * (12 ** x)

plt.plot(x, y)
plt.xlabel('Number of Cuts')
plt.ylabel('Board Length (inches)')
plt.title('Length of Each Board')
plt.show()

This graph shows the length of each board as a function of the number of cuts. As the number of cuts increases, the length of each board increases exponentially.

Conclusion

Introduction

In our previous article, we explored the problem of a 6-foot long board being cut into three equal pieces, and then each new section being cut into three more equal sections. We determined that the function that represents the lengths of each board in inches is $f(x) = 3(12)^x$ . In this article, we will answer some common questions related to this problem.

Q: What is the initial length of the board?

A: The initial length of the board is 6 feet, which is equivalent to 72 inches.

Q: How many times is the board cut?

A: The board is cut an infinite number of times, as each new section is cut into three more equal sections.

Q: What is the length of the first board?

A: The length of the first board is 24 inches, which is one-third of the initial length of 72 inches.

Q: How does the length of each board increase?

A: The length of each board increases exponentially, as each new section is cut into three more equal sections.

Q: What is the formula for the length of each board?

A: The formula for the length of each board is $f(x) = 3(12)^x$ , where x is the number of times the board is cut.

Q: Can you graph the function?

A: Yes, we can graph the function using a graphing tool or a programming language like Python.

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy as np

x = np.arange(0, 10, 1)
y = 3 * (12 ** x)

plt.plot(x, y)
plt.xlabel('Number of Cuts')
plt.ylabel('Board Length (inches)')
plt.title('Length of Each Board')
plt.show()

Q: What is the significance of the base 12 in the formula?

A: The base 12 in the formula represents the length of the first board, which is 12 inches.

Q: How does the coefficient 3 affect the length of each board?

A: The coefficient 3 represents the fact that each new section is cut into three more equal sections, resulting in an exponential increase in the length of each board.

Q: Can you provide an example of how the length of each board increases?

A: Let's consider the first few boards:

Board 1: 24 inches
Board 2: 24 × 3 = 72 inches
Board 3: 72 × 3 = 216 inches
Board 4: 216 × 3 = 648 inches

As you can see, the length of each board increases exponentially.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the recursive cutting process results in an exponential increase in the length of each board. The formula $f(x) = 3(12)^x$ accurately represents the lengths of each board, taking into account the initial conditions and the recursive cutting process.