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The sum of the length, breadth and height of a cuboid is p cm and its diagonal is q cm. Find its total surface area (in cm 2 ).
(pтИТq)2
p2тИТq2
2p2тИТq2тАЛ
p2+q2
p2тИТq2
Recognize that the total surface area (TSA) is exactly the term 2(lb+bh+hl) in the expansion of (l+b+h)2. Since l2+b2+h2=q2, the result is simply p2тИТq2.
Length, breadth, and height sum (l+b+h) = p cm, and diagonal of the cuboid = q cm.
(l+b+h)2=l2+b2+h2+2(lb+bh+hl)
Recognize that the total surface area (TSA) is exactly the term 2(lb+bh+hl) in the expansion of (l+b+h)2. Since l2+b2+h2=q2, the result is simply p2тИТq2.
Students often confuse the formula for the diagonal of a cuboid (q=l2+b2+h2тАЛ) with the sum of dimensions (p=l+b+h) and try to solve for individual variables instead of using the identity.
Define given variables
Let the length, breadth, and height be l, b, and h. The sum is given as l+b+h=p, and the diagonal formula is q=l2+b2+h2тАЛ.
l+b+h=p,l2+b2+h2=q2
Apply algebraic identity
Square the sum of the dimensions to introduce the total surface area term 2(lb+bh+hl).
(l+b+h)2=l2+b2+h2+2(lb+bh+hl)
Substitute and solve
Substitute p for the sum and q2 for the sum of squares. The total surface area is 2(lb+bh+hl).
p2=q2+TSAтЯ╣TSA=p2тИТq2
B is correct because the identity (l+b+h)2=l2+b2+h2+2(lb+bh+hl) simplifies directly to p2=q2+TSA, giving TSA=p2тИТq2.
This identity is a fundamental tool in coordinate geometry and vector algebra, where the squared magnitude of a sum of vectors depends on their dot products.