A cube has the volume . What is the length of its space diagonal? If your answer can be expressed as , determine the value of . A scientific calculator may be used.
Note: represents the golden ratio.
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Φ represents the golden ratio, or 2 1 + √ 5 . 2 1 + √ 5 ^3, using the special product property for ( a + b ) 3 , simplifies to 2 + 5 . We will use this information later. It is given that the volume is 5 4 + 3 6 4 5 . 3 6 4 5 = ( 7 2 9 ∗ 5 ) , which is 2 7 5 . Now the expression simplifies to 5 4 + 2 7 5 , and we can factor out 2 7 to get 2 7 ( 2 + 5 ) . We already found out that Φ 3 = 2 + 5 . As a result, the side length of the cube is the cube root of 2 7 ( 2 + 5 ) , or 3 Φ . Since the space diagonal of a cube is the side length times 3 , ( 3 3 ) Φ is the length of the space diagonal. Because our answer is in the form ( a b ) ( Φ ) , a and b both equal 3 , so 3 + 3 = 6 . As a result, the final answer is 6 .