Question

A block of cheese in the shape of a rectangular solid measures $10$ cm by $13$ cm by $14$ cm. Ten slices are cut from the cheese. Each slice has a width of $1$ cm and is cut parallel to one face of the cheese. The individual slices are not necessarily parallel to each other. What is the maximum possible volume in cubic cm of the remaining block of cheese after ten slices have been cut off?

Answer

Solution:

Every slice is $1$ cm wide and parallel to a face, so after each cut the remaining cheese is still a rectangular block, with one dimension shortened by $1.$ If the ten slices shorten the three dimensions by $p,$ $q,$ and $r$ with $p + q + r = 10,$ the remaining block measures $(10 - p) \times (13 - q) \times (14 - r),$ and these dimensions sum to $37 - 10 = 27.$

By the AM-GM inequality, a product of positive numbers with fixed sum $27$ is greatest when all three are equal to $9,$ which is achieved by taking $1$ slice from the $10$ cm dimension, $4$ from the $13$ cm dimension, and $5$ from the $14$ cm dimension. The maximum volume is $9^3 = 729$ cubic cm.

2008 AIME II Problem 3

Solution:

Problem 3 in Other Years