Answer:
432 in.^2
Step-by-step explanation:
The side of the suitcase is a rectangle. One length is 24 inches. The diagonal of the rectangle is 30 inches long. The diagonal is a hypotenuse of a right triangle. The length is a leg. We need to find the other leg.
We use the Pythagorean theorem,
a^2 + b^2 = c^2
(24 in.)^2 + b^2 = (30 in.)^2
576 in.^2 + b^2 = 900 in.^2
b^2 = 324 in.^2
b = sqrt(324 in^2)
b = 18 in
area of rectangle = length * width
A = 24 in. * 18 in.
A = 432 in.^2
