Work on the bottem down

points

Step-by-step explanation:

well...i thinks that 3 stacks will not work as it wont be a symmetric arrangement as 1 will be left out. So, 2 stacks of 5 each would be easy to carry. but the stacks should be placed in such a way that the lengths are parallel to each other and not in-line which would increase the length making it comparatively longer. its easier to hold a (2*8.5,11,2*5=17,11,17)compact box.

Step-by-step explanation:

And To reduce the weight by 10 lbs you need to remove two reams of paper, leaving you with 10 reams. The only way to fit these into a cuboid would be 5 stacks of 2, 2 stacks of 5, 1 stack of 10 or 10 stacks of 1. You need to figure out the dimensions of paper arranged like that then work out the surface area. Obviously 1 x 10 or 10 x 1 will be stupid because the box would be awkward to carry, so the correct answer will be whichever of the other two gives you the least surface area (and therefore requires the least packaging). I guess you also need to consider the relative orientations of the stacks - long end to long end or short end to short end.