AMC10 2021 10A, Problem 3

What is the maximum number of balls of clay of radius $2$ that can completely fit inside a cube of side length $6$ assuming the balls can be reshaped but not compressed before they are packed in the cube?

Solution: The volume of the cube is $V_{\text{cube}}=6^3=216,$ and the volume of a clay ball is $V_{\text{ball}}=\frac43\cdot\pi\cdot2^3=\frac{32}{3}\pi.$ Since the balls can be reshaped but not compressed, the maximum number of balls that can completely fit inside a cube is \[\left\lfloor\frac{V_{\text{cube}}}{V_{\text{ball}}}\right\rfloor=\left\lfloor\frac{81}{4\pi}\right\rfloor.\] Approximating with $\pi\approx3.14,$ we have $12<4\pi<13,$ or $\left\lfloor\frac{81}{13}\right\rfloor \leq \left\lfloor\frac{81}{4\pi}\right\rfloor \leq \left\lfloor\frac{81}{12}\right\rfloor.$ We simplify to get \[6 \leq \left\lfloor\frac{81}{4\pi}\right\rfloor \leq 6,\] from which $\left\lfloor\frac{81}{4\pi}\right\rfloor=\fbox{6}.$

Answer: 6