how many boxes into a L shaped room- please help!

The storage space measures 8.5ft x 4 ft. The storage room is 7ft high but half of the room the ceiling is only 3 ft in height.

Boxes are 24inch x 24 inch x 18.5 inch. how many boxes can fit into room

So i can picture the room draw it out, and then make all measurements in the same units. what should be next step. the awkward measurements mean there are different ways the boxes could be stacked?

What is the best method to solve this problem? http://www.mymathforum.com/images/smilies/icon_eek.gif

Thanks (Headbang)

Could you clarify this part please?

"The storage room is 7ft high but half of the room the ceiling is only 3 ft in height."

floor is a rectangle: 8.5ft x 4 ft.

50% of the room is 7ft high, 50% 3ft

i suppose it doesnt tell you whic way the room is split?

could be 2 cubes of
8.5ft x 2ft x7ft
8.5ft x 2ft x3ft

OR

4.25ft x 4ft x7ft
4.25ft x 4ft x3ft

Hard to tell; like, is the "L" half the width or half the length?
Or can the boxes be piled 2 ways: on "24 by 24" plus on "24 by 18.5" surfaces?

As a start, perhaps you could try:
1: pretend there is no L-shape: fill the whole room
2: then settle on a size for the unavailable portion: fill that
The difference is what you want...