Calculus by Briggs and Cochran

Section 4.4- Optimization Problems 5 Of all the rectangles with a perimeter of 10 m, which one has the maximum area? (Give the dimensions) Consider an arbitrary rectangle of length B and width C.

y
x
We need to maximize area E BC To do this, we must write E in terms of just one variable. The perimeter T #B #C "! B C & C & B Therefore E BC Ba& Bb &B B# For these problems the maximum (or minimum) will usually, but not always, occur when the derivative is 0. Ew & #B ! #B & B #& To see that B #& is the minimum note that Eww # which means the graph of EaBb is always concave downward. Therefore #& must be a minimum. B #& C & #& #&

Ans: The rectangle with the maximum area is a square with sides of length 2.5 m .

15.

A boat on the ocean is 4 mi from the nearest point on a straight shoreline; that point is 6 mi from a restaurant on the shore. A woman plans to row the boat straight to a point on the shore and then walk along the shore to the restaurant.

boat

4 mi

6 mi
a)

restaurant

If she walks at 3 mi/hr and rows at 2 mi/hr, at which point on the shore should she land to minimize the total travel time? Let B be the distance shown below.

4 mi x

6-x

6 mi

H V The distance to shore is B# "' and the time she spends rowing is B# "'# The time she spends walking is a' Bb$ B# "' ' B The total time X # $ " # " B "'"# # B where ! B ' # $ In this problem the endpoints might produce the minimum time. Use H VX X See where X w ! " " B " "# a#Bb X w B# "' ! % $ #B# "' $ B " #B# "' $B # $ # B "'

%aB# "'b *B# %B# '% *B# '% ) '% &B# B# B $&() & ) This B has to be compared with B ! and B ' B# "' ' B X # $ X a!b # # % hr o here she rows straight to shore $' "' X a'b ! $'!' hr o here she rows # directly to the restaurant X a$&()b a$&()b# "' # ' $&() $%*" hr $

The shortest time is 3.491 hours when she rows directly to a point 3.578 miles from the nearest point on the shore. ) Ans: $&() mi &

b)

If she walks at 3 mi/hr, what is the minimum speed at which she must row so that the quickest way to the restaurant is row directly (with no walking)? Let her rowing speed be < mi/hr. Say she rows to a point B mi "up shore" as shown above. Then her time is B# "' 'B X . < $ Again, the best time is when X w ! or when B ! or 6. B " B " Xw ! $ <B# "' $ <B# "' $B <B# "' *B# <# B# "'<# %< B# * <# "'<# B * <# Note that if B ' she is rowing directly to shore. %< If B ' #< $* <# * <# %<# *a* <# b %<# )" *<# "$<# )" )" * <# < #%*' mi/hr "$ "$ Using the equation for X with < #%*' and B ' we get $' "' ' ' $' "' X a'b #))* hr. #%*' $ #%*' This is much better than % '! X a!b $'!$ hr. #%*' $

Ans: #%*' mi/hr

29.

The intensity of a light source at a distance is directly proportional to the square of the distance from the source. Two light sources, one twice as strong as the other, are 12 m apart. At what point on the line segment joining the sources is the intensity the weakest? Consider a point B m from the weaker light source.

12 - x weaker light x 12 m
At this point, the weaker light source has intensity 5 M" # B and the stronger light source has intensity #5 M# a"# Bb# where 5 is some constant. The total intensity is M M" M# 5B# #5 a"# Bb# The minimum M will occur when M w ! M w #5B$ %5 a"# 5 b$ a "b #5 %5 %5 #5 $ ! B B$ a"# 5 b$ a"# Bb$

%5B$ #5 a"# Bb$ #B$ a"# Bb$ #B$ a"# Bb$ ! Here is a graph of 0 aBb #B$ a"# Bb$ for & B ' The solution is the value of B where the graph crosses the x-axis.

200 150 100 50

5.2 50

5.4

5.6

5.8

6.0

The solution is B &$" Ans: The intensity will be weakest at a point 5.31 m from the weaker light source.