III.

Optimization

If c is a local maximum or local minimum, f’(c)=0.

Second Derivative Test:
f ”(c) = F,
If F<0, c is maximum
If F>0, c is minimum
If F=0, test failed
Example:
1. A ball is thrown in the air. Its height at any time t is given by: h=3+14t – 5t2. Find the maximum
height.
Solution:
h = 3 + 14t – 5t2
dh/dt = 14 – 10t
at dh/dt = 0,
0 = 14 – 10t
10t = 14
t = 1.4 s
Second derivative test:
d2 h/dt2 = – 10
which is at maximum
at t = 1.4s,
h = 3 + 14(1.4) – 5(1.4)2
h = 12.8 m

2. The sum of two positive numbers is 2. Find the smallest value possible for the sum of the cube of
one number and the square of the other.
Solution:
x-first number
y-second number
z-sum of the cube of one number and the square of the other
x+y=2
y=2–x
𝑧 = 𝑥! + 𝑦"
𝑧 = 𝑥 ! + (2 − 𝑥)"
(2 − 𝑥)" = 2" + 2(2)(−𝑥) + (−𝑥)" = 4 − 4𝑥 + 𝑥 "
 𝑧 = 𝑥 ! + 𝑥 " − 4𝑥 + 4
𝑑𝑧
= 3𝑥 " + 2𝑥 − 4 = 0
𝑑𝑥
3𝑥 " + 2𝑥 − 4 = 0
𝑎𝑥 " + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 = 0
−𝑏 ± √𝑏" − 4𝑎𝑐 −2 ± 42" − 4(3)(−4)
𝑥= = = 0.869 𝑎𝑛𝑑 − 1.535
2𝑎 2(3)

𝑥 = 0.869 𝑦 = 2 − 𝑥 = 2 − 0.869 = 1.131

𝑑𝑧
= 3𝑥 " + 2𝑥 − 4
𝑑𝑥
𝑑" 𝑧
= 6𝑥 + 2 = 6(0.869) + 2 = 7.214 > 0; 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚
𝑑𝑥 "
𝑧 = (0.869)! + (1.131)" = 𝟏. 𝟗𝟑𝟓

3. A poster is to contain 300 (cm square) of printed matter with margins of 10 cm at the top
and bottom and 5 cm at each side. Find the overall dimensions if the total area of the
poster is minimum.

300 = 𝐿𝑊. 𝐴 = (𝐿 + 20)(𝑊 + 10)

!## !##
𝑊= $
𝐴 = (𝐿 + 20) I $
+ 10J

%#$&!## %#
𝐴 = (𝐿 + 20) I $
J= $
(𝐿 + 20)(𝐿 + 30)

%# '###
𝐴= (𝐿" + 50𝐿 + 600) = 10𝐿 + 500 +
$ $

6000
𝐴 = 10𝐿 + 500 +
𝐿

𝑑𝐴 6000
= 10 − " = 0.
𝑑𝐿 𝐿

6000
𝐿" = = 600.
10

300
𝐿 = 24.49 𝑐𝑚. 𝑊= = 12.25 𝑐𝑚
24.49
4. What should be the shape of a rectangular field of a given area, if it is to be enclosed by the least
amount of fencing?
Solution:
P = 2L +2W
A = LW
dA = LdW + WdL
A is given. Therefore it is constant. dA = 0
0 = LdW + WdL
-WdL = LdW
dL/dW = -L/W
P = 2L +2W
dP = 2dL + 2dW
dP/dW = 2(dL/dW) + 2 = 0
2(dL/dW) = -2
dL/dW = -1
-L/W = -1
L = W (Square)

5. Find two numbers whose sum is a, if the product of one by the cube of the other is to be a
maximum.
Solution:
x+y=a
x=a–y
z=xy3
𝑧 = (𝑎 − 𝑦)𝑦 ! = 𝑎𝑦 ! − 𝑦 ( 𝑧 ) = 3𝑎𝑦 " − 4𝑦 ! = 0
1
(𝑦 " (3𝑎 − 4𝑦) = 0) K " L
𝑦
3𝑎 − 4𝑦 = 0
3𝑎 = 4𝑦
3𝑎
𝑦=
4
3𝑎 𝑎
𝑥=𝑎− =
4 4
6. A farmer has enough money to build only 100 meters of fence. What are the dimensions of the
field he can enclose the maximum area?
Solution:
100 = 2x + 2y
50 = x + y
x = 50 – y
𝐴 = 𝑥𝑦 = (50 − 𝑦)𝑦 = 50𝑦 − 𝑦 "
𝑑𝐴
= 50 − 2𝑦 = 0
𝑑𝑦
50 = 2𝑦
𝑦 = 25𝑚 𝑥 = 50 − 𝑦 = 25𝑚
7. The cost per hour of running a motor boat is proportional to the cube of the speed of the
boat. At what speed will the boat run against a current of 8 km/hr in order to go a given
distance most economically?

C/t = k x3

D = (x – 8) t t = D/(x – 8)

𝐶 𝐶 𝐷 𝑥!
= 𝑘𝑥 ! = 𝑘𝑥 ! 𝐶= 𝑘𝑥 ! 𝐶 = 𝐷𝑘 * +
𝑡 𝐷 𝑥−8 𝑥−8
𝑥−8

𝑑𝐶 3𝑥 " (𝑥 − 8) − 𝑥 !
= 𝐷𝑘 * +=0
𝑑𝑥 (𝑥 − 8)"

3𝑥2 (𝑥 − 8) − 𝑥3
=0
(𝑥 − 8)2
3𝑥 " (𝑥 − 8) − 𝑥 ! = 0

𝑥2 (3(𝑥 − 8) − 𝑥) = 0

3(𝑥 − 8) − 𝑥 = 0
3𝑥 − 24 − 𝑥 = 0.
2𝑥 − 24 = 0
𝑥 = 12 𝑘𝑝ℎ