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Optimization Exercises

The document presents a series of optimization problems involving geometric shapes and profit maximization. Each problem requires finding dimensions or prices that minimize or maximize certain criteria, such as perimeter, area, or profit. The problems cover various scenarios including rectangles, boxes, cylindrical containers, and windows.

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ceramos10
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12 views3 pages

Optimization Exercises

The document presents a series of optimization problems involving geometric shapes and profit maximization. Each problem requires finding dimensions or prices that minimize or maximize certain criteria, such as perimeter, area, or profit. The problems cover various scenarios including rectangles, boxes, cylindrical containers, and windows.

Uploaded by

ceramos10
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Optimization Exercises: Solve the following problems.

1) Find the rectangle with 𝐴 = 100 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑠 2 that has the smallest perimeter. (Take note that
squares are a type of rectangle.)

2) You want to sell a certain number 𝑛 of items to maximize your profit. Market research
tells you that if you set the price at $1.50, you will be able to sell 5000 𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑠, and for every
10 𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠 you lower the price below $1.50 you will be able to sell another 1000 𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑠.
Suppose that your fixed costs (“start-up costs”) total $2000, and the per item cost of
production (“marginal cost”) is $0.50. Find the price to set per item and the number of
items sold in order to maximize profit, and also determine the maximum profit you can
get.

3) Suppose you want to reach a point A that is located across the sand from a nearby
road. Suppose that the road is straight, and 𝑏 is the distance from A to the closest point
C on the road. Let 𝑣 be your speed on the road, and let 𝑤, which is less than 𝑣, be your
speed on the sand. Right now, you are at the point D, which is a distance 𝑎 from C. At
what point B should you turn off the road and head across the sand in order to minimize
your travel time to A?

4) Find the dimensions of the rectangle of largest area having fixed perimeter 𝑃 =
100 units.

5) A box with square base and no top is to hold a volume 𝑉 = 100 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑠 3 . Find the
dimensions of the box that requires the least material for the five sides. Also find the ratio
of height to side of the base.

6) A box with square base is to hold a volume 𝑉 = 200 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑠 3 . The bottom and top are
formed by folding in flaps from all four sides, so that the bottom and top consist of two
layers of cardboard. Find the dimensions of the box that requires the least material. Also
find the ratio of height to side of the base.

7) You have 100 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑡 of fence to make a rectangular play area alongside the wall of your
house. The wall of the house bounds one side. What is the largest size possible (in square
feet) for the play area?

8) Marketing tells you that if you set the price of an item at $10 then you will be unable to
sell it, but that you can sell 500 𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑠 for each dollar below $10 that you set the price.
Suppose your fixed costs total $3000, and your marginal cost is $2 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑚. What is the
most profit you can make?

9) Find the area of the largest rectangle that fits inside a semicircle of radius 𝑟 = 10 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑠
(one side of the rectangle is along the diameter of the semicircle).

10) For a cylinder with surface area 𝐴 = 50 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑠 2 , including the top and the bottom, find
the ratio of height to base radius that maximizes the volume.

11) You want to make cylindrical containers to hold 1 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑟 using the least amount of
construction material. The side is made from a rectangular piece of material, and this can
be done with no material wasted. However, the top and bottom are cut from squares of
side 2𝑟, so that 2(2𝑟)2 = 8𝑟 2 of material is needed (rather than 2𝜋𝑟 2 , which is the total
area of the top and bottom). Find the dimensions of the container using the least amount
of material, and also find the ratio of height to radius for this container.

12) A piece of cardboard is 1 𝑚 × 1⁄2 𝑚. A square is to be cut from each corner and the
sides folded up to make an open-top box. What are the dimensions of the box with
maximum possible volume?

13) A square piece of cardboard of side 𝑎 is used to make an open-top box by cutting out
a small square from each corner and bending up the sides. How large a square should
be cut from each corner in order that the box have maximum volume? What if the piece
of cardboard used to make the box is a rectangle of sides 𝑎 and 𝑏?
14) A window consists of a rectangular piece of clear glass with a semicircular piece of
colored glass on top; the colored glass transmits only 1⁄2 as much light per unit area as
the the clear glass. If the distance from top to bottom (across both the rectangle and the
semicircle) is 2 𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 and the window may be no more than 1.5 𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 wide, find the
dimensions of the rectangular portion of the window that lets through the most light.

15) The U.S. post office will accept a box for shipment only if the sum of the length and
girth (distance around) is at most 108 𝑖𝑛. Find the dimensions of the largest acceptable
box with square front and back.

16) A conical paper cup is to hold 1⁄4 of a liter. Find the height and radius of the cone
which minimizes the amount of paper needed to make the cup. Use the formula
𝜋𝑟√𝑟 2 + ℎ2 for the area of the side of a cone.

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