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150 feet of fencing 10 foot opening for entrance what dimensions of garden for maximum area? find quadractic equation for area of garden, dimesions of garden so area is maximized, max area of garden?

Lisa489

by Lisa489 at December 15, 2010

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Assuming a rectangular plot: Let X be length of each of two sides.  Since the gate is 10 feet, the total perimeter is 160.  160-2x is the amount left over for the other two sides.  Thus,one of these sides is 80-x. The area function A(x) = (80-x)(x) or 80x -x^2 Take the derivative of this function (see below for alternate solution): This is the slope and it = 80-2x.  Set this equal to zero because the maximum value of the function will be where the slope equals zero.  x = 40 and 80-x is 40.  The maximum rectangular area is 1600 ft^2..  The maximum rectangular area will always be a square under these conditions.  If you don't know calculus, use the x =  -b/2a formula to find the axis of symmetry.  This axis goes through the maximum.  b = 80 and a = -1 so x = -80/-2 = 40 and 80-x = 40. However, try a circle of 160 ft  circumference (includes 10 foot gate).  That gives you a radius of 25.46 ft and an area of over 2037 sq. ft.

kroo_jteague kroo_jteague December 15, 2010

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Lisa -A big part of advanced algebra is being able to picture in your mind (or a sketch on paper) what the problem is asking.For this problem, you have a rectangular garden that has a perimeter of 150 feet.  You might want to draw what I'm describing on paper:One side has a ten foot opening and let's say this side has length "x" feet.  The side opposite the side with the opening must be (x + 10) feet.  Now the other two sides of this rectangular garden are equal, so let them both equal y.  Whew!   Now, let's put that all into our first equation:150 = x + (x+10) + y + y, or to simplify140 = 2x + 2yNow maximize the area in the garden which is:A = x * y.  But, we need to get this equation in one variable (x or y), so use the first equation and solve for x:If 140 = 2x + 2y, then x = 70 - y.  Now substitute this into A = x * y.A = (70-y) * y = 70y - y^2.This is the quadratic you want to maximize.  This is simply a parabola, so find the vertex and you will have found the maximum.

Steve204 Steve204 December 15, 2010

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