Optimization: Application of extrema to word problems
Example 1: The sum of two positive numbers is 12. What are these numbers if their product is a
maximum.
Let x be one of the two positive numbers
Let y be the other positive numbers
x + y = 12
y = 12 – x
P = xy
P = x(12 – x)
P = 12x – x2
Then find the first derivative
P = 12x – x2
P = 12 – 2x
Set the first derivative equal to zero
P’ = 12 – 2x
12 – 2x = 0
-2x = -12
x=6
Test:
P’ = 12 – 2x
P’’ = -2
P’’ < 0
The maximum value occurs when x = 6
y = 12 – x
y = 12 – 6
y=6
Therefore, the two positive numbers are 6 and 6.
Example 2: A rectangular box is to be made from a piece of
cardboard 24 cm long and 9 cm wide by cutting out identical
squares from the four corners and turning up the sides. Find
the volume of the largest rectangular box that can be
formed.
Solution:
Let s be the length of the side of the squares to be cut out,
and imagine the “flaps” being turned up to form the box. The length, width and height of the box would
then be 24 - 2s, 9 - 2s, and s, respectively. Therefore, the volume of the box is
V (s) = (24 - 2s)(9 - 2s)s
= 2(108s - 33s2 + 2s3).
We wish to maximize V (s) but note that s should be nonnegative and should not be more than half the
width of the cardboard. That is, s ∈ [0, 4.5]. (The case s = 0 or s = 4.5 does not produce any box because
one of the dimensions would become zero; but to make the interval closed and bounded, we can think
of those cases as degenerate boxes with zero volume). Since V is just a polynomial, it is continuous on
the closed and bounded interval [0, 4.5]. Thus, the Extreme Value Theorem applies. Now
V' (s) = 216 - 132s + 12s2
= 4(54 - 33s + 3s2)
= 4(3s - 6)(s - 9)
and hence the only critical number of V in (0, 4.5) is 2 (s = 9 is outside the interval).
We now compare the functional values at the endpoints and at the critical points:
s 0 2 4.5
V (s) 0 200 0
Therefore, from the table, we see that V attains its maximum at s = 2, and the maximum volume is equal
to V (2) = 200 cm3.
Example 3: Determine the dimensions of the right circular cylinder of greatest volume that can be
inscribed in a right circular cone of radius 6 cm and height 9 cm.
Solution:
Let h and r respectively denote the height and radius of the
cylinder. The volume of the cylinder is π r 2 h .
Looking at the central cross-section of the cylinder and the
cone, we can see similar triangles, and so
6 9
=
6−r h
We can now write our objective function as
V (r)= 9 π r 2-
3 3
πr
2
=3 π r 2(3 - ),
r
2
and it is to be maximized. Clearly, r ∈ [0, 6]. Since V is continuous on [0, 6], the Extreme Value Theorem
is applicable.
Now,
V' (r) = 18 π r -
9 2
πr
2
= 9 π r (2 - )
r
2
Our only critical number is 4 on (0, 6). We now compare the functional values at the endpoints and at
the critical points:
r 0 4 6
V (r) 0 48 0
π
We see that the volume is maximized when r = 4, with value V (4) = 48 π . To find the dimensions, we
solve for h from (2.4)
If r = 4,
6 9
= h = 3.
6−2 h
Therefore, the largest circular cylinder that can be inscribed in the given cone has dimensions r = 4 cm
and height h = 3 cm
Example 4: You are asked to fence a rectangular region and maximize the area. You are given 260 meters
of fencing materials. What should be the dimensions of the rectangular region?
P = 2x + 2y
260 = 2x + 2y
130 = x + y
y = 130 – x
A = xy
A = x(130 – x)
A = 130x – x2
dA
= 130 – 2x
dx
130 – 2x = 0
-2x = -130
x = 65
Test:
2
d A
= 130 – 2x
dx
2
d A
= -2
dx
2
d A
=<0
dx
The maximum value occurs when x = 65
y = 130 – x
y = 130 – 65
y = 65
The width = 65 meters
length = 65 meters
