[SOLVED]another maximum/min problem

DeusAbscondus

Active member
*(Incidentally, Is there a collective term for the expression "maxima and minima problems", like, for instance: "optima problems" or "optimizing problems"?)

Main question:

Could someone take a look at my working out, attached as geogebra screenshot, for the following problem:

If the time taken from A to B is given by
$$T=\frac{\sqrt{100^2+x^2}}{3}+100-\frac{x}{5}$$
find a value for x which minimizes time taken for the journey.

Thanks,
deusabs

MarkFL

Administrator
Staff member
At the point where you have:

$\displaystyle 25x^2=9x^2+9(100^2)$

You want to finish with:

$\displaystyle 16x^2=90000$

$\displaystyle x^2=5625$

Taking the positive root, we have:

$\displaystyle x=75$

edit: These types of problems are commonly referred to as optimization problems.

DeusAbscondus

Active member
At the point where you have:

$\displaystyle 25x^2=9x^2+9(100^2)$

You want to finish with:

$\displaystyle 16x^2=90000$

$\displaystyle x^2=5625$

Taking the positive root, we have:

$\displaystyle x=75$

edit: These types of problems are commonly referred to as optimization problems.
Thanks kindly Mark, for putting me out of my misery.
Regs,
DeusAbs

Sudharaka

Well-known member
MHB Math Helper
*(Incidentally, Is there a collective term for the expression "maxima and minima problems", like, for instance: "optima problems" or "optimizing problems"?)

Main question:

Could someone take a look at my working out, attached as geogebra screenshot, for the following problem:

If the time taken from A to B is given by
$$T=\frac{\sqrt{100^2+x^2}}{3}+100-\frac{x}{5}$$
find a value for x which minimizes time taken for the journey.

Thanks,
deusabs
Hi DeusAbscondus,

In your attachment you have written,

$25x^2=9x^2+9(100^2)$

$\Rightarrow 5x=3x+300$

So you have taken the square root of both sides and assumed that, $$\sqrt{9x^2+9(100^2)}=\sqrt{9x^2}+\sqrt{9(100^2)}$$ which is incorrect.

Kind Regards,
Sudharaka.