Math 1210 City Development Project

A city development department is planning to install a power line from the

power junction box to the development site as shown in the image below.
Although going straight through the water would be the shortest distance,
running the wire through the water would cost more due to needed
insulation.
The wire could avoid the pond entirely by digging a trench 1600 feet along
the edge of the pond and then 800 feet north, however that would require
more wire.
Costs
Running through pond - 440$/foot
Running around pond - 330$/foot

Development
800 feet

Pond

1600 feet Power Junction

Box
First, we need to determine the cost of running the wire
directly through the pond as shown in the picture below.

Development

Pond
800 feet

1600 feet Power Junction

Box

We can find L by using the Pythagorean theorem

𝑎2 + 𝑏2 = 𝑐 2

In this case,
16002 + 8002 = 𝐿2

2,560,000 + 640,000 = 𝐿2

3,200,000 = 𝐿2

𝐿 = √3,200,000

𝐿 = 1,788.854382 ft

Because the wire is going through the water in this case, we need to multiply
the length by the cost which would be 440$/foot
440(1,788.854382) = 787,095.93
So, the cost of running the wire straight through the pond would be

$787,095.93

Now we need to calculate the cost of running the wire around

the pond as shown below.

Development
800 feet

Pond

1600 feet Power Junction

Box

In this case, we can find L Simple by adding the two sides together.
𝐿 = 1600 + 800
𝐿 = 2400 ft

Because we are going around the pond, we must multiply by the cost which is
330$/foot
330(2400) = 792,000

So, the cost of running the wire around the pond would be
$792,000.00

Next, we must find an equation that tells us the cost of

running the wire partially around and partially through the
pond.

First, we need to determine the length in terms of x

Below is a visual diagram of the variable length

Development
800 feet

L2
Pond

L1
x
Power Junction
1600 feet Box

Cost function:
𝐶𝑜𝑠𝑡 = 330(𝐿1) + 440(𝐿2)

In order to write this cost function in terms of x we need to find L1 and L2

𝐿1 = 1600 − 𝑥

𝐿2 = √8002 + 𝑥 2
So, our cost function in terms of x looks like:
𝐶(𝑥) = 330(1600 − 𝑥) + 440 (√8002 + 𝑥 2 )

This can be simplified to be:

𝐶(𝑥) = 528000 − 330𝑥 + 440√𝑥 2 + 640000

Our goal is to minimize the cost.

So first let’s differentiate 𝐶(𝑥) = 528000 − 330𝑥 + 440√𝑥2 + 640000

440 2 1
𝐶 ′ (𝑥) = −330 + (𝑥 + 640000)−2 ⋅ 2𝑥
2

Let’s simplify:
1
𝐶 ′ (𝑥) = −330 + 220(𝑥 2 + 640000)−2 ⋅ 2𝑥

1
𝐶 ′ (𝑥) = −330 + 440𝑥(𝑥 2 + 640000)−2

440𝑥
𝐶 ′ (𝑥) = −330 +
√𝑥 2 + 640000

√𝑥 2 + 640000 440𝑥
𝐶 ′ (𝑥) = −330 ( )+
√𝑥 2 + 640000 √𝑥 2 + 640000

−330√𝑥 2 + 640000 + 440𝑥

𝐶 ′ (𝑥) =
√𝑥 2 + 640000
Now let’s solve for 0
−330√𝑥 2 + 640000 + 440𝑥
=0
√𝑥 2 + 640000

Since the numerator is the part of the fraction that signifies it is equal to 0:

−330√𝑥 2 + 640000 + 440𝑥 = 0

440𝑥 = 330√𝑥 2 + 640000

440𝑥
= √𝑥 2 + 640000
330

44𝑥
= √𝑥 2 + 640000
33

44𝑥 2
( ) = 𝑥 2 + 640000
33

1936 2
𝑥 = 𝑥 2 + 640000
1089

1936 2
𝑥 − 𝑥 2 = 640000
1089

1936
𝑥2 ( − 1) = 640000
1089
 𝑥 2 (0.77777778) = 640000

640000
𝑥2 =
0.77777778

𝑥 2 = 822857.1429

𝑥 = √822857.1429

𝑥 = 907.1147352

Now we just need to double check that (907.1147352) is a

minimum x value.

907.115

C'(800)= -18.87 C'(1000)=13.58

Because the derivative is negative before 907.115 and positive after, that means
it is a minimum.
We still need to plug this value in to our cost function to find the final cost.

𝐶(907.1147352) = 528000 − 330(907.1147352) + 440√(907.1147352)2 + 640000

= 760826.1154

So, the cheapest cost of bringing the power line to the development would be

$760,826.12

Going back to our length equations

𝐿1 = 1600 − 𝑥

𝐿2 = √8002 + 𝑥 2

At our minimum:
𝐿1 = 692.885

𝐿2 = 1209.49

Now here’s a visual representation:

 Development

Pond
800 feet

692.885 ft
Power Junction
Box
1600 feet

Let’s find the angles now:

800
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 =
1209.49

800
sin−1 ( ) = 0.722731
1209.49

180
0.722731 ( ) = 41.4°
𝜋

Final visual representation of the most cost-effective path

800 feet Development

Pond

138.6
41.4

692.885 ft
Power Junction
Box
1600 feet

Graph of cost equation