Application of Maxima and Minima

The following steps provide a general procedure which you can follow to solve maxima and minima

1. Where possible draw a diagram to illustrate the problem. Label the diagram and designate
your variables and constants. Note any restrictions on the values of the variables.

2. Write an expression for the quantity that is going to be maximized or minimized.

Eliminate some of the variables. Form an equation for this quantity in terms of a single
independent variable. This may require some algebraic manipulation.
3. If 𝑦 = 𝑓 𝑥 is the quantity to be maximized or minimized, find the values of 𝑥 for which
𝑓’(𝑥) = 0

4. Test each point for which f’(x) = 0 to determine if it is a local maximum , a local minimum
or nether.

5. If the function 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) is defined on an interval , such as [a,b] or [0,∞),Check the

values of the function at the end points
Maxima and Minima problems
Example 1:
Find the dimensions of a rectangle with perimeter 1000 meters so that the area of the rectangle is
a maximum.
Solution: Step 1:Let the length of the rectangle be 𝑥 m, the width be 𝑦 m, and the
Area be 𝐴 𝑚2
Step2: The perimeter of the rectangle is 1000meters. So
P = 2𝑥 + 2𝑦
1000 = 2𝑥 + 2𝑦
500 = 𝑥 + 𝑦
and hence
𝑦 = 500 − 𝑥
The area is given by 𝐴 = 𝑥𝑦 thus
𝐴 𝑥 = 𝑥 500 − 𝑥
𝐴 𝑥 = 500𝑥 − 𝑥 2 We call it equation 1

Because 𝑥 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦 are lengths, we must have 0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 500

The problem now reduces to finding the value of 𝑥 in 0,500 for which A is a maximum. Since 𝐴
is differentiable, the maximum must occur at an endpoint or a stationary point.
Step 3: From equation 1, we have 𝐴 𝑥 = 500𝑥 − 𝑥 2
𝑑𝐴
= 𝑑 500𝑥 − 𝑑 𝑥 2
𝑑𝑥
𝐴′ = 500 − 2x
0 = 500 − 2𝑥 Setting A’=0
2𝑥 = 500
𝑥 = 250
Hence, the possible values for A to be a maximum are 𝑥 = 0, 𝑥 = 250, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑥 = 500
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝐴 0 = 𝐴 500 = 0,the maximum value of A occurs when 𝑥 = 250
S𝑡𝑒𝑝 4: 𝑅𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟:
P = 2𝑥 + 2𝑦
→ 𝐴′ = 0 𝐴′ = 500 − 2x 1000 = 2(250) + 2y
2𝑦 = 1000 − 500
→ 𝐴′′ = −2
𝑦 = 250
We see that 𝑥 = 250 is a local maximum
𝑦 ′′ < 𝑦 ′ → −2 < 0
The graph of 𝐴 𝑥 = 500𝑥 − 𝑥 2 is a parabola with a negative coefficient of 𝑥 2 and a turning point
at 𝑥 = 250. this is a third way of establishing the local maximum. It is worth looking at the graph
of 𝐴(𝑥) against 𝑥

𝐴 𝑥 = 500𝑥 − 𝑥 2 𝐴 = 𝑙𝑤

𝐴 250 = 500(250) − (250)2 𝑥 = 250, 𝑦 = 250

𝐴 = 62500𝑚2
𝐴 250 = 62500𝑚2

𝑠𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒
Example 2:
A square sheet of a cardboard with each side a centimeters is to be used to make an open-top
box by cutting a small square of cardboard from each of the corners and bending up the sides.
What is the side length of the small squares if the box is to have as large a volume as possible?
Solution Step 1
Let the side length of the small squares be 𝑥 𝑐𝑚. The side length
of the open box is (𝑎 − 2𝑥) 𝑐𝑚. and the height is 𝑥 𝑐𝑚. Here 𝑎 is
constant and 𝑥 is the variable we will work with. We must have
𝑎
0≤𝑥≤
2
Step 2 The volume 𝑉 𝑐𝑚3 of the box is given by

𝑉 𝑥 = 𝑙𝑤ℎ
𝑉 𝑥 = 𝑥(𝑎 − 2𝑥)2 = 4𝑥 3 − 4𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 𝑥

𝑎 𝑎
Step 3 We have 𝑑(𝑉) = 𝑑 4𝑥 3 − 4𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 𝑥 𝑡ℎ𝑢𝑠 𝑉′ = 0 𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑥 = 𝑜𝑟 𝑥 =
𝑑𝑉 2 6
= 12𝑥 2 − 8𝑎𝑥 + 𝑎2
𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑉
= 2𝑥 − 𝑎 6𝑥 − 𝑎
𝑑𝑥
Step 4 𝑉 𝑥 = 4𝑥 3 − 4𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 𝑥
𝑎 3 𝑎 2 𝑎
𝑎 𝑎 𝑉=4 − 4𝑎 + 𝑎2
We note that 𝑥 = is an endpoint and that V =0 2 2 2
2 2 𝑎3 𝑎3
𝑉= 2
− 𝑎3 + 2
=0
→ 𝑉′ = 0 𝑉 ′′ = 24𝑥 − 8𝑎 = 8(3𝑥 − 𝑎)
𝑎 𝑎
→ 𝑉 ′′ = 4𝑎 𝑡ℎ𝑢𝑠 𝑥 = is a local minimum
2 𝑉 ′′ = 8 3 ∗ − 𝑎 = 4𝑎
2

𝑎 𝑎
We note that 𝑥 = is an endpoint and that V = 0.
6 6
𝑎
We will use the second derivative test for 𝑥 = . We have
6
𝑉 ′′ = 24𝑥 − 8𝑎 = 8(3𝑥 − 𝑎)
𝑎
→ 𝑉′ = 0 𝑉 ′′ = 8 3 ∗ − 𝑎 = −4𝑎
6
𝑎
→ 𝑉 ′′ = −4𝑎 𝑡ℎ𝑢𝑠 𝑥 = is a local maximum
6

𝑉 ′′< 𝑉 ′ , - 4a < 0
Step 5
𝑎 𝑎
The maximum value of the function is at 𝑥 = 𝑎𝑠 𝑉 0 = 𝑉 = 0. The Maximum
6 2
volume is 𝑉 𝑥 = 𝑥(𝑎 − 2𝑥)2 = 4𝑥 3 − 4𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 𝑥

Example: a cardboard of 12 inches

𝑎 = 12 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑠
𝑎 12
𝑥= = = 2 = ℎ ; 𝑎 − 2𝑥 = 12 − 2 2 = 8 = 𝑙 = 𝑤
6 6

𝑉 𝑥 = 𝑙𝑤ℎ 𝑉 𝑥 = 𝑥(𝑎 − 2𝑥)2 = 4𝑥 3 − 4𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 𝑥

3 2 2
=4 2 − 4 12 2 + 12 2
𝑉 𝑥 =8∗8∗2
= 4(8) − 4 12 (4) + 144 2
𝑉 𝑥 = 128𝑖𝑛3
= 32 − 192 + 288
= 32 − 192 + 288 = 128𝑖𝑛3
Example 3
A company wants to run a pipeline from a point on the shore to a point B on an island which is
6km from the shore. It costs $P per kilometer to run the pipeline on shore, and $Q per
kilometer to run it underwater. There is a point B’ on the shore so that BB’ is at right angles
to AB’. The straight shoreline is the line AB’. The distance AB’ is 9 km. find how the pipeline
should be laid to minimize the cost if
1. P = 4000 and Q = 5000
2. P = 5000 and Q=13000

𝑩′ 9 km A
Solution:
We will work through most of the problem without assigning values to P and Q.

a c

9 km
Suppose that the pipeline leaves the shores 𝑥 𝑘𝑚 from B’ at a point C between B’
and A. The distance 𝐴𝐶 𝑖𝑠 9 − 𝑥 𝑘𝑚. By Pythagorean theorem, the distance CB is
𝑐 2 = 𝑎2 + 𝑏2 2
𝐶𝐵 = 36 + 𝑥
𝐶𝐵 2 = 62 + 𝑥 2
It is important to note that 0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 9
 Step 2
Let $T be the total cost. Then 𝑄𝑥
𝑇′ = 1 −P
36 + 𝑥2 2

Second derivative
1
−
𝑇′ = 𝑄𝑥 36 + 𝑥 2 2 −P
1
2 −2
𝑇′ = 𝑄𝑑 𝑥 36 + 𝑥 − dP
𝑑 𝑢𝑣
1 1
− −
𝑇′′ = 𝑄 𝑥𝑑 36 + 𝑥 2 2 + 36 + 𝑥 2 2 𝑑𝑥 − dP
𝑇 𝑥 = 𝑃 9 − 𝑥 + 𝑄 36 + 𝑥 2 Equation 1
1 3 1
Step 3 We have = 𝑄 − 𝑥 36 + 𝑥 2 −
2 (2𝑥) + 36 + 𝑥 2 −
2 −P
2
𝑑𝑇 1
3 1
= 𝑑𝑄 36 + 𝑥 2 2 + 𝑑𝑃 9 − 𝑥 =𝑄 36 + 𝑥 2 −
2 + 36 + 𝑥 2 −
2 −P
𝑑𝑥 𝑄𝑑 𝑢𝑛
1
3
= 𝑄𝑑 36 + 𝑥 2 2 + 𝑃𝑑 9 − 𝑥 =𝑄 36 + 𝑥 2 −
2 −𝑥 2 + 36 + 𝑥 2 −P
1 −
1
−
3
=𝑄 36 + 𝑥 2 2 2𝑥 + 𝑃 −1 = 𝑄 36 + 𝑥 2 2 (36) −P
2
𝑄36
𝑥 𝑇′′ = 3 −P
=𝑄 1 −𝑃 36 + 𝑥2 2
36 + 𝑥 2 2
 𝑄𝑥 𝑄2 − 𝑃2 𝑥 2 36𝑃2
𝑇′ = −P = 2
1 𝑄2 − 𝑃2 𝑄 − 𝑃2
36 + 𝑥2 2 36𝑃2
2
𝑥 = 2
Solving 𝑇 ′ = 0 gives 𝑄 − 𝑃2

𝑄𝑥 36𝑃2
−P=0 𝑥=
1 𝑄2 − 𝑃2
36 + 2
𝑥 2
6𝑃
𝑄𝑥 𝑥= Equation 2
1 =P 𝑄2 −𝑃2
36 + 𝑥2 2
1
𝑄𝑥 = P 36 + 𝑥 2 2 1. P = 4000 and Q = 5000
1 2 6(4000)
𝑄𝑥 = P 36 + 𝑥 2 2 𝑥= = 8 ; 9 − 𝑥 = 9 − 8 → 8,1
(5000)2 −(4000)2

2
𝑄𝑥 = 𝑃2 36 + 𝑥 2

𝑄2 𝑥 2 = 𝑃2 36 + 𝑥 2
𝑄2 𝑥 2 = 36𝑃2 + 𝑥 2 𝑃2
𝑄2 𝑥 2 − 𝑥 2 𝑃2 = 36𝑃2
𝑄2 − 𝑃2 𝑥 2 = 36𝑃2 2. P = 5000 and Q=13000
6(5000) 5 5 5 13
𝑥= = ;9 −𝑥 = 9 − → ,
(13000)2 −(5000)2 2 2 2 2
 𝑄𝑥
6𝑃 6𝑃
𝑇′ = 1 −P
We note that 𝑥 = is an endpoint and that V =0 36 + 2
𝑥 2
𝑄 2 −𝑃2 𝑄 2 −𝑃2
Using second derivative test 𝑄36
𝑇′′ = 3 −P
36 + 𝑥 2 2
→ 𝑇′ = 0
36𝑄
→ 𝑇′′ = 3
36 + 2
𝑥 2
36𝑄
𝑇 ′′ > 0 , 3 >0
36+𝑥 2 2

𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑥, ℎ𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑟𝑢𝑙𝑒 𝑇 𝑥 .
S𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑎 𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑎𝑙 minimum may occur outside the interval [0,9]
 𝑇 𝑥 = 𝑃 9 − 𝑥 + 𝑄 36 + 𝑥 2

1. P = 4000 and Q = 5000 2. P = 5000 and Q=13000

6(4000) 6(5000) 5 5 5 13
𝑥= = 8 ; 9 − 𝑥 = 9 − 1 → 8,1 𝑥= = ;9 −𝑥 = 9 − → ,
(5000)2 −(4000)2 (13000)2 −(5000)2 2 2 2 2

𝑇 𝑥 = 4000 1 + 5000 36 + 64 13 5
𝑇 𝑥 = 5000 + 13000 36 +
𝑇 𝑥 = 54000 2 2

𝑇 𝑥 = 113162