AA HL Maths

Date _________________

Applications of Stationary Points: Optimisation

Differentiation can be used to find the maximum or minimum in applied problems.
Example
A 5m long rope is used to mark out a rectangular plot of width x m against a wall as shown.

Find an expression for the area A m2 and use calculus to calculate the maximum possible area.
The length of the plot is 5 – 2x, so

A = x(5 – 2x) = 5x – 2x2

𝑑𝐴
The area is a maximum when 𝑑𝑥 = 0
⇒ 5 − 4x = 0
x = 1.25 and A = 3.125 m2

Questions:
1.

1
 2.

3.

4.

5.

2
Answers
1.

2. (a) Area = x(30 − x) = 30x − x2

𝑑𝐴
𝑑𝑥
= 30 − 2𝑥 so A is a max when x = 15. Max area = 225m2
(b) Perimeter = 2x + 2(30 − x) = 60m. It is independent of x.

3
3.

4.
(
Distance = speed ✕ time = 1 −
1
𝑤 ) 5
𝑤
= 5𝑤
−1
− 5𝑤
15
−3/2

Differentiating with respect to w gives − 5w−2 + 2

w− 5/2 = 0 at a max
Solving gives weight = 2.25 g

4
5.