SL Math: Unit 2B – Application of Calculus Worksheet for 2.
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OPTIMIZATION PROBLEMS
SET A
1. A rectangular field is to be fenced along the bank of a river and no fence is required along the river. If the amount of
fencing available is 100 m, find the dimensions of the field having the largest possible area.
2. A Norman window consists of a rectangle surmounted by a semi-circle.
Find the dimensions of the shape that will admit the most light, if the perimeter of the window is to be 14 m.
3. Find the area of the largest isosceles triangle that can be inscribed in a circle with a radius 80 cm.
4. An open topped box in the shape of a rectangular prism with a square base is to be constructed with 8000 cm2 of
material. Neglecting the effects of the thickness of the sides, find the dimensions of the box of maximum volume.
5. Find the dimensions of the right circular cylinder of greatest volume that can be inscribed in a right circular cone of
radius 5 cm and height 12 cm.
6. A right circular cone is to be inscribed inside a sphere of radius 10 cm. Find the ration dimensions of the cone of
largest possible volume.
SET B
1. A power house, P, is on one bank of a straight river 200 m wide, and a factory, F, is on the opposite bank 400 m down
stream from P. The cable has to be taken across the river under water at a cost of $6/m. On land the cost is $3/m.
What path should be chosen so that the cost is minimized?
2. A commuter train carries 2000 passengers daily from a suburb into a large city. The cost to ride the train is $7.00 per
person. Market research shows that 40 fewer people would ride the train for each $0.10 increase in the fare, and 40
more people would ride for every $0.10 decrease in the fare. If the capacity of the train is 2600 passengers, and
carrying fewer than 1600 passengers means costs exceed revenue, what fare should the railway charge to earn the
largest possible revenue?
3. Ship A is 65 km due east of ship B and is sailing south at 15 km/h. Ship B is sailing east at 10 km/h. Determine the
minimum distance between the ships and the time when it occurs.
4. Two towns A and B are 4 km and 8 km from the straight shore of a lake. D and E are the points on the shore nearest
to A and B respectively, and D and E are 9 km apart. A water pipeline is to be laid from a pumping station P on the
lake shore. Find the position of the pumping station so that the length of the pipe is a minimum.
5. A boat leaves a dock at 12:00 noon and heads west at a speed of 25km/h. Another boat heads north at 20 km/h and
reaches the same dock at 1:00 p.m. When were the boats closest to each other?
ANSWERS:
SET A: 1. 25m; 50m 2. 3.92m; 1.96 m 3. 4800 3 4. 25.82 cm 5. r = 10 cm, h = 4cm 6. r = 10 2 cm, h = 40 cm
3 3 3
SET B: 1. 200 m 2. 3. 54 km after 2 hours
3
4. 1 km from D and 8 km from E 5. 16 hours after noon, approx. 12:23
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