Lesson 29

APPLICATION PROBLEMS
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the lesson, the student must be able to:
• identify the quantity to be maximized or minimized,
• apply the knowledge of derivatives and critical
points in solving maximum and minimum problems
and
• solve maximum and minimum problems with ease
and accuracy.
 Maxima and Minima Problems

• Steps in Finding the Absolute Extrema of a Continuous

Function f of Two Variables on a Closed and Bounded Set R
1. Find the critical points of f that lie in the interior of R.
2. Find all boundary points at which the absolute extrema
can occur.
3. Evaluate 𝑓(𝑥,𝑦) at the points obtained in the preceding
steps. The largest of these values is the absolute
maximum and the smallest the absolute minimum.
Examples:
1. Find three positive numbers whose sum is 48 and such
that their product is as large as possible.
• let x, y, z – be three positive numbers
x + y + z = 48; z = 48 –x – y => eq1
P = xyz => eq2
• eq1 in eq2
P = xy(48 – x – y); P = 48xy – x2y – xy2
• Px= 48y – 2xy – y2
• Py= 48x – x2 – 2xy
• Let Px= 0 and Py= 0
48y – 2xy – y2 = 0 and 48x – x2 – 2xy = 0
y(48 – 2x – y) = 0 x(48 – x – 2y) = 0
48 – 2x = y 48 – 2y = x
Substitute y = 48 – 2x in x = 48 – 2y
x = 48 – 2(48 – 2x)
x = 48 –96 + 4x
48 = 3x
x = 16
Substitute x in y = 48 – 2x: y = 48 – 2(16) = 16
Substitute x and y in z = 48 – x – y
z = 48 –16 –16
z = 16
• 𝑥 = 16, 𝑦 = 16, 𝑧 = 16
2. Determine the dimensions of a rectangular box, open at the top,
having a volume of 32𝑓𝑡3, and requiring the least amount of
material for its construction.
• Let x = length of the box; y= width of the box; z = height of
the box
S = surface area of the box
• S = 𝑥𝑦 + 2𝑥𝑧 + 2𝑦𝑧
• 𝑥𝑦𝑧 = 32; 𝑧 = 32/𝑥𝑦
• Substitute z = 32/xy in S = 𝑥𝑦 + 2𝑥𝑧 + 2𝑦𝑧
𝑆 = 𝑥𝑦 + 2𝑥(32/𝑥𝑦) + 2𝑦(32/𝑥𝑦); 𝑆 = 𝑥𝑦 + 64/𝑦 + 64/x
Activity: p.987
1. Find three positive numbers whose sum is 36 and such that their
product is as large as possible.
2. Find three positive numbers whose sum is 36 and such that the
sum of their squares is as small as possible.
3. Find all points on the portion of the plane 𝑥 + 𝑦 + 𝑧 = 5 in the first
octant at which 𝑓(𝑥,𝑦,𝑧) = 𝑥𝑦2𝑧2 has a maximum value.
4. Find the points on the surface 𝑥2 − 𝑦𝑧 = 9 that are closest to the
origin.
5. Find the dimensions of the rectangular box of maximum volume
that can be inscribed in a sphere of radius a.