Q:

A fence must be built to enclose a rectangular area of 5000 ftsquared. fencing material costs $ 3 per foot for the two sides facing north and south and ​$6 per foot for the other two sides. find the cost of the least expensive fence.

Accepted Solution

A:
The cost of the least expensive fence is required.The cost of the least expensive fence is $1200.Let [tex]x[/tex] be the length of the north and south facing sideand [tex]y[/tex] be the length of the other two sides.The area is[tex]A=xy\\\Rightarrow 5000=xy\\\Rightarrow y=\dfrac{5000}{x}[/tex]Cost of north and south facing side is $3 per footCost of other sides is $6 per foot.Cost of the fence is[tex]C=3(2x)+6(2y)\\\Rightarrow C=6x+\dfrac{6\times 2\times 5000}{x}\\\Rightarrow C=6x+\dfrac{60000}{x}[/tex]Differentiating with respect to [tex]x[/tex][tex]C'=6-\dfrac{60000}{x^2}[/tex]Equating with zero[tex]0=6-\dfrac{60000}{x^2}\\\Rightarrow x=\sqrt{\dfrac{60000}{6}}\\\Rightarrow x=100[/tex]Double derivative of the function is[tex]C''=\dfrac{120000}{x^3}\\\Rightarrow C''(100)=\dfrac{120000}{100^3}=0.12>0[/tex]Since, it is greater than zero the cost will be minimum at [tex]x=100[/tex]Finding [tex]y[/tex][tex]y=\dfrac{5000}{100}\\\Rightarrow y=50[/tex]The cost is[tex]C=3\times 2\times 100+6\times2\times 50=1200[/tex]Learn more: