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? asked in Science & MathematicsMathematics · 1 decade ago

please help with calculus optimization problem.?

a box with a square base and a closed top has a volume of 3000 cubic feet. the top costs $4 sq. ft, the bottom costs $8 sq. ft, and the sides cost $2 sq ft. Find the dimensions of the box that will minimize its total cost of construction. Im not so sure on how to do this and my final exam is tomorrow.

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  • 1 decade ago
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    let the sides of square be a ft. (breath= a ft) and height of box be h ft.

    then total area of bottom=a^2

    cost of bottom=8a^2

    area of sides= 2ah

    cost of sides= 2*(2ah)= 4ah

    area of top= a^2

    cost of top= 4a^2

    total cost= (4a^2)+(8a^2)+(4ah)

    =(12a^2)+4ah

    now it is given that total volume=3000 cubic ft

    therefore, (area of base*height)=3000

    (a^2)*h=3000

    use h=[(3000)/(a^2)]

    expression for cost becomes

    12(a^2)+{4a*(3000/(a^2))}

    =12(a^2)+12000/a

    simply differentiate and get the answer

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