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Homework Statement
A load must be suspended 6m below a high ceiling using cables attached to two supports that are 2m apart. How fare below the ceiling (x in figure) should the cables be joined to minimize the total length of the cable used? They give a figure, which I am butchering here.
Code:
|2m|
--------------------
\ / |
\/ |x is this length
|
|
| | 6m is from top to bottom
[]
Homework Equations
This is in Calc 1, under optimization problems. So generally we are looking at minimum and maximum values using first and second derivatives.
The Attempt at a Solution
This is clearly a minimization problem, which means I will be taking a first derivative at some point. I am perplexed as to what actual form to put this in though, as I know I need to ultimately find the length of cable, which would seem to be something like 6 + x, but this does not feel right, and from here I don't know where to go.