Question on optimization and limits

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around optimizing the dimensions of a rectangular poster that contains a specified area of printing while accounting for margins. The problem involves calculus concepts related to area and perimeter optimization.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss different approaches to formulating the problem, including defining variables for the overall dimensions and the printed area. Questions arise regarding the meaning of equating area to perimeter and the correct method for minimizing the overall area of the poster.

Discussion Status

There are multiple interpretations of the problem, with some participants suggesting different methods for optimization. Guidance has been offered on how to set up the relationships between the dimensions and the area, but no consensus has been reached on the optimal approach.

Contextual Notes

Some participants express confusion about the application of calculus techniques, such as L'Hôpital's rule, in a limit problem that appears to be unrelated to the poster optimization task.

semc
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You are designing a rectangular poster to contain 50 cm2 of printing with margins of
4 cm each at the top and bottom and 2 cm at each side. What overall dimensions will
minimize the amount of paper used?

What i did was let the length and breath of the whole poster to be x and y so the area would be 50=(x-4)*(y-8) and perimeter=2(x-4)+2(y-8). Equate the area into the perimeter and differentiate Perimeter wrt y. However i got x=y which means its the maximum area?

Limit as x tends to 0 \frac{e^x + e^-^x -2}{1-cos2x}
Applied Hopital rule once and got 0/2 however answer is 1/2. Am i correct?
 
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semc said:
You are designing a rectangular poster to contain 50 cm2 of printing with margins of
4 cm each at the top and bottom and 2 cm at each side. What overall dimensions will
minimize the amount of paper used?

What i did was let the length and breath of the whole poster to be x and y so the area would be 50=(x-4)*(y-8) and perimeter=2(x-4)+2(y-8). Equate the area into the perimeter and differentiate Perimeter wrt y. However i got x=y which means its the maximum area?
What does it mean to "equate the area into the perimeter"?

I would approach this in a different way by letting w and h represent the width and height, respectively of the printed area. From these definitiions you get wh = 50.

Now what you want to do is to minimize the area (not perimeter) of the overall piece of poster paper, so you want to minimize A = (w + 4)(h + 8). Use the other relationship to rewrite A as a function of only one variable, and then do your calculus magic.

The stuff below seems to be unrelated to this problem.
semc said:
Limit as x tends to 0 \frac{e^x + e^-^x -2}{1-cos2x}
Applied Hopital rule once and got 0/2 however answer is 1/2. Am i correct?
 
for the 2nd problm... apply it once again...it will give the correct answer
after applyin it once it still gives 0/0 form...
 
Got it guys thanks
 

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