Consider the following problem: a farmer with 950 feet of fencing wants to enclose a rectangular area and then divide it into four pens with fencing parallel to one side of the rectangle. What is the largest possible total area of the four pens? (a) Draw several diagrams illustrating the situation, some with shallow, wide pens and some with deep, narrow pens. Find the total areas of these configurations. Does it appear that there is a maximum area? If so, estimate it. (b) Draw a diagram illustrating the general situation. Let x denote the length of each of two sides and three dividers. Let y denote the length of the other two sides. (c) Write an expression for the total area A in terms of both x and y. A =        (d) Use the given information to write an equation that relates the variables.       (e) Use part (d) to write the total area as a function of one variable. A(x) =        (f) Finish solving the problem by finding the largest area (in ft2).

Elementary Geometry For College Students, 7e
7th Edition
ISBN:9781337614085
Author:Alexander, Daniel C.; Koeberlein, Geralyn M.
Publisher:Alexander, Daniel C.; Koeberlein, Geralyn M.
Chapter8: Areas Of Polygons And Circles
Section8.2: Perimeter And Area Of Polygons
Problem 34E: The farmer in Exercise 33 has decided to take the fencing purchased and use it to enclose the...
icon
Related questions
icon
Concept explainers
Topic Video
Question
Consider the following problem: a farmer with 950 feet of fencing wants to enclose a rectangular area and then divide it into four pens with fencing parallel to one side of the rectangle. What is the largest possible total area of the four pens?
(a)
Draw several diagrams illustrating the situation, some with shallow, wide pens and some with deep, narrow pens. Find the total areas of these configurations. Does it appear that there is a maximum area? If so, estimate it.
(b)
Draw a diagram illustrating the general situation. Let x denote the length of each of two sides and three dividers. Let y denote the length of the other two sides.
(c)
Write an expression for the total area A in terms of both x and y.
A = 
 
 
 
(d)
Use the given information to write an equation that relates the variables.
 
 
 
(e)
Use part (d) to write the total area as a function of one variable.
A(x) = 
 
 
 
(f)
Finish solving the problem by finding the largest area (in ft2).
Expert Solution
trending now

Trending now

This is a popular solution!

steps

Step by step

Solved in 3 steps with 3 images

Blurred answer
Knowledge Booster
Application of Algebra
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, calculus and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.
Recommended textbooks for you
Elementary Geometry For College Students, 7e
Elementary Geometry For College Students, 7e
Geometry
ISBN:
9781337614085
Author:
Alexander, Daniel C.; Koeberlein, Geralyn M.
Publisher:
Cengage,
Elementary Geometry for College Students
Elementary Geometry for College Students
Geometry
ISBN:
9781285195698
Author:
Daniel C. Alexander, Geralyn M. Koeberlein
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
College Algebra
College Algebra
Algebra
ISBN:
9781305115545
Author:
James Stewart, Lothar Redlin, Saleem Watson
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Algebra: Structure And Method, Book 1
Algebra: Structure And Method, Book 1
Algebra
ISBN:
9780395977224
Author:
Richard G. Brown, Mary P. Dolciani, Robert H. Sorgenfrey, William L. Cole
Publisher:
McDougal Littell