Question #348497

Find an equation of the line through the point (3, 5) that cuts off the least area from the first quadrant?

1
Expert's answer
2022-06-07T00:26:05-0400

The general equation of a straight line is y=mx+b,y=mx+b, where m is a slope, and b is the intercept on the y-axis.

Suppose the line passing through the points (3, 5) and (0, b).




Then we have:

5=3m+b,5=3m+b,

3m=5b,3m=5-b,

m=5b3.m=\frac{5-b}{3}.

We have found the slope, so the equation of the curve is:

y=5b3x+b.y=\frac{5-b}{3}x+b.


Now we can find the intercept on the x-axis (y=0):

0=5b3x+b,0=\frac{5-b}{3}x+b,

5b3x=b,\frac{5-b}{3}x=-b,

x=3b5b=3bb5.x=\frac{-3b}{5-b}=\frac{3b}{b-5}.


The area of the right triangle is S=12abS=\frac{1}{2}ab , so we have

S=12b3bb5=3b22(b5).S=\frac{1}{2}b\frac{3b}{b-5}=\frac{3b^2}{2(b-5)}.

To find its minimum we have to find the derivative:

S=6b2(b5)3b224(b5)2=12b260b6b24(b5)2=S'=\frac{6b\cdot 2(b-5)-3b^2\cdot 2}{4(b-5)^2}=\frac{12b^2-60b-6b^2}{4(b-5)^2}=

=6b260b4(b5)2=6b(b10)4(b5)2.=\frac{6b^2-60b}{4(b-5)^2}=\frac{6b(b-10)}{4(b-5)^2}.


S=0S'=0 when b=0 or b=10.




So b=10 produce the least area, and

m=5b3=5103=53.m=\frac{5-b}{3}=\frac{5-10}{3}=-\frac{5}{3}.


The equation of the line through the point (3, 5) that cuts off the least area from the first quadrant is

y=53x+10.y=-\frac{5}{3}x+10.


Answer: y=53x+10.y=-\frac{5}{3}x+10.


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