SOLUTION: A rectangle is inscribed in a circle: x^2 + y^2 = 9. Find the dimensions of the rectangle with the maximum area.

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Question 1201003: A rectangle is inscribed in a circle: x^2 + y^2 = 9.
Find the dimensions of the rectangle with the maximum area.

Found 3 solutions by Alan3354, greenestamps, Edwin McCravy:
Answer by Alan3354(69443)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
x^2 + y^2 = 9
-----------
Not clear.

Answer by greenestamps(13198)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!


The circle has radius 3.

The diagonal of any rectangle inscribed in the circle is a diameter of the circle, which is 6.

Given that a rectangle has a diagonal of length 6, the maximum area of the rectangle is if the rectangle is a square.

If the diagonal of a square is 6, the side length of the square is .

ANSWER: The rectangle with maximum area inscribed in a circle of radius 3 is a square with side length .


Answer by Edwin McCravy(20054)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!

Tutor greenestamps above assumed that a rectangle of maximum area inscribed in
a circle is a square.  If you are not a calculus student, and/or your teacher
says that can be assumed, indeed his solution is acceptable.  Below I have
shown the solution in case that assumption is not permitted.



The area of the rectangle is given by A = (2x)(2y) = 4xy
We want to show that the rectangle is a square, that 
the length = 2x = the width 2y, or x = y and, as greenestamps 
essentially stated:







Rationalizing the denominator


So the length and with are both 2x = 2y = 

----------------------------------------------------------------------

However in case you are required to prove that the rectangle is a square:
 
We will take the point (x,y) in QI so x and y are both positive.



We want to show that x = y so that the dimensions, 2x by 2y are the same.

Squaring both sides and differentiating explicitly avoids messy 
square roots and fraction exponents:






Since A = 4xy, divide the left side by A and the right side by 4xy



We need 







Substituting,



We set that equal to 0





Since x and y are both positive


That is what we needed to prove.

Edwin

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