SOLUTION: Among all pairs of numbers (x,y) such that 8x+2y=18, find the pair for which the sum of squares, x2+y2, is minimum. Write your answers as fractions reduced to lowest terms.

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Question 1136263: Among all pairs of numbers (x,y) such that 8x+2y=18, find the pair for which the sum of squares, x2+y2, is minimum. Write your answers as fractions reduced to lowest terms.
Found 2 solutions by ankor@dixie-net.com, ikleyn:
Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Among all pairs of numbers (x,y) such that 8x+2y=18, find the pair for which the sum of squares, x2+y2, is minimum.
Write your answers as fractions reduced to lowest terms.
:
8x + 2y = 18
simplify, divide by 2
4x + y = 9
y = -4x + 9
:
sum = x^2 + y^2
replace y with (-4x+9)
sum = x^2 + (-4x+9)^2
FOIL (-4x+9)(-4x+9)
sum = x^2 + 16x^2 - 36x - 36x + 81
sum = 17x^2 - 72x + 81
min occurs on the axis of symmetry; x = -b/(2a)
x =
x =
x =
:
find y
y = + 81
y = 17( + 81
y = - +
y =
:
Minimum of x^2 + y^2: x = 36/17; y = 81/17
Looks pretty wild, I hope this is right, let me know. ankor@att.net

Answer by ikleyn(52787)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.

            Really,  such a problem can stump unexperienced student.

            But it is not so complicated.

            The solution is as follows.


From equation  8x + 2y = 18, express  y =  = -4x + 9  and substitute it into the expression  


    f(x,y) =  =  =  = .     (1)


Now your function is presented as a quadratic function of ONE argument.


You can easily find its minimum by using this very well known shortcut    = "  ".


In this case  a = 17 and b = -72,  so   =  = .


So, you just know the value of " x " where the function has the minimum.


By knowing  ,  you can easily calculate   = . 


I leave this simple arithmetic for you to complete it on your own.

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

On finding the maximum/minimum of a quadratic function see my lessons
    - HOW TO complete the square to find the minimum/maximum of a quadratic function
    - Briefly on finding the minimum/maximum of a quadratic function
    - HOW TO complete the square to find the vertex of a parabola
    - Briefly on finding the vertex of a parabola
in this site.

Also,  you have this free of charge online textbook in ALGEBRA-I in this site
    - ALGEBRA-I - YOUR ONLINE TEXTBOOK.

The referred lessons are the part of this textbook under the topic "Finding minimum/maximum of quadratic functions".


Save the link to this online textbook together with its description

Free of charge online textbook in ALGEBRA-I
https://www.algebra.com/algebra/homework/quadratic/lessons/ALGEBRA-I-YOUR-ONLINE-TEXTBOOK.lesson

to your archive and use it when it is needed.



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