document.write( "Question 174569: This is one is tough!
\n" ); document.write( "A rectangular enclosure is made with 100 ft. of fencing on three sides. The fourth side is the wall of a barn. Find the greatest possible area of such an enclosure. My choices are as follows: A) 400ft^2 B) 625 ft^2 C) 1111.1 ft ^2 D) 2500ft^2.
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Algebra.Com's Answer #129585 by nerdybill(7384)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
If you only have 100 feet of fencing, this means that the perimeter has a maximum of 100 feet.
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\n" ); document.write( "Let x = width
\n" ); document.write( "and y = length
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\n" ); document.write( "Perimeter = 2x+y
\n" ); document.write( "100 = 2x+y
\n" ); document.write( "solving for y:
\n" ); document.write( "y = 100 - 2x
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\n" ); document.write( "Area = xy
\n" ); document.write( "substituting in our value of y:
\n" ); document.write( "Area = x(100 - 2x)
\n" ); document.write( "Area = -2x^2 + 100x
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\n" ); document.write( "This is essentially a parabola that opens downward (from the coefficient -2). So, all we need to do is to find the vertex to find the maximum.
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\n" ); document.write( "The x coordinate = -b/2a
\n" ); document.write( "The x coordinate = -(100)/2(-2)
\n" ); document.write( "The x coordinate = (-100)/(-4)
\n" ); document.write( "The x coordinate = (100)/(4)
\n" ); document.write( "The x coordinate = 25 feet (width)
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\n" ); document.write( "Length is:
\n" ); document.write( "y = 100 - 2x
\n" ); document.write( "y = 100 - 2(25)
\n" ); document.write( "y = 100 - 50
\n" ); document.write( "y = 50 feet (length)
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\n" ); document.write( "Area is then:
\n" ); document.write( "25(50) = 1250 square feet\r
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