document.write( "Question 334094: A carpenter is building a rectangular room with a fixed perimeter of 312 feet, what dimension would yield the maximum area? What is the maximum area? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #239385 by jrfrunner(365)\"\" \"About 
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As a general rule, the maximum area of a rectangle will be the special case when it is a square.
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\n" ); document.write( "Let L=length
\n" ); document.write( "Let W=width
\n" ); document.write( "Let P=perimeter of rectangle
\n" ); document.write( "Let A=area of rectangle
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\n" ); document.write( "we know that P=2*L+2*W
\n" ); document.write( "and that A=L*W
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\n" ); document.write( "Given: P=312, find L and W such that A is maximum
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\n" ); document.write( "Area: A=L*W
\n" ); document.write( "Perimeter: 312=2*L+2*W
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\n" ); document.write( "312=2*L+2*W
\n" ); document.write( "156=L+W (divide both sides by 2 to simplify)
\n" ); document.write( "L=156-W (solve for L)
\n" ); document.write( "A=L*W=(156-W)*W (substitute for L)
\n" ); document.write( "\"A=156%2AW-W%5E2\" (distribute W)
\n" ); document.write( "\"A=-1%2A%28W%5E2-156%2AW%29+\" (rearrange and factor out -1)
\n" ); document.write( "\"A=-%28w%5E2-156%2AW%2B6084-6084%29\" (complete the square by adding and subtracting \"%28156%2F2%29%5E2=78%5E2=6084\")
\n" ); document.write( "\"A=-%28W-78%29%5E2-6084\"
\n" ); document.write( "--
\n" ); document.write( "This is a parabola with vertex at (78,-6084)
\n" ); document.write( "Since the leading coefficient of the square term is negative, the curve turns downward, thus this is a maximum.
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\n" ); document.write( "Therefore W=78 is the maximum. And since L=156-W=156-78=78
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\n" ); document.write( "Answer: the maximum area is when L=78 and W=78 which is a square.
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