document.write( "Question 516683: Faye has 20 feet of fencing to make a rectangle pen for her dog. what is the largest area that she can fence in? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #344458 by solver91311(24713)\"\" \"About 
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "The rectangle with the greatest area for a given perimeter is a square with sides that measure the perimeter divided by 4.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "The perimeter of a rectangle is given by:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "The area of a rectangle is given by:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Substituting from the perimeter equation:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "This function graphs to a parabola opening downward meaning that the vertex is a maximum.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Algebra solution: The vertex is the maximum, so for a parabola with equation , the vertex is at . For this parabola: \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Calculus solution: The maximum value of the function, hence the maximum area, is where the value of the first derivative is equal to zero:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Set equal to zero:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Hence, the maximum area rectangle for a given perimeter is a square with sides of length one-fourth of the perimeter.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "John
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\n" ); document.write( "My calculator said it, I believe it, that settles it
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