document.write( "Question 1035128: A wire 26 cm long is cut into two pieces, one of length x and the other of length 26 − x. Each piece is bent into the shape of a square.
\n" ); document.write( "(a) Find a function that models the total area A enclosed by the two squares in terms of x.
\n" ); document.write( "(b) Find the value of x that minimizes the total area of the two squares. \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #649784 by fractalier(6550) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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The area of the two squares is given by
\n" ); document.write( " $\"A%28x%29+=+%28x%2F4%29%5E2+%2B+%28%2826-x%29%2F4%29%5E2+=+x%5E2%2F16+%2B+%2826-x%29%5E2%2F16\"$
\n" ); document.write( "To minimize this we take the derivative A'(x) and set it equal to zero...we get
\n" ); document.write( " $\"dA%2Fdx+=+x%2F8+-+%2826-x%29%2F8+=+0\"$
\n" ); document.write( "which yields
\n" ); document.write( "2x - 26 = 0
\n" ); document.write( "x = 13 \n" ); document.write( "

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