SOLUTION: Two chemical factories are discharging toxic waste into a large lake, and the pollution level at a point x miles from factory A toward factory B is P(x) = 3x2 - 72x + 576 parts per

Algebra ->  Rate-of-work-word-problems -> SOLUTION: Two chemical factories are discharging toxic waste into a large lake, and the pollution level at a point x miles from factory A toward factory B is P(x) = 3x2 - 72x + 576 parts per      Log On


   



Question 1125231: Two chemical factories are discharging toxic waste into a large lake, and the pollution level at a point x miles from factory A toward factory B is P(x) = 3x2 - 72x + 576 parts per million (for 0 ≤ x ≤ 50). Find where the pollution is the least.
Answer by ikleyn(52778) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
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The minimum of a quadratic function of the general form


    y = ax^2 + bx + c 


having positive coefficient at  x^2  is achieved at  x = -b%2F%282a%29.


In your case  a= 3,  b= -72,  c= 576  and the minimum is achieved at


    x = -%28-72%29%2F%282%2A3%29 = 72%2F6 = 12 miles.


Answer.   The pollution is the least at x = 12 miles from factory A toward factory B.

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On finding the maximum/minimum of a quadratic function see the 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
    - OVERVIEW of lessons on finding the maximum/minimum of a quadratic function
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.