SOLUTION: The profits of Mr. Unlucky’s company can be represented by the equation p(x)=-3x^2+18x-4 where p(x) is the amount of profit in hundreds of thousands of dollars and x is the numbe

Algebra ->  Quadratic Equations and Parabolas  -> Quadratic Equations Lessons  -> Quadratic Equation Lesson -> SOLUTION: The profits of Mr. Unlucky’s company can be represented by the equation p(x)=-3x^2+18x-4 where p(x) is the amount of profit in hundreds of thousands of dollars and x is the numbe      Log On


   



Question 1153056: The profits of Mr. Unlucky’s company can be represented by the equation p(x)=-3x^2+18x-4 where p(x) is the amount of profit in hundreds of thousands of dollars and x is the number of years of operation. He realizes his company is on the downturn and wishes to sell before he ends up in debt.
a. When will Mr. Unlucky’s business show the maximum profit? ___ years
b. What is the maximum profit? ____ hundreds of thousands
c. During what time period will Mr. Unlucky expect his business’ profits to be on the downturn? After ___ years

Answer by MathLover1(20849) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

p%28x%29=-3x%5E2%2B18x-4 where p%28x%29 is the amount of profit in hundreds of thousands of dollars and x+is the number of years of operation.
He realizes his company is on the downturn and wishes to sell before he ends up in debt.
a. When will Mr. Unlucky’s business show the maximum profit? ___ years
p%28x%29=-3x%5E2%2B18x-4 ...since you have an upside down parabola, max is at vertex; so, write your equation in vertex form
p%28x%29=-3x%5E2%2B18x-4....group -3x%5E2%2B18x, factor out -3
p%28x%29=-3%28x%5E2-6x%29-4.......complete square
p%28x%29=-3%28x%5E2-6x%2Bb%5E2%29-%28-3%29b%5E2-4
p%28x%29=-3%28x%5E2-6x%2B3%5E2%29%2B3%2A3%5E2-4
p%28x%29=-3%28x-3%29%5E2%2B27-4
p%28x%29=-3%28x-3%29%5E2%2B23=>h=3 and k=23
the maximum profit is at 3 years
b. What is the maximum profit? ____ hundreds of thousands
the maximum profit is 23 hundreds of thousands
c. During what time period will Mr. Unlucky expect his business’ profits to be on the downturn? After 3 years