Question 1204552: A company has $33600 to spend on the development and promotion of a new product. The company estimates that if x is spent on development and y is spent on promotion, then approximately ((x^1/2)(y^3/2))/400,000 items of new product will be sold. Based on this estimate, how much should the company spend on development so the maximum number of products will be sold?
Answer by ikleyn(52798) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! .
A company has $33600 to spend on the development and promotion of a new product.
The company estimates that if x is spent on development and y is spent on promotion,
then approximately ((x^1/2)(y^3/2))/400,000 items of new product will be sold.
Based on this estimate, how much should the company spend on development
so the maximum number of products will be sold?
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It is clear that this problem is on finding maximum.
It can be solved by applying standard Calculus to the given function,
but it is, obviously, not very pleasant exersize, taking into account
complicated formula for the function.
There is a trick, and I will show it below, which makes the solution an easy and pleasant
procedure and makes a reader happy, since he (or she) learns something new.
Solution
Let u = (x^(1/2))*(y^(3/2))/400000 be the given function;
v = (x^(1/2))*(y^(3/2));
w = .
It is obvious that "u" and "v" have the maximum at the same point (x,y)
(dividing by the constant value 400,000 does not shift the position of maximum on (x,y)-plane).
Which is even more interesting and productive, is the fact that "v" and "w" also have
the maximum at the same point (x,y) on the coordinate plane.
+-------------------------------------+
| It is because w(x,y) = v^2(x,y). |
+-------------------------------------+
Now our task is much more simple: find the point (x,y) on the coordinate plane such that
x + y = 33600 (1)
and
maximizes w(x,y) = , x >=0, y >= 0. (2)
To do it, from (1) I express y = 33600-x and substitute it into (2).
Then I get the problem to maximize
W(x) = .
Apply a standard Calculus procedure: find the derivative and equate it to zero.
You will get then
(33600-x)^3 = , 0 < x < 33600.
Simplify by reducing the factor in both sides
33600-x = 3x
33600 = 3x + x = 4x
x = 33600/4 = 8400.
So, the maximum of w(x,y), v(x,y) and u(x,y) is achieved at x= 8400, y= 33600-8400 = 25200
max u(x,y) = u(8400,25200) = (8400^(1/2)*25200^(3/2)))/400000 = 916.6 (rounded)
ANSWER. The point of maximum is (x,y) = (8400,25200).
The value of the maximum is about 916.6.
The amount to spend on development is x = $8400, leaving $25200 to spend on promotion.
Solved.
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From my solution learn this trick, which makes the solution easy.
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