Math Is Fun Forum

Prakash Panneer

Member

Registered: 2006-06-01

Posts: 110

Optimization question?

A commercial pear grower must decide on the optimum time to have fruit picked and sold. If the pears are picked now, they will bring $0.30 per pound, with each tree yielding an average of 60 pounds of salable pears. If the average yield per tree increases 6 pounds per tree per week for the next 4 weeks, but the price drops $0.02 per pound per week, when should the pears be picked to realize the maximum return per tree? What is the maximum return?

Thanks in advance.

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Letter, number, arts and science
of living kinds, both are the eyes.

Bob

Administrator

Registered: 2010-06-20

Posts: 10,621

Re: Optimization question?

hi Prakash,

Do you want a solution using differential calculus or, using quadratic graphs? (or both?)

Bob

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Children are not defined by school ...........The Fonz
You cannot teach a man anything;  you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
Sometimes I deliberately make mistakes, just to test you!  …………….Bob

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: Optimization question?

Hi Prakash Panneer;

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In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.