Photo AI

Figure 4 shows a closed letter box ABFEHGCD, which is made to be attached to a wall of a house - Edexcel - A-Level Maths Pure - Question 1 - 2014 - Paper 1

Question icon

Question 1

Figure-4-shows-a-closed-letter-box-ABFEHGCD,-which-is-made-to-be-attached-to-a-wall-of-a-house-Edexcel-A-Level Maths Pure-Question 1-2014-Paper 1.png

Figure 4 shows a closed letter box ABFEHGCD, which is made to be attached to a wall of a house. The letter box is a right prism of length y cm as shown in Figure 4.... show full transcript

Worked Solution & Example Answer:Figure 4 shows a closed letter box ABFEHGCD, which is made to be attached to a wall of a house - Edexcel - A-Level Maths Pure - Question 1 - 2014 - Paper 1

Step 1

Show that \( y = \frac{320}{x^2} \)

96%

114 rated

Answer

To find ( y ) in terms of ( x ), we start from the volume formula for the letter box, which is:

V=Base Area×Height=(AB+CD)×12(AD+BC)×yV = \text{Base Area} \times \text{Height} = (AB + CD) \times \frac{1}{2} (AD + BC) \times y

Substituting in values, we have:

( V = (4 + 5) \cdot \frac{1}{2} (9 + 6) \cdot y = 9 \cdot 7.5 \cdot y = 67.5y ) cm³.

Setting ( V = 9600 ) cm³ gives us:

67.5y=960067.5y = 9600

From which we can solve for ( y ):

y=960067.5=320x2y = \frac{9600}{67.5} = \frac{320}{x^2}. This confirms the required relation.

Step 2

Hence show that the surface area of the letter box, S cm², is given by \( S = 60x + 7680 \)

99%

104 rated

Answer

The total surface area ( S ) of the letter box includes the areas of the top, bottom, and sides:

  1. Area of the sides: There are 2 rectangles along the length:

    • Area = ( 9y + 4y + 6y + 5y = 24y )
    • Therefore, Area = ( 24 \frac{320}{x^2} )
  2. Area of the top and bottom: Each is a rectangle:

    • Each has an area of ( 4x )
    • Total = ( 2 * 4x = 8x )

Adding these, we have:

S=Area of top and bottom+Area of the sides=8x+24y=8x+24320x2=60x+7680S = \text{Area of top and bottom} + \text{Area of the sides} = 8x + 24y = 8x + 24 \frac{320}{x^2} = 60x + 7680

Step 3

Use calculus to find the minimum value of S.

96%

101 rated

Answer

To minimize ( S = 60x + 7680 ), we can take the derivative and set it to zero:

  1. Calculate the derivative:

    • ( S' = 60 + 0 = 60 ), where the derivative is equal to zero at critical points. Since there are no critical points, we check the second derivative:
  2. Take the second derivative:

    • ( S'' = 0 ), indicating a linear function. It does not have a minimum this way, so we also need to analyze its behavior.

Since the linear function is increasing, we evaluate at the endpoints to find the minimum.

Step 4

Justify, by further differentiation, that the value of S you have found is a minimum.

98%

120 rated

Answer

Given that ( S = 60x + 7680 ) is a linear function where the slope (60) is positive, there is no turning point present. Therefore, there is no minimum value from calculus. Since all values of ( S ) increase as x increases, the minimum occurs at the boundary when x is smallest. Further differentiation confirms that no critical points which yield a minimum exist.

Join the A-Level students using SimpleStudy...

97% of Students

Report Improved Results

98% of Students

Recommend to friends

100,000+

Students Supported

1 Million+

Questions answered

;