ATAR Notes: Forum

Uni Stuff => Science => Faculties => Mathematics => Topic started by: QuantumJG on August 14, 2010, 11:31:39 am

Title: Lagrange Multipliers Question!
Post by: QuantumJG on August 14, 2010, 11:31:39 am
Lagranges multipliers question!

Design a cylindrical can with a lid to contain 1L of water, using the minimal amount of metal.

Here's how I tackled it.

S(r,h) = 2πrh + πr2
V(r,h) = πr2h - 1 = 0

So

Let gradS = λgradV

So (2πh + 2πr, 2πr) = λ(2πrh,πr2)

So

πr2h - 1 = 0 ...1
h + r = λrh ...2
2 = λr ...3 because r can't be zero!

Anyway I got r = h = (π)-3

But according to the book it's wrong!