Math Problem Statement

Suppose a company has fixed costs of $49,400 and a variable cost per unit of 1/3x + 333 dollars, where x is the total number of units produced. Suppose further that the selling price of its product is 2259- 2/3x dollars per unit. Find the maximum revenue.

Solution

To solve this problem and find the maximum revenue, we need to model the revenue function and maximize it.

Step 1: Define the Revenue Function

Revenue is defined as the selling price per unit multiplied by the number of units sold. The selling price per unit is given as:

P(x)=225923xP(x) = 2259 - \frac{2}{3}x

So, the revenue function R(x)R(x) in terms of xx (the number of units sold) is:

R(x)=xP(x)=x(225923x)R(x) = x \cdot P(x) = x \cdot \left(2259 - \frac{2}{3}x\right)

This simplifies to:

R(x)=2259x23x2R(x) = 2259x - \frac{2}{3}x^2

Step 2: Maximize the Revenue Function

To find the value of xx that maximizes the revenue, we need to take the derivative of the revenue function R(x)R(x), set it equal to zero, and solve for xx.

  1. Differentiate R(x)R(x):

dRdx=225943x\frac{dR}{dx} = 2259 - \frac{4}{3}x

  1. Set the derivative equal to zero and solve for xx:

225943x=02259 - \frac{4}{3}x = 0

43x=2259\frac{4}{3}x = 2259

x=2259×34=1694.25x = \frac{2259 \times 3}{4} = 1694.25

Step 3: Verify It's a Maximum

To confirm that this value of x=1694.25x = 1694.25 is a maximum, we check the second derivative of R(x)R(x):

d2Rdx2=43\frac{d^2R}{dx^2} = -\frac{4}{3}

Since the second derivative is negative, the revenue function is concave down, indicating that x=1694.25x = 1694.25 is indeed a maximum.

Step 4: Calculate the Maximum Revenue

Now that we have the value of xx, we substitute it back into the revenue function R(x)R(x) to find the maximum revenue:

R(1694.25)=2259(1694.25)23(1694.25)2R(1694.25) = 2259(1694.25) - \frac{2}{3}(1694.25)^2

First, calculate each part: 2259×1694.25=3,826,920.752259 \times 1694.25 = 3,826,920.75 23×(1694.25)2=23×2860701.06=1,907,134.04\frac{2}{3} \times (1694.25)^2 = \frac{2}{3} \times 2860701.06 = 1,907,134.04

Now subtract:

R(1694.25)=3,826,920.751,907,134.04=1,919,786.71R(1694.25) = 3,826,920.75 - 1,907,134.04 = 1,919,786.71

Thus, the maximum revenue is approximately $1,919,786.71.


Do you want more details on any step? Here are 5 questions to deepen your understanding:

  1. How does the second derivative test confirm a maximum or minimum?
  2. Why do we set the derivative equal to zero to find the maximum point?
  3. How would the result change if the selling price had a different form?
  4. Can you explain why revenue is modeled by multiplying price and quantity?
  5. What would the implications be if the cost per unit were higher?

Tip: When dealing with optimization problems, always check the second derivative to confirm whether you have found a maximum or minimum point.

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Revenue Maximization
Quadratic Functions
Optimization
Derivatives

Formulas

Revenue function: R(x) = x * (2259 - 2/3x)
Derivative of revenue: dR/dx = 2259 - 4/3x
Maximum revenue occurs when dR/dx = 0
Second derivative test: d^2R/dx^2 = -4/3

Theorems

Optimization using Derivatives
Second Derivative Test

Suitable Grade Level

Grades 11-12 (Pre-Calculus/Calculus)