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Use the method of Lagrange multipliers to solve this exercise. q=416,000−13,000p copies, but each copy costs $4 to make. What price will give the greatest profit? p=$

User Pratikm
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Final Answer:

The price that will give the greatest profit is p = $32.

Step-by-step explanation:

Here's how to solve the problem using Lagrange multipliers:

1. Define the optimization problem:

We want to maximize the profit (q), which is the difference between revenue (price * quantity) and cost (quantity * cost per copy).

Subject to the constraint that the quantity (q) depends on the price (p) based on the given equation.

2. Set up the Lagrange function:

L(p, λ) = q(p) - λ(416,000 - 13,000p)

3. Differentiate the Lagrange function with respect to p and λ:

∂L/∂p = -13,000 + 13,000q'(p) - λ * 13,000 = 0

∂L/∂λ = 416,000 - 13,000p - 4q(p) = 0

4. Solve the system of equations:

From the first equation, we can express λ as λ = (13,000 * q'(p)) / 13,000 = q'(p).

Substitute this expression for λ in the second equation:

416,000 - 13,000p - 4q(p) = 0

416,000 - 13,000p - 4 * (416,000 - 13,000p) = 0

3 * 13,000p = 1,664,000

p = 32

5. Check the optimality:

The second derivative of the Lagrange function with respect to p is negative (∂²L/∂p² < 0), confirming that p = 32 is a maximum profit point.

Therefore, the price that will give the greatest profit is p = $32.

User DrJones
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