Department of Mathematics Education

EMAT 6690, J. Wilson

The Pipeline Problem

By Matt Tumlin

To find the minimum cost, you must minimize the equation. For this to be accomplished, first find the derivative of C(x). Then solve for x in C'(x) = 0. Substitute this value of x back into the cost function and the result is the minimum cost. .

So, when C'(x) = 0:

By minimizing this function we can find the minimum cost, which is $3245.55. This is the route that the distance from the northern most point on the eastern side to where the pipeline emerges from the wetland is 610.426 feet.

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