Functions as

Mathematical Models
Example 1
A clock manufacturer can produce a particular clock at
a cost of $15 per clock. It is estimated that if the selling
price of the clock is x dollars, then the number of clocks
sold per week is 125 – x.
a. Express the number of the manufacturer’s weekly
profit as a function of x.
b. Use the result in part (a) to determine the weekly
profit if the selling price is $45 per clock.
c. Determine the selling price of the clock in order for
the manufacturer’s weekly profit to be a maximum.
• Note: Profit = Revenue – Cost
Example 2
A cardboard box manufacturer wishes to make
open boxes from square pieces of cardboard of
side 12 inches by cutting equal squares from the
four corners and turning up the sides.
a. Let x inches be the length of the side of the
square to cut out; express the number of cubic
inches in the volume of the box as a function
of x.
b. What is the domain of the resulting function?
Example 3
A rectangular field is to be fenced off along the bank of
a river, and no fence is required along the river. The
material for the fence costs $8 per running foot for the
two ends and $12 per running foot for the side parallel
to the river; $3600 worth of fence is to be used.
a. Let x be the length of an end; express the number of
square feet in the area of the field as a function of x.
b. What is the domain of the resulting function?
c. Determine the dimension of the field of largest
possible area that can be enclosed by the $3600
worth of fence.
Variation
• Directly Proportional
•Avariable 𝒚 is said to be directly proportional to a
variable 𝒙 if
𝒚 = 𝒌𝒙
where 𝒌 is a nonzero constant called the constant of
proportionality.
Variation
• Inversely Proportional
•A variable 𝒚 is said to be inversely proportional
to a variable 𝒙 if
𝒌
𝒚=
𝒙
where 𝒌 is a nonzero constant.
Variation
• Jointly Proportional
•Avariable 𝒛 is said to be jointly proportional to
a variables 𝒙 and 𝒚 if
𝒛 = 𝒌𝒙𝒚
where 𝒌 is a nonzero constant.
Example 4:
A person’s approximate brain weight is directly
proportional to his or her body weight, and a person
weighing 150 lb has an approximate brain weight of 4 lb.
a. Express the number of pounds in the approximate
brain weight of a person as a function of the person’s
body weight.
b. Find the approximate brain weight of a person whose
body weight is 76 lb.
Example 5:
The intensity of light from a given source is inversely
proportional to the square of the distance from it.
a. Express the number of candlepower (CP) in the
intensity of light as a function of the number of
meters in the distance of the light from the source if
the intensity is 225 CP at a distance of 5m from the
source.
b. Find the intensity at a point 15m from the source.
Example 6:
In a limited environment where A is the maximum
number of bacteria supportable by the environment, the
rate of bacterial growth is jointly proportional to the
number present and the difference between A and the
number present. Suppose 1 million bacteria is the
maximum number supportable by the environment and
the rate of growth is 60 bacteria per minute when there
are 1000 bacteria present.
a. Express the rate of bacterial growth as a function of
the number of bacteria present.
b. Find the rate of growth when there are 10,000
bacteria present.