A cyclist must reach a checkpoint that is 6 km east and 4 km north of her current position

MATHEMATICS · Multi-part · A Level · Mathematics · Differentiation · Differentiation

Problem

A cyclist must reach a checkpoint that is 6 km east and 4 km north of her current position. She can ride along a straight east–west paved road at 30 km/h and then pedal across a grassy field at 10 km/h. She may leave the paved road at any point C located xx km east of her starting point (where 0≤x≤60\le x\le 6) and head straight to the checkpoint. (1) Express the total travel time T(x)T(x) (in hours) as a function of xx. Clearly indicate the domain of TT. (2) Find the value of xx that minimizes T(x)T(x). Give your answer to two decimal places.

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