Chapter 6 : MAXIMA AND MINIMA

1. Prove that the curve

x

a

2
touches the straight line

x y
2
a b

at

(a,b) for all values of

at the point (a,b).
2. An open tank with a square base and vertical sides is to be constructed from
a metal sheet so as to hold a given quantity of water. Show that the cost of
the material will be the least when the depth of the tank is half of its water.
3. Show that the volume of the greatest cylinder which can be inscribed in a

4 3
h
81

4.

5.
6.

7.

cone of height h and semi vertical angle 30 0 is

.
A wire of length 28m is to be cut into 2 pieces. One of the pieces is to be
made into a square and other into a circle. What should be the length of the
two pieces so that the combined area of the square and the circle is
minimum?
Of all the rectangles , each of which has perimeter 40m, find one which has
maximum area.find the area also.
Show that the right circular cylinder of given volume open at the top has
minimum total surface area, provided its height is equal to the radius of its
base.
Show that the height of the right circular cylinder of maximum volume that

can be inscribed in a given right circular cone of height h is

.
8. Show that the semi vertical angle of the right circular cone of maximum

tan 1 3
volume and given slant height is
.
9. A point on the hypotenuse of a right angled triangle is at a distance a and
b from the sides. Show that the length of the hypotenuse is atleast

2
3

3
2

2
3

a b

.
10.Find the greatest area of isosceles triangle that can be inscribed in a given

ellipse
axis.

x2 y2

1
a 2 b2

,with its vertex coinciding with one extremity of the major

11.Show that the semi vertical angle of a right circular cone of given surface

sin 1

area and maximum volume is

.
12.Find the volume of the largest cylinder that can be inscribed in a sphere of
radius r.
13.A tank with rectangular base and rectangular sides open at the top is to be
constructed so that its depth is 2m and volume is 8 m 3. If building of tank
costs Rs. 70 per sq.m. for the base and Rs.45 per sq.m. for sides, what is the
cost of least expensive tank?

5
14.Manufacturer can sell x items at price of Rs.

100

each. The cost price

500
5

of x items is Rs.
. Find the number of items he should sell to earn
maximum profit.
15.Show that the surface area of a closed cuboid with a square base and given
volume is minimum when it is a cube.
16.Show that the height of the cylinder of maximum volume that can be

2R
3
inscribed in a sphere of radius R is
. Also, find the maximum volume.
17.If the sum of a side and the hypotenuse of a right angled triangle be given,
show that the area of the triangle will be maximum if the angle between the
given side and the hypotenuse is 600.
18.Show that a right circular cylinder which is open at the top and has a given
surface area will have the greatest volume if its height is equal to the radius
of its base.
19.If the length of three sides of a trapezium other than the base is equal to
10cm each, then find the maximum area of the trapezium.
20.Given that the sum of the perimeter of a square and circle, show that the sum
of their areas is least when the side of the square is equal to the diameter of
a circle.

9 x2 9 x2

18 2 x 2

21.The lengths of the sides of an isosceles triangle are

,
and
units. Calculate the area of the triangle in terms of x and find the value of x
which makes the area maximum.
22.Show that of all the rectangles of given perimeter, the square has the largest
area.
23.Show that of all the rectangles inscribed in a given fixed circle, the square
has maximum area.

24.Show that of all the rectangles of given area, the square has the smallest
perimeter.
25.Show that the right circular cone of least curved surface and given volume

2
has an altitude equal to
times the radius of the base.
26.A window has the shape of a rectangle surmounted by an equilateral
triangle . If the perimeter of the window is 12m , find the dimensions of the
rectangle that will produce the largest area of the window.
27.A window is in the form of a rectangle surmounted by a semicircular opening.
The total perimeter of the window is 10m. Find the dimensions of the
rectangle so as to admit maximum light through the whole opening.
28.Show that the height of a closed right circular cylinder of given surface and
maximum volume is equal to the diameter of the base.
29.An open box with a square base is to be made out of a given quantity of

c3
6 3
metal sheet of area c2. Show that the maximum volume of the box is
.
30.A right circular cylinder is inscribed in a given cone. Show that the curved
surface area of a cylinder is maximum when diameter of cylinder is equal to
the radius of base of cone.
31.Find the largest possible area of a right angled triangle whose hypotenuse is
5 cm long.
32.Show that the altitude of a right circular cone of maximum volume that can

4R
3

be inscribed in a sphere of radius R is

.
33.Show that the volume of greatest cylinder which can be inscribed in a cone of

4 3
h tan 2
27

height h and semi vertical is

.
34.Find the area of the greatest rectangle that can be inscribed in an ellipse

x2 y2

1
a 2 b2

.
35.Prove that the volume of the largest cone that can be inscribed in a sphere of

8
27

radius R is
of the volume of the sphere.
36.Show that the semi vertical angle of a right circular cone of maximum volume

cos 1
and of given slant height is

37.Show that the semi vertical angle of a right circular cone of given volume and

cot 1
least curved surface area is

128

38.Of all the closed right circular cylindrical cans of volume

cm3, find the
dimensions of the can which has minimum surface area.
39.Show that the altitude of a right circular cone of maximum volume that can

be inscribed in a sphere of radius r is

8
27

4r
3

. Also, show that the maximum

volume of the cone is

of the volume of the sphere.
40.The sum of the perimeters of a square and circle is k, where k is a constant.
Show that the sum of their areas is least when the side of the square is equal
to the diameter of a circle.
41.Find the local minima and local maxima of the function f(x)= sin x cos x ,
where 0 < x < 2. Also find the local maximum and minimum values.