Step-by-Step Solution
**1. Define the variables and constraints:**
Let $x$ be the length of the side perpendicular to the partition, and $y$ be the length of the side parallel to the partition.
The total length of the boundary material is 300 meters. This gives us the constraint:
$3x + 2y = 300$
**2. Express $y$ in terms of $x$:**
From the constraint, we can express $y$ in terms of $x$:
$2y = 300 - 3x$
$y = 150 - \frac{3}{2}x$
**3. Define the area function:**
The area $A$ of the rectangular installation is given by:
$A = xy$
Substitute $y$ in terms of $x$:
$A(x) = x(150 - \frac{3}{2}x) = 150x - \frac{3}{2}x^2$
**4. Find the critical points:**
To find the critical points, we need to find the first derivative of $A(x)$ and set it to zero:
$A'(x) = 150 - 3x$
Set $A'(x) = 0$:
$150 - 3x = 0$
$3x = 150$
$x = 50$
**5. Find the second derivative:**
To determine if the critical point is a maximum, we find the second derivative of $A(x)$:
$A''(x) = -3$
**6. Apply the second derivative test:**
Since $A''(x) = -3 < 0$, the critical point $x = 50$ corresponds to a maximum.
**7. Find the value of $y$ at the critical point:**
$y = 150 - \frac{3}{2}(50) = 150 - 75 = 75$
**8. Find the maximum area:**
The maximum area is given by:
$A_{max} = xy = 50 \times 75 = 3750$
Correct Answer: Critical point at x=50, Maximum Area = 3750 square meters<\/strong>