Problem # 3 Robert Souders II, Calculus I, MTH 151.

Fall 2015
Symmetric Cross Inside of Circle with Fixed Radius

Mathematical analyzation of optimizing the area of a symmetrical cross inside a circle with a
fixed radius using two methods. One method using algebra and calculus and a second method
using trigonometry and calculus. Then comparing the two methods to show that they have the
same outcome.

Method 1: Writing the Area of the cross, A, as a function of x. Then finding the value of x that
optimizes the area with a fixed radius.

The cross is broken down into two large rectangles and two smaller rectangles(squares) on the
side.
s

The side length at the end of the cross for each rectangle is= 2s

r r2 = x2 + s2 s= r x
2 2 L= 2 r2 x2

For the two larger rectangles of the cross the area is, x 2 r2 x2 , so two of

them are 2 x 2 r2 x2 = 4x r x
2 2

For the remaining rectangles, one side is 2 r2 x2 and the other side is x- r2 x2 , so the
area for one rectangle is 2 r2 x2 (x r x ) and two rectangles are
2 2

2 2 r2 x2 (x r 2 x ) = 4 r x (x r x )
2 2 2 2 2

Total Area for the cross is : A = 8x r2 x2 4r2 + 4x2

The derivative is taken for the Area function and then set equal to zero to find the optimal area
dA 2 2 2 2 2
with respect x. 8r 8x 8x
dx = + 8x = 8r 16x +8x
r2x2 r x
2 2

set derivative equal to zero and optimal x is x= .8507 r

(solve by graphing) x is equal to radius times the coefficient .8507
Therefore the optimal x is dependent on the radius.
Method 2: Writing the area of the cross, A, as a function of and then find the value of that
maximizes the area.

The original angle theta is for the whole triangle but only half the angle is needed because a
right angle triangle will be used to derive the lengths using sin and cos. Therefore the angle
being used is 2 . The end side length is derived by using sin and is as follows.

r
sin 2 = s = (r)sin 2
s

The side length at the end of the cross for each rectangle is 2s =
(2r)sin 2

x
The length x is derived using cos and is as follows. cos 2 =
r x = rcos 2 .

The area of the larger rectangles is calculated by the following equation.

A = x 2r sin 2 =
A = rcos
2 2r sin
2

The area of the small rectangle of the cross is.

a = (x - r sin 2 ) (2r sin 2 ) a = (r cos 2 - r sin 2 ) ( 2r sin 2 )

Total Area : TA = 4 r2(2cos 2 s

in 2 + - sin2 2 )

The next step is to take the derivative of the total area with respect to theta and set it equal to
zero to derive the value of theta with respect to the optimal area.

dTA 2 2
os 2 )
d = 4 r (cos 2 - sin 2 - sin 2 c
2

Set the derivative equal to zero. = 1.1071

Here the optimal value of theta is not dependent on the value of the radius.
For the conclusion it is shown that the numbers derived for both of the previous methods will be
used to calculate the optimal areas and it will be shown that the optimal areas are the same
using either method. This optimal area will be calculated using three different radii.

Calculating the optimal area using the first method with algebraic and calculus math.

Method 1: Values used that were derived from method 1.

Radius r = 1 x = .8507r = .8507

Optimal Area = 4(2(.8507) 1 .8507

2 2
+ .85072 12) = 2.47

Radius r = 2 x = .8507r = 1.7014

Optimal Area = 4(2(.8507) 2 .8507

2 2
9 .889
+ .85072 22 ) =

Radius r = 3 x = .8507r = 2.5521

Optimal Area = 4(2(.8507) 3 .8507

2 2
22.2492
+ .85072 32 ) =

Calculating the optimal area using trigonometry and calculus.

Method 2: Values that were derived from method 2.

Radius r = 1 = 1.1071

2
Optimal Area = 4( 1)2(2cos 1.1071
2 in 1.107
s 2 - sin
1.107
2 ) = 2.47

Radius r = 2 = 1.1071

Optimal Area = 4( 22) (2cos 1.1071

2 in 1.1071
s 2 - sin2 1.107
2 ) =
9.889

Radius r = 3 = 1.1071

Optimal Area = 4( 32) (2cos 1.107

2 s in 1.1071
2 - si n2 1.1071
2 ) = 22.2492

All three radii come out to have the same optimal area using either method. The algebraic
method has an optimal x value that allows for an optimal area but is dependent on the radius of
the circle. Whereas the trigonometric method has an optimal theta value that is constant and
independent of the radius value.