How do you find the dimensions of the rectangle with largest area that can be inscribed in a semicircle of radius r ?

1 Answer
Aug 12, 2018

The dimensions of the rectangle is 2r and r2

Explanation:

The equation of the semicircle is

x2+y2=r2.......................(1)

The area of the rectangle is

A=2xy....................(2)

From equation (1), we get

y2=r2x2

y=r2x2

Plugging this value in equation (2)

A=2xr2x2

Differentiating wrt x using the product rule

dAdx=2r2x22x2r2x2

=2r22x22x2r2x2

=2r24x2r2x2

The critical points are when

dAdx=0

That is

2r24x2r2x2=0

r2=2x2

x=r2

Then,

y=r2x2=r2r22=r2

The maximum area is

A=2r2r2=r2