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Minimizing total fencing for a divided rectangular garden

A gardener wants to enclose a rectangular garden with a total area of 800 m2800 \text{ m}^2. The garden will be divided into two equal rectangular plots by a fence that runs parallel to one pair of sides, down the middle of the garden. The gardener wants to use the least amount of fencing possible for the outer boundary plus the middle divider.

Let xx be the length (in meters) of the side of the garden parallel to the middle dividing fence, and let yy be the length (in meters) of the perpendicular side. The total area enclosed is 800 m2800 \text{ m}^2, and the total fencing needed consists of the outer perimeter plus one extra segment of length yy down the middle (parallel to the sides of length yy).

Find the dimensions xx and yy that minimize the total length of fencing used, and find the minimum total length of fencing required.

Hint

First write the total fencing FF in terms of both xx and yy: you need two lengths of xx, three lengths of yy (two outer sides plus the middle divider), since the divider splits the garden along the side of length xx. Use the area constraint xy=800xy = 800 to eliminate one variable, then minimize the resulting single-variable function on the domain x>0x>0.

Step-by-step solution

The total fencing consists of two sides of length xx (top and bottom) and three segments of length yy (left side, right side, and the middle divider), so F=2x+3yF = 2x + 3y. The area constraint is xy=800xy = 800, so y=800xy = \dfrac{800}{x}. Substituting gives F(x)=2x+2400xF(x) = 2x + \dfrac{2400}{x}, defined for x>0x>0.

Differentiate: F′(x)=2−2400x2F'(x) = 2 - \dfrac{2400}{x^2}. Setting F′(x)=0F'(x)=0 gives x2=1200x^2 = 1200, so x=1200=203x = \sqrt{1200} = 20\sqrt{3}. Since F′′(x)=4800x3>0F''(x) = \dfrac{4800}{x^3} > 0 for x>0x>0, this critical point is a minimum. Then y=800203=403=4033y = \dfrac{800}{20\sqrt{3}} = \dfrac{40}{\sqrt{3}} = \dfrac{40\sqrt{3}}{3}, and the minimum fencing is F=2(203)+3(4033)=403+403=803≈138.56 mF = 2(20\sqrt{3}) + 3\left(\dfrac{40\sqrt{3}}{3}\right) = 40\sqrt{3}+40\sqrt{3}=80\sqrt{3} \approx 138.56 \text{ m}.

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