Deep in the South American jungle, Tasmania Jones has been working to help the Quetzacotl tribe to get drinking water from the very salty water of the Parabolic River. The river follows the curve with equation `y = x^2-1`, `x >= 0` as shown below. All lengths are measured in kilometres.
Tasmania has his camp site at `(0, 0)` and the Quetzacotl tribe’s village is at `(0, 1)`. Tasmania builds a desalination plant, which is connected to the village by a straight pipeline.
- If the desalination plant is at the point `(m, n)` show that the length, `L` kilometres, of the straight pipeline that carries the water from the desalination plant to the village is given by
- `L = sqrt(m^4-3m^2 + 4)`. (3 marks)
--- 6 WORK AREA LINES (style=lined) ---
- If the desalination plant is built at the point on the river that is closest to the village
- find `(dL)/(dm)` and hence find the coordinates of the desalination plant. (3 marks)
--- 5 WORK AREA LINES (style=lined) ---
- find the length, in kilometres, of the pipeline from the desalination plant to the village. (2 marks)
--- 3 WORK AREA LINES (style=lined) ---
- find `(dL)/(dm)` and hence find the coordinates of the desalination plant. (3 marks)
The desalination plant is actually built at `(sqrt7/2, 3/4)`.
If the desalination plant stops working, Tasmania needs to get to the plant in the minimum time.
Tasmania runs in a straight line from his camp to a point `(x,y)` on the river bank where `x <= sqrt7/2`. He then swims up the river to the desalination plant.
Tasmania runs from his camp to the river at 2 km per hour. The time that he takes to swim to the desalination plant is proportional to the difference between the `y`-coordinates of the desalination plant and the point where he enters the river.
- Show that the total time taken to get to the desalination plant is given by
`qquadT = 1/2 sqrt(x^4-x^2 + 1) + 1/4k(7-4x^2)` hours where `k` is a positive constant of proportionality. (3 marks)
--- 6 WORK AREA LINES (style=lined) ---
The value of `k` varies from day to day depending on the weather conditions.
- If `k = 1/(2sqrt13)`
- find `(dT)/(dx)` (1 mark)
--- 1 WORK AREA LINES (style=lined) ---
- hence find the coordinates of the point where Tasmania should reach the river if he is to get to the desalination plant in the minimum time. (2 marks)
--- 4 WORK AREA LINES (style=lined) ---
- find `(dT)/(dx)` (1 mark)
- On one particular day, the value of `k` is such that Tasmania should run directly from his camp to the point `(1,0)` on the river to get to the desalination plant in the minimum time. Find the value of `k` on that particular day. (2 marks)
--- 4 WORK AREA LINES (style=lined) ---
- Find the values of `k` for which Tasmania should run directly from his camp towards the desalination plant to reach it in the minimum time. (2 marks)
--- 5 WORK AREA LINES (style=lined) ---








































































