A forest fire is burning in a valley. Officials estimate that if the fire burns for h hours, the cost of the lost timber is 1000h dollars. They estimate that x firefighters can stop the fire in 3600/x hours. The cost for each firefighter is $20 (for transportation) plus $25 per hour (for salary, meals, and other overhead). A. Let C be the cost of the fire (including the cost of the firefighters and the lost timber). C will depend on both h (how many hours the fire burns) and x (the number of firefighters sent to fight it) Give a formula for C in terms of x and h. B. Give a formula that relates x and h C. How many firefighters should be used if the cost C of the fire is to be minimized? Justify your solution.

Linear Algebra: A Modern Introduction
4th Edition
ISBN:9781285463247
Author:David Poole
Publisher:David Poole
Chapter2: Systems Of Linear Equations
Section2.4: Applications
Problem 27EQ
icon
Related questions
icon
Concept explainers
Topic Video
Question

4. A forest fire is burning in a valley. Officials estimate that if the fire burns for h hours, the cost of the lost timber is 1000h dollars. They estimate that x firefighters can stop the fire in 3600/x hours. The cost for each firefighter is $20 (for transportation) plus $25 per hour (for salary, meals, and other overhead).

A. Let C be the cost of the fire (including the cost of the firefighters and the lost timber). C will depend on both h (how many hours the fire burns) and x (the number of firefighters sent to fight it) Give a formula for C in terms of x and h.

B. Give a formula that relates x and h

C. How many firefighters should be used if the cost C of the fire is to be minimized? Justify your solution.

Expert Solution
trending now

Trending now

This is a popular solution!

steps

Step by step

Solved in 7 steps

Blurred answer
Knowledge Booster
Application of Algebra
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, calculus and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.
Recommended textbooks for you
Linear Algebra: A Modern Introduction
Linear Algebra: A Modern Introduction
Algebra
ISBN:
9781285463247
Author:
David Poole
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
College Algebra (MindTap Course List)
College Algebra (MindTap Course List)
Algebra
ISBN:
9781305652231
Author:
R. David Gustafson, Jeff Hughes
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Algebra & Trigonometry with Analytic Geometry
Algebra & Trigonometry with Analytic Geometry
Algebra
ISBN:
9781133382119
Author:
Swokowski
Publisher:
Cengage
Functions and Change: A Modeling Approach to Coll…
Functions and Change: A Modeling Approach to Coll…
Algebra
ISBN:
9781337111348
Author:
Bruce Crauder, Benny Evans, Alan Noell
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
College Algebra
College Algebra
Algebra
ISBN:
9781337282291
Author:
Ron Larson
Publisher:
Cengage Learning