Question

Please help with this calculus problem!



Two cottages without electric services are situated 20m and 40m from a buried electric power line. Lines drawn from the cottage that meet the power line at right lines are 30m apart.

i) Where should the junction box be located on the power line to minimize the length of the connection cable to the cottages?

ii) Are there other ways to connect the cottages to the power line? Discuss the merits of these alternatives.

Picture can be seen here: http://tupper.vsb.bc.ca/math/text/p403.pdf