PRACTICAL MAXIMUM AND

MINIMUM PROBLEMS
As level
Example 1:
The surface area of the solid cuboid is 100𝑐𝑚! and the
volume is 𝑉 𝑐𝑚" .
a. Express ℎ in terms of 𝑥.
#
b. Show that 𝑉 = 25𝑥 − 𝑥 " .
!
c. Given that 𝑥 can vary, find the stationary value of 𝑉
and determine whether this stationary value is a
maximum or a minimum.

Surface area=2𝑥ℎ + 2𝑥ℎ + 2𝑥 !

Surface area=4𝑥ℎ + 2𝑥 !
4𝑥ℎ + 2𝑥 ! = 100𝑐𝑚!
#$$ !& !
4𝑥ℎ = 100 − 2𝑥 ! ℎ= −
%& %&
𝟐𝟓 𝒙
𝒉= −
𝒙 𝟐
Example 1:
The surface area of the solid cuboid is 100𝑐𝑚! and the
volume is 𝑉 𝑐𝑚" .
a. Express ℎ in terms of 𝑥.
#
b. Show that 𝑉 = 25𝑥 − 𝑥 " .
!
c. Given that 𝑥 can vary, find the stationary value of 𝑉
and determine whether this stationary value is a
maximum or a minimum.
𝟐𝟓 𝒙
Volume=𝑥 ℎ ! 𝒉= −
𝒙 𝟐
! !* &
Volume=𝑥 −
& !

𝒙𝟑
Volume=𝟐𝟓𝒙 −
𝟐
Example 1:
The surface area of the solid cuboid is 100𝑐𝑚! and the
volume is 𝑉 𝑐𝑚" .
c. Given that 𝑥 can vary, find the stationary value of 𝑉
and determine whether this stationary value is a
maximum or a minimum.
𝒙𝟑 5 6
Volume=𝟐𝟓𝒙 − 50 5 2 5 6 𝑥=
𝟐 𝑥=± =± =± 3
3 3 3
𝑑𝑣 3 ! "
= 25 − 𝑥 5 6 5 6 1 5 6
𝑑𝑥 2 𝑥= 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 = 25× − ×
3 3 2 3
3 !
25 − 𝑥 = 0 𝑑 !
𝑣
2 = −3𝑥
𝑑𝑥 !
!
50 ! Max
𝑥 = 5 6 𝑑 𝑣 5 6
3 𝑥= !
= −3× = −5 6 < 0
3 𝑑𝑥 3
Example 2: The diagram shows a solid cylinder of radius 𝑟 cm and
height 2ℎ 𝑐𝑚 cut from a solid sphere of radius 5 𝑐𝑚. The
volume of the cylinder is 𝐶 𝑐𝑚" .
a. Express 𝑟 in terms of ℎ.
b. Show that 𝑉 = 50𝜋ℎ − 2𝜋ℎ"
c. Find the value for ℎ for which there is stationary value
of 𝑉.
d. Determine the nature of this stationary value.
𝑟 ! + ℎ! = 25
𝑟 ! = 25 − ℎ!
𝒓= 𝟐𝟓 − 𝒉𝟐
Example 2: The diagram shows a solid cylinder of radius 𝑟 cm and
height 2ℎ 𝑐𝑚 cut from a solid sphere of radius 5 𝑐𝑚. The
volume of the cylinder is 𝐶 𝑐𝑚" .
b. Show that 𝑉 = 50𝜋ℎ − 2𝜋ℎ"
c. Find the value for ℎ for which there is stationary value
of 𝑉.
d. Determine the nature of this stationary value.

𝑉 = 𝜋𝑟 ! ℎ
𝐶 = 𝜋𝑟 ! ×2ℎ
𝐶 = 𝜋( 𝟐𝟓 − 𝒉𝟐 )! ×2ℎ
𝐶 = 𝜋(25 − ℎ! )×2ℎ
𝑪 = 𝟓𝟎𝒉𝝅 − 𝟐𝝅𝒉𝟑
Example 2: The diagram shows a solid cylinder of radius 𝑟 cm and
height 2ℎ 𝑐𝑚 cut from a solid sphere of radius 5 𝑐𝑚. The
volume of the cylinder is 𝐶 𝑐𝑚" .
c. Find the value for ℎ for which there is stationary value
of 𝑉.
d. Determine the nature of this stationary value.
𝑽 = 𝟓𝟎𝒉𝝅 − 𝟐𝝅𝒉𝟑 25 5 5 3
ℎ= = =
𝑑𝑉 3 3 3
= 50𝜋 − 6𝜋ℎ!
𝑑ℎ
50𝜋 − 6𝜋ℎ! = 0
50𝜋 = 6𝜋ℎ!
!
50 25
ℎ = =
6 3
Example 2: The diagram shows a solid cylinder of radius 𝑟 cm and
height 2ℎ 𝑐𝑚 cut from a solid sphere of radius 5 𝑐𝑚. The
volume of the cylinder is 𝐶 𝑐𝑚" .
d. Determine the nature of this stationary value.

𝑑𝑉
= 50𝜋 − 6𝜋ℎ!
𝑑ℎ
𝑑! 𝑉
!
= −12𝜋ℎ
𝑑ℎ

5 3 𝑑! 𝑉 5 3
ℎ= !
= −12𝜋× = −20 3𝜋 < 0
3 𝑑ℎ 3
Max
Example 3: The diagram shows a hollow cone with base radius
12 𝑐𝑚 and height 24 𝑐𝑚.
A solid cylinder stands on the base of the cone and upper
edge touches the inside of the cone. The cylinder has
base radius 𝑟 𝑐𝑚, height ℎ 𝑐𝑚 and volume 𝑉 cm" .
a. Express ℎ in terms of 𝑟.
b. Show that 𝑉 = 24𝜋𝑟 ! − 2𝜋𝑟 " .
c. Find the volume of the largest cylinder that can stand
inside the cone.
12 24
= 𝒉 = 𝟐𝟒 − 𝟐𝒓
𝑟 24 − ℎ
12 24 − ℎ = 24𝑟
24 − ℎ = 2𝑟
Example 3: The diagram shows a hollow cone with base radius
12 𝑐𝑚 and height 24 𝑐𝑚.
A solid cylinder stands on the base of the cone and upper
edge touches the inside of the cone. The cylinder has
base radius 𝑟 𝑐𝑚, height ℎ 𝑐𝑚 and volume 𝑉 cm" .
b. Show that 𝑉 = 24𝜋𝑟 ! − 2𝜋𝑟 " .
c. Find the volume of the largest cylinder that can stand
inside the cone.
𝑉 = 𝜋𝑟 ! ℎ 𝒉 = 𝟐𝟒 − 𝟐𝒓
𝑉 = 𝜋𝑟 ! (24 − 2𝑟)
𝑽 = 𝟐𝟒𝝅𝒓𝟐 − 𝟐𝝅𝒓𝟑
Example 3: The diagram shows a hollow cone with base radius
12 𝑐𝑚 and height 24 𝑐𝑚.
A solid cylinder stands on the base of the cone and upper
edge touches the inside of the cone. The cylinder has
base radius 𝑟 𝑐𝑚, height ℎ 𝑐𝑚 and volume 𝑉 cm" .
c. Find the volume of the largest cylinder that can stand
inside the cone.
𝑽 = 𝟐𝟒𝝅𝒓𝟐 − 𝟐𝝅𝒓𝟑 𝑑! 𝑉
!
= 48𝜋 − 12𝑟𝜋
𝑑𝑉 𝑑𝑟
= 48𝑟𝜋 − 6𝑟 ! 𝜋 𝑟=8
𝑑𝑟
48𝑟𝜋 − 6𝑟 ! 𝜋 = 0 𝑑! 𝑉
!
= 48𝜋 − 12×8𝜋
6𝑟𝜋(8 − 𝑟) = 0 𝑑𝑟
𝑑! 𝑉
𝑟# = 0 𝑟! = 8 !
= −48𝜋 < 0 Max
𝑑𝑟
Example 3: The diagram shows a hollow cone with base radius
12 𝑐𝑚 and height 24 𝑐𝑚.
A solid cylinder stands on the base of the cone and upper
edge touches the inside of the cone. The cylinder has
base radius 𝑟 𝑐𝑚, height ℎ 𝑐𝑚 and volume 𝑉 cm" .
c. Find the volume of the largest cylinder that can stand
inside the cone.
𝑽 = 𝟐𝟒𝝅𝒓𝟐 − 𝟐𝝅𝒓𝟑

𝑟=8

𝑉 = 24𝜋×8! − 2𝜋×8"
𝑉 = 512𝜋
Max