An offshore oil well is 4 kilometers off the coast. The refinery is 5 kilometers down the coast (see figure). Laying pipe in the ocean is twice as expensive as on land. What path should the pipe follow in order to minimize the cost?

Answer 1

I'm sorry!

It's a 30-60-90 triangle with 4 on the sqr of 3 side, x on the 1 side and 5-x extending past the triangle

Answer 2

so, you seem to have the diagram down. Now just define the cost function and minimize it.

What do you get? Is your 30-60-90 triangle you final answer, or some intermediate stage?

Answer 3

What’s the answer