Calculus: Early Transcendentals 8th Edition

Published by Cengage Learning
ISBN 10: 1285741552
ISBN 13: 978-1-28574-155-0

Chapter 3 - Section 3.7 - Rates of Change in the Natural and Social Sciences - 3.7 Exercises - Page 236: 33

Answer

(a) $A'(x) = \frac{xp'(x)-p(x)}{x^2}$ If $A'(x) \gt 0$, then the average productivity of the workforce would increase if more workers were added. Therefore, the company would want to hire more workers in order to improve the average productivity of the workforce. (b) If $p'(x)$ is greater than the average productivity, then $A'(x) \gt 0$

Work Step by Step

(a) $A(x) = \frac{p(x)}{x}$ $A'(x) = \frac{xp'(x)-p(x)}{x^2}$ If $A'(x) \gt 0$, then the average productivity of the workforce would increase if more workers were added. Therefore, the company would want to hire more workers in order to improve the average productivity of the workforce. (b) Suppose $p'(x)$ is greater than the average productivity. Then: $p'(x) \gt \frac{p(x)}{x}$ $xp'(x) \gt p(x)$ $xp'(x) - p(x) \gt 0$ $\frac{xp'(x) - p(x)}{x^2} \gt 0$ $A'(x) \gt 0$
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