4.II.16E

Methods | Part IB, 2007

Write down the Euler-Lagrange equation for extrema of the functional

I=abF(y,y)dxI=\int_{a}^{b} F\left(y, y^{\prime}\right) d x

Show that a first integral of this equation is given by

FyFy=CF-y^{\prime} \frac{\partial F}{\partial y^{\prime}}=C

A road is built between two points AA and BB in the plane z=0z=0 whose polar coordinates are r=a,θ=0r=a, \theta=0 and r=a,θ=π/2r=a, \theta=\pi / 2 respectively. Owing to congestion, the traffic speed at points along the road is kr2k r^{2} with kk a positive constant. If the equation describing the road is r=r(θ)r=r(\theta), obtain an integral expression for the total travel time TT from AA to BB.

[Arc length in polar coordinates is given by ds2=dr2+r2dθ2d s^{2}=d r^{2}+r^{2} d \theta^{2}.]

Calculate TT for the circular road r=ar=a.

Find the equation for the road that minimises TT and determine this minimum value.

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