Question

a factory is located 100 miles downstream on the opposite side of a 60 mile wide river from a power plant. if it costs $1.3 million/mile to lay cable under water and $0.5 million/mile along the bank, find the cheapest route.

Answer 1

The cheapest cost is along the bank which will cost 80 million

How to find the cheapest cost

The cheapest cost is solved considering the described locations

The locations will result to a right triangle

Opposite:100 miles downstream

Adjacent: 60 mile wide river

Hypotenuse: going through water (under water)

Distance along the bank = 100 + 60 = 160 miles

cost = 160 * $0.5 million = 80 million

Distance under water, using Pythagoras

= √(100² + 60²) = 116.62 miles

cost = 116.62 * $1.3 million = 151.6 million