Uncle Leon, the gardener of Kent Ridge Community Garden received a $85 grant from the

National Parks Board. He is considering to use this grant amount to purchase organic fertilisers
and organic pesticides to stimulate higher output of vegetables grown in the community garden.
It is given that each packet of organic fertilizer, x costs $5 while each packet of organic
pesticides, y costs $10. Uncle Leon hence seeks to maximise the output of the garden,
U ( x , y )=36 x−3 x 2 +56 y−4 y 2 , subject to the grant constraint of $85. Find the maximum
output Uncle Leon can achieve.

Solution:

Max 36 x−3 x 2+56 y −4 y 2 s.t. 5 x+10 y ≤ 85

Lagrangian:
ℒ ( x , y )=36 x −3 x 2 +56 y−4 y 2−λ (5 x+10 y −85)
ℒ’ 1 ( x , y )=¿ 36−6 x−5 λ=0 – (1)
ℒ’ 2 ( x , y )=¿ 56−8 y−10 λ=0 – (2)

Complementary slackness:
λ ≥ 0, λ (5 x +10 y−85 )=0

Case 1: λ=0 , substitute into (1) and (2)

∴ x=6 , y =7
In this case, 5 x+10 y=100> 85 (reject)

Case 2: λ> 0 , 5 x+10 y=85

From (1) and (2),
−8 y +12 x−16=0 – (3)
5 x+10 y=85 – (4)

From (3) and (4),

x=17−2 y – (5)
Sub (5) into (4)
−8 y +12(17−2 y)−16=0
y=5.875
Sub. y=5.875 into (5)
x=5.25
λ=0.75>0

Maximum output= 297.25