Demand for rooms, of a hotel which has 58 rooms, is a function of price charged given by u(p)=p212p+45. Find out at what price the revenue is maximized and what is the revenue?

1 Answer
Jan 26, 2017

There is no limit to revenue for p>13, but demand cannot be fulfilled beyond 58 rooms, which is for p=13 and maximum revenue at this level is 754.

Explanation:

As the number of rooms that will be occupied, based on the price being charged, is u(p)=p212p+45 with u(p)58 and u(p)I.

As such revenue r will be given by p(p212p+45) and this will be maximized when ddpr(p)=0, where r(p)=p312p2+45p and second derivative d2(dp)2r(p)<0 for maxima and d2(dp)2r(p)>0 for minima.

As ddpr(p)=3p224p+45 and 3p224p+45=0 and dividing each term by 3, we get

p28p+15=0 i.e. (p5)(p3)=0

and as d2(dp)2r(p)=6p24=6(p4)

while for p=5, d2(dp)2r(p)=6

for p=3, d2(dp)2r(p)=6

Hence, we have a local maxima at p=3 and a local minima at x=5

At p=3, we have r(3)=3312×32+45×3=54 and at p=5, we have u(5)=5312×52+45×5=50, but the latter is a local maxima and as subsequently r(p) continues to rise and is limited only by u(p)58.

And at u(p)=58 and p212p+45=58 is p212p13=0 i.e. (p13)(p+1)=0

Revenue is maximized at p=13, where it is

13312×132+45×13=21972028+585=754, when occupancy is 58.

However, as even beyond p=13 i.e. for p>13, demand for rooms continues to increase. Hence, answer is that there is no limit post the price p>13,
graph{x^3-12x^2+45x [-5, 15, -50, 800]}