Math 106--Calculus II: Project 1

...The Cost of Expansion

by Gavin LaRose (glarose@umich.edu), Nebraska Wesleyan University, October 1995

You are independent technical contractors and have recently received a big contract with the MPC, Inc. conglomerate to analyze the costs of the much publicized expansion of their world-wide headquarters outside of the thriving metropolis of Lonlinc, Skanebra. The letter you received on the subject is attached.

The letter...

M.P.C., Inc.

5 Sept., 1995

Sophisticated Technical Contractors, Inc.
Suite 1, Strawmarket Business Plaza
Lonlinc, SK 04685

Dear STC:

I am pleased to inform you on behalf of the board of directors of M.P.C., Inc. that your credentials and the competitive nature of your bid on the cost analysis for our planned expansion has led to your selection as the contractors for the analysis. We have faxed a copy of the contract to you separately.

As you know, the main consideration for which we are employing your services is the determination of the cost of the two addition proposals that we are currently debating. Due to tax and ergonomic issues it is not yet clear if the cheapest of the two will be the most cost-effective in the long run, and we therefore need an accurate estimate of the cost of each.

You can see from the enclosed map that the difference between the two proposed additions lies in their location. The first (Proposal 1) lies to the south and east of the existing M.P.C. building, on fairly flat prairie land. The second (Proposal 2) will necessitate the development of a portion of the (so called "endangered") Skanebra wetlands on our property (which development, due to the tax laws now being considered in Congress, may be eligible for a tax-break).

We are currently soliciting bids on the cost of developing the prairie and wetland for the two proposals, and while we have not yet obtained a firm estimate on the costs it is clear that the prairie land will cost the same (per square foot) to develop for either proposal, while the cost (per square foot) of developing the wetlands will be significantly more.

We expect your report, as indicated in your contract, by the 18th of this month. We include a copy of our standard requirements for a technical report of this nature. In addition, as it is in both of our interests to assure the successful and timely completion of your project, our technical representative overseeing the expansion, Dr. Gavin LaRose, is available to answer any and all additional questions that you may have regarding the technicalities or requirements related to your effort. You are urged to contact him as a group with any questions you may have -- and, as is also indicated in your contract, you should see him (also as a group) to give a progress report on the project by the 13th of the month.

We look forward to seeing your finished project.

Yours sincerely,

Warren Fubbet, President
M.P.C., Inc.

Encl: map, technical report requirements

The map..

The technical specifications...

M.P.C., Inc.

M.P.C., Inc. Technical Report Requirements

All reports submitted to MPC, Inc. should be written so that all members of the board of directors can understand the issues raised therein and therefore be able to appropriately use the material contained therein. The board members can all boast of a good university education including in excess of a year of mathematics -- of which they probably remember only about one semester of Calculus.

Reports should further:

• Be written in the first person plural (e.g., "We found the requisite data from the map...").
• Include mathematical formulas in the the text of the body of the report as appropriate to describe the methods and results obtained.
• Consist of
  • An Introduction, describing the problem to be solved, and an indication of the mathematical method used to solve it.
  • A Body, describing the mathematical problem that was solved to answer the question(s) posed in the introduction, and the solution to it.
  • A Conclusion, summarizing the results obtained from the solution described in the body and clearly stating their relevance to the original problem as described in the introduction.
• Be 2.5--5 pages in length.

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last modified on 29 Feb 1996