HMMT-Feb 2010 calc, Problem 6

Let $f(x)=x^{3}-x^{2}$. For a given value of $c$, the graph of $f(x)$, together with the graph of the line $c+x$, split the plane up into regions. Suppose that $c$ is such that exactly two of these regions have finite area. Find the value of $c$ that minimizes the sum of the areas of these two regions.

Solution: Observe that $f(x)$ can be written as $\left(x-\frac{1}{3}\right)^{3}-\frac{1}{3}\left(x-\frac{1}{3}\right)-\frac{2}{27}$, which has $180^{\circ}$ symmetry around the point $\left(\frac{1}{3},-\frac{2}{27}\right)$. Suppose the graph of $f$ cuts the line $y=c+x$ into two segments of lengths $a$ and $b$. When we move the line toward point $P$ with a small distance $\Delta x$ (measured along the line perpendicular to $y=x+c)$, the sum of the enclosed areas will increase by $|a-b|(\Delta x)$. As long as the line $x+c$ does not passes through $P$, we can find a new line $x+c^{*}$ that increases the sum of the enclosed areas. Therefore, the sum of the areas reaches its maximum when the line passes through $P$. For that line, we can find that $c=y-x=-\frac{2}{27}-\frac{1}{3}=-\frac{11}{27}$. $\fbox{-\frac{11}{27}}$.

Answer: -\frac{11}{27}