Calculus tutor right here!
Lets say the pool has width x and height y. Our constraining equation is therefore:
1800 = xy
Lets say the width of the deck on the x sides are 5, and the width of the deck on the y side are 10, so your equation for total area of the pool would be:
Area = (y+2*5)(x+2*10)
Solve for one variable, take a derivative, set it equal to zero, solve for the variable, you know the drill from here. I could draw a picture if this is still confusing.
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He's got it here^ What the problem is basically saying is that you are going to build a pool. You don't know what the side lengths are, just only that the total area is going to be 1800 sqft. You are essentially "sweeping" one area from the smallest to the largest value, and finding the square area of the pool + decks, selecting which one is smallest (smallest piece of property).