SOLUTIONS_2.
10 RELATED RATES
2.10 RELATED RATES
By the end of this section, you'll be able to:
*identify the given rate and the rate that we are trying to
find in a related rates problem,
*identify the relation between two variables that change per
unit of time,
*use the chain rule to link the related rates in a related rates
problem,
*find a missing rate to solve a related rate problem at a
given instance.
So far, we have used the derivative mainly as the slope of a
tangent line.
Instead of having , we might consider the change in
position over the change in time, .
If we put this through the limiting process, we would have
which represents an instantaneous rate of change with
respect to time.
In this section we are going to look at an application of
implicit differentiation, RELATED RATES:
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SOLUTIONS_2.10 RELATED RATES
Related rates problem deal with a relation for variables.
Differentiation gives a relation between the derivatives (rate
of change).
Let's say we have two variables, x and y that are related via
the function y = f(x).
If they are both changing with time, these variables can
also be written as a function of t, x(t) and y(t), to
emphasize their time dependence.
We can express the rate of change of y in terms of the rate
of change of x by using implicit differentiation:
• The units will be very important in this section.
• From now on, when you see “rate of change”, you
should automatically assume that it is an
instantaneous rate of change. In other words, it is
a derivative.
• It will say “average rate of change” if what is wanted
is an average rate of change over an interval. The
“average rate of change” is the slope of the line
connecting the starting point and the ending point.
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SOLUTIONS_2.10 RELATED RATES
Translating Words into Mathematical Expressions and Equations
The rate of change of y with respect to x:
The rate of change of r with respect to t:
The rate of change of the volume with respect to time:
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The area is increasing at 10 cm /sec:
The height of the river is decreasing at 3 ft/hour:
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SOLUTIONS_2.10 RELATED RATES
Writing an Equation Relating the Variables
*Related rates problems involve two (or more) variables
that change at the same time, possibly at different rates.
*If we know how the variables are related, and how fast
one of them is changing, then we can figure out how fast
the other one is changing.
*This usually involves writing an equation relating the
two variables and taking the derivative of the
equation with respect to time. Implicit differentiation
is often used.
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SOLUTIONS_2.10 RELATED RATES
Differentiate with respect to time:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
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SOLUTIONS_2.10 RELATED RATES
Related Rates Problems
*Read the problem carefully and state the problem mathematically:
Given:.... Find:...
*If applicable, draw a picture and label variables.
*Find an equation that relates the variables. You can look for:
a) Pythagorean theorem
b) Similar triangles
c) Area and volume formulas
d) Trig identities.
*Simplify using appropriate substitutions, so that chosen equation
has only two variables (known and unknown).
*Differentiate the equation implicitly with respect to time.
*Substitute all known values into the derivative and solve for the
final answer.
EX:
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An ice cube is melting at a rate of 5 cm /hr. At what rate is the
length of the edge of the cube changing when the edge of the cube
is 3 cm? Indicate units of measure.
a = 3 cm
The length of the edge of the cube is decreasing at a rate of
5 cm per hour.
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SOLUTIONS_2.10 RELATED RATES
EX:
If the radius and the height of a cone both increase at a constant
rate of 0.5 cm/sec, at what rate is the volume increasing when
the height is 9 cm and the radius is 6 cm?
h = 9 cm
r = 6 cm
The volume of the cone is increasing at a rate of
2pi cubic centimeter per second.
EX: (2002)
A container has the shape of an open right circular cone, as shown in the figure.
The height of the container is 10 cm and
the diameter of the opening is 10 cm.
Water in the container is evaporating so that
its depth h is changing at the constant rate of
cm/hr.
a) Find the volume V of water in the container
when h = 5 cm. Indicate units per measure.
r
5
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SOLUTIONS_2.10 RELATED RATES
b) Find the rate of change of the volume of water in the container, with
respect to time, when h = 5 cm.
Indicate units per measure.
c) Show that the rate of change of the volume of water in the container
due to evaporation is directly proportional to the exposed surface area of
the water. What is the constant of proportionality?
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SOLUTIONS_2.10 RELATED RATES
EX: (2008)
Oil is leaking from a pipeline on the surface of a lake and forms an oil slick whose
volume increases at a constant rate of 2000 cubic centimeters per minute. The oil
slick takes the form of a right circular cylinder with both its radius and height
changing with time. At the instant when the radius of the oil slick is 100
centimeters and the height is 0.5 centimeter, the radius is increasing at the rate of
2.5 centimeters per minute.
At this instant, what is the rate of change of the height of the oil slick
with respect to time, in centimeters per minute?
EX: (1987)
The trough shown below is 5 feet long, and its vertical cross sections are
inverted isosceles triangles with base 2 feet and height 3 feet. Water is
being siphoned out of the trough at the rate of 2 cubic feet per minute.
a) Find the volume of water in the trough when it is full.
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SOLUTIONS_2.10 RELATED RATES
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SOLUTIONS_2.10 RELATED RATES
EX: (2002)
Ship A is traveling due west toward Lighthouse Rock at a speed of 15
kilometers per hour. Ship B is traveling due north away from Lighthouse
Rock at a speed of 10 kilometers per hour. Let x be the distance between
Ship A and Lighthouse Rock at time t, and let y be the distance between
Ship B and Lighthouse Rock at time t.
a) Find the distance between Ship A and Ship B when x = 4 km and
y = 3 km.
b) Find the rate of change of the distance between the two ships when x=
4 km and y = 3 km.
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SOLUTIONS_2.10 RELATED RATES
c) Let be the angle shown in the figure. Find the rate of change of , in
radians per hour, x = 4 km and y = 3 km.
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