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Related Rates Problems Explained

The document discusses related rates problems in calculus, focusing on how to find the rate of change of multiple variables with respect to time using differentiation and the chain rule. It provides examples involving a ladder, a balloon, a man walking across a bridge, and water flowing into various containers, illustrating how to apply these concepts in practical scenarios. The key takeaway is that when variables are related by an equation, their rates of change can be determined by differentiating the equation with respect to time.

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Wela Claire
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8 views16 pages

Related Rates Problems Explained

The document discusses related rates problems in calculus, focusing on how to find the rate of change of multiple variables with respect to time using differentiation and the chain rule. It provides examples involving a ladder, a balloon, a man walking across a bridge, and water flowing into various containers, illustrating how to apply these concepts in practical scenarios. The key takeaway is that when variables are related by an equation, their rates of change can be determined by differentiating the equation with respect to time.

Uploaded by

Wela Claire
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

RELATED RATES PROBLEMS

If a particle is moving along a straight line according to the equation of motion , since the
velocity may be interpreted as a rate of change of distance with respect to time, thus we have shown
that the velocity of the particle at time “t” is the derivative of “s” with respect to “t”.

There are many problems in which we are concerned with the rate of change of two or more related
variables with respect to time, in which it is not necessary to express each of these variables directly as
function of time. For example, we are given an equation involving the variables x and y, and that both x
and y are functions of the third variable t, where t denotes time.

Since the rate of change of x and y with respect to t is given by and , respectively, we differentiate
both sides of the given equation with respect to t by applying the chain rule.

When two or more variables, all functions of t, are related by an equation, the relation between their
rates of change may be obtained by differentiating the equation with respect to t.
E a le
ladder is leaning against a wall. If the bo om of
the ladder is pulled along the ground away from the wall at
the constant rate of sec, how fast will the top of the
ladder be moving down the wall when it is above the
ground

x
ote
alues which changes as time changes are denoted by variable.
The rate is positive if the variable increases as time increases and
is negative if the variable decreases as time increases.
E a le
balloon leaving the ground feet from an observer,
rises vertically at the rate sec . ow fast is the balloon
receding from the observer a er seconds

L
h

iewer
feet
E a le
s a man wal s across a bridge at the rate of sec ,
a boat passes directly beneath him at sec. If the
bridge is feet above the water, how fast are the man
and the boat separating seconds later
t
E a le
man on a wharf of feet above the water pulls in a
rope, to which a boat is a ached, at the rate of sec. t
what rate is the boat approaching the wharf when there is
feet of rope out

R
E a le
Water is owing into a conical reservoir feet deep
and feet across the top, at the rate of min . Find
how fast the surface is rising when the water is feet
deep
feet
feet

r
feet

h
E a le
Water is owing into a vertical tan at the rate of
min . If the radius of the tan is feet, how fast is
the surface rising
feet
E a le
triangular trough is feet long, feet across the
top, and feet deep. If water ows in at the rate of
min, nd how fast the surface is rising when the
water is inches deep

feet

x
feet

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