SAMPLE PROBLEMS Differential Calculus
Module 7 – Time Rates Civil Engineering
Calculus Related Rates Problems:
1. An 8-foot ladder is leaning against a wall. The top of the
ladder is sliding down the wall at the rate of 2 feet per
second. How fast is the bottom of the ladder moving along the
ground at the point in time when the bottom of the ladder is 4
feet from the wall?
Answer: 3.464 ft/sec
2. Find the rate of change of the radius of a sphere at the
point in time when the radius is 6 feet if the volume is
increasing at the rate of 8𝜋 cubic feet per second.
Answer: 0.667 in/sec
3. The width of a rectangle is increasing at a rate of 2 cm/sec,
while the length increases at 3 cm/sec. At what rate is the area
increasing when 𝑤 = 4 𝑐𝑚 and 𝑙 = 5𝑐𝑚?
Answer: 22 cm2/sec
4. Two cars leave from the same position at the same time. One
travels due North at 30 mph, while the other travels due East at
40 mph. At what rate is the distance between the cars changing
after 1 hour?
Answer: 50 mph
1|Page
Prepared by:
Engr. Gilmark P. Repulda
SAMPLE PROBLEMS Differential Calculus
Module 7 – Time Rates Civil Engineering
5. A spherical balloon is inflated at a rate of 100 cm3/sec. How
fast is the radius changing when the diameter of the balloon is
50cm?
1
Answer:
25𝜋
6. Two cars, one going due East at a rate of 90 km/hr. and the
other going due South at a rate of 60 km/hr., are traveling
toward the intersection of the two roads. At what rate are the
cars approaching each other at the instant when the first car is
0.2 km and the second card is 0.15 km from the intersection?
Answer: 108 km/hr
7. A large red balloon is rising at the rate of 20 ft/sec. The
balloon is 10 ft above the ground at the point in time that the
back end of a green car is directly below the bottom of the
balloon. The car is traveling at 40ft/sec. What is the rate of
change of the distance between the bottom of the balloon and the
point on the ground directly below the back of the car one
second after the back of the car is directly below the balloon?
Answer: 44 ft/sec
8. A large red balloon is rising at the rate of 20 ft/sec. The
balloon is 10ft above the ground at the point in time that the
back end of a green car is directly below the bottom of the
balloon. The car is traveling at 40 ft/sec. What is the rate of
change of the distance between the bottom of the balloon and the
point on the ground directly below the back of the car one
second after the back of the car is directly below the balloon?
Answer: 44 ft/sec
2|Page
Prepared by:
Engr. Gilmark P. Repulda
SAMPLE PROBLEMS Differential Calculus
Module 7 – Time Rates Civil Engineering
CALCULUS KINEMATICS PROBLEMS
1. A particle 𝑃 is moving on the 𝑥 axis and its displacement
from the origin, 𝑥 (meters), 𝑡 (seconds) after a given instant,
𝟏
is given by 𝒙 = 𝒕(𝒕𝟐 − 𝟑𝒕 − 𝟐𝟒), 𝒕 ≥ 𝟎.
𝟑
Determine the displacement of 𝑃 when it is instantaneously at
rest.
Answer: -26.7 m
2. A particle 𝑃 is moving on the 𝑥 axis and its velocity 𝑣
(m/s), 𝑡 (seconds) after a given instant is given by
𝒗 = 𝒕𝟐 − 𝟒𝒕 − 𝟏𝟐, 𝒕 ≥ 𝟎
When 𝑡 = 0, its displacement 𝑥 from the origin 𝑂 is 20m.
a. Find the acceleration of 𝑃 when 𝑡 = 3.
b. Find the acceleration of 𝑃, when 𝑃 is instantaneously at
rest.
Answer: 𝑎 = 2 𝑚/𝑠 2 and 𝑎 = 8 𝑚/𝑠 2
3. A particle 𝑃 is moving on the 𝑥 axis and its displacement
from the origin, 𝑥 (meters), 𝑡 (seconds) after a given instant,
is given by 𝒙 = 𝟐𝒕𝟑 − 𝟑𝒕𝟐 + 𝑨𝒕 + 𝑩, 𝒕 ≥ 𝟎
Where A and B are constants.
a. Find the value of 𝑡 when the acceleration of 𝑃 is zero.
When 𝑡 = 1.5 𝑠, 𝑃 is passing through the origin 𝑂, and is moving
in the negative 𝑥 direction with speed 7.5 m/s.
b. Determine the value of A and the value of B.
c. Determine the time when P is instantaneously at rest.
d. Calculate as an exact value of 𝑡, when 𝑃 is passing through 𝑂
again.
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Answer: 𝑡 = , 𝐴 = −12, 𝐵 = 18, 𝑡 = 2, 𝑡 = √6
2
3|Page
Prepared by:
Engr. Gilmark P. Repulda