Variation Problems
A. Write the following statements to an equation
1. R varies directly as M :
R∝M
R = kM
L
2. T varies directly as the square of H:
A
T ∝ H2
Y
T = kH 2
3. E varies inversely as L:
SI
1
E∝
L
1
N E=k
L
E
k
E=
L
ID
4. M varies jointly as X and Y :
M ∝ XY
M = kXY
P
5. At a constant voltage, the electric current I varies inversely as the resistance R:
M
k=V
k
I=
R
U
k V
I= or I=
R R
K
6. The lateral area A of a cube varies directly as the square of an edge e:
A ∝ e2
A = ke2
1
7. The weight W of pure water varies directly as its volume V :
w∝v
w = kv
8. The area A of a square varies directly as the square of a side s:
A ∝ s2
L
A = ks2
A
9. The volume V of a cone varies jointly as its altitude h and the square of the radius
r of its base:
Y
V ∝ hr2
V = khr2
SI
10. The temperature T at which water boils varies inversely as the number of feet h
above sea level:
1
N
T ∝
h
1
T =k
E
h
k
ID
T =
h
11. The weight w of an athlete is directly proportional to his height h:
w∝h
P
w = kh
M
12. The area A of the surface of a sphere varies directly as the square of radius r:
A ∝ r2
U
A = kr2
K
13. The distance S a body falls varies directly as the square of the time t after it starts
to fall:
S ∝ t2
S = kt2
2
14. The time t required to travel a given fixed distance is inversely proportional to the
speed r:
1
t∝
r
1
t=k
r
k
t=
L
r
15. The volume of water V pumped varies directly as the square of time t:
A
V ∝ t2
Y
V = kt2
SI
B. Solve the following
1. If y = kx2 , and y = 36 when x = 3, find k:
N y = kx2
y
E
k=
x2
36
k=
ID
(3)2
36
k=
9
k=4
P
2. If y varies directly as the square of x, and y = 24 when x = 4, find the constant of
variation:
M
y ∝ x2
y = kx2
U
y
k=
x2
24
K
k=
(4)2
24
k=
16
3
k=
2
3 1
k= or k=1 or k = 1.5
2 2
3
3. If r varies directly as b2 , r = 3 when b = 4, find r when b = 16:
r ∝ b2
r = kb2
r
k=
b2
3
k=
L
(4)2
3
k=
16
A
r = kb2
Y
3
r= (16)2
16
3
SI
r= (16)2
16
r = (3)(16)
N r = 48
4. If y varies directly as the cube of x, and y = 32 when x = 2, find y when x = 5:
E
y ∝ x3
y = kx3
ID
y
k=
x3
32
k=
P
(2)3
32
k=
8
M
k=4
y = kx3
U
y = 4(5)3
y = (4)(125)
K
y = 500
4
5. If m varies directly as y, and m = 20 when y = 5, find y when m = 60:
m∝y
m = ky
m
k=
y
20
k=
L
5
k=4
A
m = ky
m
Y
y=
k
60
y=
4
SI
y = 15
6. If p varies directly as q, and p = 21 when q = 24, find p when q = 56:
N
p∝q
p = kq
E
p
k=
ID
q
21
k=
24
7
k=
8
P
p = kq
M
7
p= (56)
8
(7)(56)
p=
U
8
7
(7)(56)
>
p=
8
K
p = (7)(7)
p = 49
5
7. If x varies inversely as y and x = 8 when y = 2, find x when y = 4:
1
x∝
y
1
x=k
y
k
x=
y
L
k = xy
A
k = (8)(2)
k = 16
Y
k
x=
y
SI
16
x=
4
x=4
N
8. Find x when y = 32, given that x varies inversely as y and x = 132 when y = 4:
1
E
x∝
y
1
x=k
ID
y
k
x=
y
P
k = xy
k = (132)(4)
M
k = 528
k
x=
U
y
528
x=
32
* 33
K
528
x= 2
33
>
33 1
x= or x = 16 or x = 16.5
2 2
6
9. If m varies inversely as r, and m = 51 when r = 42, find m when r = 34:
1
m∝
r
1
m=k
r
k
m=
r
L
k = mr
k = (51)(42)
A
k = 2142
Y
k
m=
r
2142
SI
m=
34
N m = 63
10. If c varies inversely as d, and c = 8 when d = 10, find d when c = 5:
1
c∝
E
d
1
c=k
d
ID
k
c=
d
k = cd
P
k = (8)(10)
k = 80
M
k
c=
d
U
k
d=
c
80
d=
K
d = 16
7
11. If b varies inversely as the square root of x, an b = 16 when x = 9, find b when
x = 16:
1
b∝ √
x
1
b=k √
x
k
b= √
x
L
√
k=b x
A
√
k = 16 9
k = (16)(3)
Y
k = 48
SI
k
b= √
x
48
b= √
N 48
16
b=
4
E
b = 12
ID
12. If m varies jointly as c and b, find m if c = 15, k = 12, and b = 25:
m ∝ cb
m = kcb
m = (12)(15)(25)
P
m = 4500
M
U
K
8
13. If y varies directly as the square root of x, y = 36 when x = 36, find y when x = 81:
√
y∝ x
√
y=k x
y
k=√
x
36
k=√
L
36
36
k=
A
6
k=6
Y
√
y=k x
√
y = 6 81
SI
y = (6)(9)
N y = 54
14. If z varies jointly as x and y, z = 200 when x = 5 and y = 4, find z when x = 8
and y = 12:
E
z ∝ xy
z = kxy
ID
z
k=
xy
200
k=
(5)(4)
P
200
k=
20
M
k = 10
z = kxy
U
z = (10)(8)(12)
z = 960
K
9
15. If y varies directly as the cube root of t, y = 21 when t = 27, find y when t = 8:
√
3
y∝ t
√3
y=k t
y
k= √
3
t
21
k= √
L
3
27
21
k=
A
3
k=7
Y
√3
y=7 8
y = (7)(2)
SI
y = 14
N
E
ID
P
M
U
K
10