Related (Dependent) Rates
Air is pumped into a spherical balloon:
I the volume increases with 100 cm3 /s
Find: rate of change of the radius when the diameter is 50cm.
First step: introduce suggestive notation
I let V (t) be the volume after time t
I let r (t) be the radius after time t
Then the given problem translates to
V 0 (t) = 100 cm3 /s Find r 0 (t) when r = 25cm.
How are the volume of a sphere and its radius related?
4 d 4 4
V = πr 3 thus V 0 (t) = πr (t)3 = π · 3r (t)2 r 0 (t)
3 dt 3 3
We solve for r 0 (t):
V 0 (t) 100 1
r 0 (t) = r 0 (t) = = cm/s
4π · r (t)2 4π · 25 2 25π
Related (Dependent) Rates
A ladder of length 10ft rests against a vertical wall.
I the bottom of the ladder slides away from the wall with 1ft/s
How fast is the top sliding when the bottom is 6ft from the wall?
wall Thus
d y x 2 + y 2 = 102
dt y =?
x=6
10ft ladder =⇒ 62 + y 2 = 102
p
=⇒ y = ± 102 − 62
x ground
=⇒ y = 8
d
dt x =1
d 2 d dx dy
(x + y 2 ) = 102 =⇒ 2x + 2y =0
dt dt dt dt
dy x dx dy 6 3
=⇒ =− =⇒ =− ·1=−
dt y dt dt 8 4
The top slides with 34 ft/s when the bottom is 6ft from the wall.
Related (Dependent) Rates
A water tank has the shape of an inverted circular cone:
I base radius 2m and the height is 4m,
I water is pumped into the tank at a rate of 2m3 /min.
At what rate is the water rising when the water is 3m deep?
2 1 2
V = πr h
3
r How is r related to h?
4 r 2 1
= =⇒ r= h
h h 4 2
1 1 1
V = π( h)2 h = πh3
3 2 12
We differentiate both sides with respect to t:
dV d 1 1 dh dh 4 dV h=3 4
= ( πh3 ) = π3h2 =⇒ = = ·2
dt dt 12 12 dt dt πh2 dt π9
Thus the water rises with 8/(π9)m/min when its is 3m deep.
Related (Dependent) Rates
Problem Solving Strategy
Important when solving textual problems:
I Read the problem carefully.
I Draw a diagram.
I Introduce notation, function names for the quantities.
I Express given information and goal using the notation.
I Write equations relating the quantities. Eliminate
dependent variables (in the previous example we have
eliminated the radius as it was dependent on the height).
I Use the chain rule to differentiate both sides w.r.t. t.
I Solve for the unknown rate, and substitute the given
information into the resulting formula.
Related (Dependent) Rates
Two cars are headed for the same road intersection:
I car A is traveling west with 50mi/h
I car B is traveling north with 60mi/h
At what rate are the cars approaching
when A is 0.3mi and B is 0.4mi from the intersection?
C x A I x(t) = distance of A to crossing
I y (t) = distance of B to crossing
y
z I z(t) = distance of A to B
B d d
x = −50 y = −60
dt dt
dz dx dy
z 2 = x 2 + y 2 =⇒ 2z = 2x + 2y
dt dt dt
dz x dx y dy dz 0.3 0.4
= + =⇒ = (−50) + (−60) = −78
dt z dt z dt dt 0.5 0.5
When x = 0.3 & y = 0.4, we get z = 0.5. The answer is 78mi/h.
Related (Dependent) Rates
We have a right-angled triangle of the form
x
20cm
φ
The length x increases with 4cm/s.
How fast is the angle φ changing when x = 15cm?
The quantities x and φ are related by:
x
tan φ =
20
Differentiating both sides yields:
d d x 1 dφ 1 dx
tan φ = =⇒ 2
· = ·
dt dt 20 (cos φ) dt 20 dt
Related (Dependent) Rates
We have a right-angled triangle of the form
x
20cm
H
φ
The length x increases with 4cm/s.
How fast is the angle φ changing when x = 15cm?
1 dφ 1 dx
2
· = ·
(cos φ) dt 20 dt
dφ (cos φ)2 dx (cos φ)2 (cos φ)2
=⇒ = · = ·4=
dt 20 dt 20 5
√
We have cos φ = 20/H = 20/ 152 + 202 = 20/25 = 4/5.
Thus
2
dφ 4 1 42 16
= · = 3 = rad/s
dt 5 5 5 125