Related Rates

INTRODUCTION
If we are pumping air into a balloon, both the volume
and the radius of the balloon are increasing and their
rates of increasing are related to each other. But it is
much easier to measure directly the rate of increase of
the volume than the rate of increase of the radius.
In related rates problem the idea is to compute the rate
of change of one quantity in terms of the rate of change
of another quantity. The procedure is to find an equation
that relates the two quantities and then use the Chain
rule to differentiate both sides with respect to time.

A problem in related rates is one involving rates of

change of related variables. These variables have
specific relationship for values of t, where t is a
measure of time.
The following steps should be taken in solving problems
involving rate of change wrt time t for two or more
related variables:
1. Read the problem carefully and draw a diagram if
possible.
2.Select a letter to represent each variable.
3.Identify the constant rates of change that are given.
4.Identify the rate of change that must be found.
5.Write an equation that expresses the relation between
the variables.
6.Differentiate both sides of the equation wrt t.
7.Replace the given rates of change with their constant
values.
8.Replace the variables by their values at the particular

1. A spherical balloon is being inflated so that its volume is

increasing at the rate of 5 m3/min. At what rate is the
diameter increasing when the diameter is 12 m?
Solution: Let V volume, D diameter.

dV
5m3 / min
dt
dD when D = 12 m
Unknown:
Given :

dt

Equation:

4 3
r
3
3
4 D
1
V D3
3 2
6
V

dV 1 2 dD
D
dt 2
dt
1
dD
5 (12) 2
2
dt

dD
5

m / min
dt 72

2. A bacterial cell is spherical in shape. If the radius of

the cell is increasing at the rate of 0.01 m/day when it
is 1.5 m, what is the rate of increase in volume of the
cell at that time?
Solution: Let V volume,and r radius.
Given:dr/dt = 0.01 m/day
Unknown: dV/dt when r = 1.5 m

Equation:
Differentiate both sides wrt t,

m3/day

3.

A water tank in the form of an inverted cone is

being emptied at the rate of 6 ft3/min. The height
of the cone is 24 m and the radius is 12 m. Find
how fast the water level is lowering when the
waterLetisV10
m deep?
Solution:
volume, and r radius and h height of the water.
Given: dV/dt = - 6 ft3/min,
Unknown: dh/dt when h = 10m
12m

12m

24m

24m
h

4. A man 6 ft tall is walking toward a building at the

rate of 5 ft/sec. If there is a light on the ground 50 ft
from the building, how fast is the mans shadow on
the building growing shorter when he is 30 ft from the
building?
Let y be the length of the shadow
x be the distance of man from
light.

y
6
50 ft

5.

A girl is using straw to drink coke from a right

cylindrical glass at the rate of 6 cm3/sec. If the
height of the glass is 12 cm and the diameter is 6
cm, how fast is the level of coke falling at a
constant rate?

Note that r will not change with time,

so we may directly substitute its
value in the equation of volume.
Thus, we have
V = (3)2h =9h.
Differentiate both sides wrt t,

h
cm/sec

7. A balloon, leaving the ground 60 ft from an

observer rises 10ft/s.
How fast is the angle of
elevation of the line of sight increasing after 8
seconds?

8. A kite is 60 ft. high with 100 ft. of cord out. If the

kite is moving horizontally, 4 mi/hr directly away
from the boy flying it, find the rate of change of the
angle of elevation of the cord.

More exercises on pp. 198 200.

Assignment:
page 198-200, numbers 15, 25, and 41.