Related Rates

If a quantity y is a function of time t, the rate of change of y with respect to time is given by dyldt. When two
or more quantities, all functions of the time t, are related by an equation, the relation of their rates of change
lIIay be found by differentiating both sides of the equation.

EXAMPLE 20.1: A 25-foot ladder rests against a vertical wall. (See Fig. 20-1.) If the bottom of the ladder is sliding
away from the base of the wall at the rate of 3 ft/sec, how fast is the top of the ladder moving down the wall when the
bottom of the ladder is 7 feet from the base?

- Rg.20-1
x

Let x be the distance of the bottom of the ladder from the base of the wall, and let y be the distance of the
top of the ladder from the base of the wall. Since the bottom of the ladder is moving away from the base of
the wall at the rate of 3 ftlsec, dxldt =3. We have to find dyldt when x =7. By the Pythagorean Theorem,

(20.1)

This is the relation between x and y. Differentiating both sides with respect to t. we get

,.
Since d.'ddt =3, 6x + 2y dyldt =0, whence

(20.2)

This is the desired equation for dyldt. Now. for our particular problem, x =7. Substituting 7 for.t in equation
(20.1). we get 49 + f =625, f =576, y =24. In equation (20.2). we replace x and y by 7 and 24, obtaining
21 + 24 dyldt =O. Hence, dyldt =- t. Since dyldt < 0, we conclude that the top of the ladder is sliding down
the wall at the rate of t ft/sec when the bottom of the ladder is 7 ft from the base of the wall.
--."~.=• •
 CHAPTER 20 Related Rates

SOLVED PROBLEMS

1. Gas is escaping from a spherical balloon at the rate of 2 ft3/ min. How fast is the surface area shrinking when the
radius is 12 ft?
A sphere of radius r has volume V =11£r3 and surface area S =41£r. By hypothesis. dVldt =-2. Now,
dVldt = 41£r drldt. So, -2= 4m.2 dr/dt and, therefore. drldt = -1I(21£r). Also, dSldt = 8rtr dr/dt. Hence,
dSldt = -81£r/21£r =--4//". So, when': = 12, dS/dt =-li =-to Thus, the surface area is shrinking at the nite of
t fe/min.

2. Water is running out of a conical funnel at the rate of I inl/sec. If the radius of the base of the funnel is 4 in and
the height is 8 in, find the rate at which the water level is dropping when it is 2 in from the top. (The formula for
the volume V of a cone is t1£r2 h, where r is the radius of the base and h is the height.)
Let r be the radius and II the height of the surface of the water at time t, and let V be the volume of the water
'1',·
in the cone. (See Fig. 20-2.) By similar triangles, r/4 = h/8, whence r = th .

Fig. 20-2

Then

So dV
dt
=~"'h2
4"
dh
dt·

By hypothesis, dV/dt =-I. Thus, .

-1 =t"'h
,. dlz
2
dt' . Id'mg Tt=
Yle -4
dh Trh2'

Now, when the water level is 2 in from the top, h = 8 - 2 = 6. Hence, at that time, dhldt =-1/(91£), and so the
water level is dropping at the rate of 11(91£) in/sec.

,
.1.'.
3. Sand falling from a chute forms a conical pile whose altitude is always equal to t the radius of the base. (a)
How fast is the volume increasing when the radius of the base is 3 ft and is increasing at the rate of 3 in/min?
(b) How fast is the radius increasing when it is 6 ft and the volume is increasing at the rate of 24 ft3/min?
Let r be the radius of the base, and h the height of the pile at time t. Then

(a) When r = 3 and dr/dt = t, dVldt = 31£ ft3/ min.

(b) When r =6 and dVldt =24, drldt = 1/(21£) ftlmin.

4. Ship A is sailing due south at 16 milh, and ship B, 32 miles south of A, is sailing due east at 12 milh. (a) At what
rate are they approaching or separating at the end of I hour? (b) At the end of 2 hours? (c) When do they cease to
approach each other, an~ how far apart are they at that time?
CHAPTER 20 Related Rates
••
tet Ao and Bo be the initial positions of the ships, and A, and B, their positions I hours later. Let D be the
distance between them 1 hours later. Then (see Fig. 20-3):

D2= (32 -161)2 +(121)2 and 2D t1fr ;: : 2(32 -161)(-16) + 2(121)(12) =2(4001 - 512).

Ao

;...
A,

Rg.20-3

Hence dD = 4001-512
, dt D

(a) When t = 1, D =20 and df, =-5.6. They are approaching at 5.6 milh.
(b) When 1 =2. D =24 and t1fr =12. They are separating at 12 milh.
(c) They cease.to approach each other when ttt,
=0, that is. when 1 =~ = 1.28 h. at which time they are
D = 19.2 mIles apart.

S. Two parallel sides of a rectangle are being lengthened at the rate of 2 in/sec, while the other two sides are
shortened in such a way that the figure remains a rectangle with constant area A =50 in2• What is the rate
of change of the perimeter P when the length of an increasing side is (a) 5 in? (b) 10 in? (c) What are the
dimensions when the perimeter ceases to decrease? '- -".-
Let x be the length of the sides that are being lengthened, and y the length of the other sides. at time I. ;f~~i
Then ;~~~
::~.tf·~

(a) When x = 5, y = 10 and tWdl = 2. Then

5 ~ + 10(2) = O. So ~ = -4 and : = 2(2 - 4) = -4 in/sec (decreasing)

(b) When x = 10. y = 5 and tWdl = 2. Then

10 7, +5(2) = O. So ~. = -I and : =2(2 -I) = 2 in/sec (decreasing)

(c) The perimeter will cease to decrease when dP/dt = 0, that is, when dy/dl = -dx/dt =-2. Then
x(-2) +,y(2) =0, and the rectangle is a square of side x =y =5./2 in.

6. The radius of a sphere is r when the time is t seconds. Find the radius when the rate of change of the surface area
and the rate of change of the radius are equal.
The surface area S =41t2; ~ence. dS/dl =81tr dr/dr. When dS1d1 =dr/dl. 81tr =1 and the radius r = 1I81t.

7. A weight W is attached to a rope 50 ft long that passes over a pulley at a point P. 20 ft above the ground. The
other end of the rope is attached to a truck at a point A, 2 ft above the ground. as shown in Fig. 20-4. If the truck
moves away at the rate of 9 ft/sec, how fast is the weight rising when it is 6 ft above the ground?
 CHAPTER 20 Related Rates

.".-.. ,.

Fig. 20-4

Let x denote the distance the weight has been raised, and y the horizontal distance from point A1 where the
rope is attached to the tnlck, to the vertical line passing through the pulley. We must find dxldt when dyldt = 9
andx= 6.
Now

dy 30+x d"C
y2=(30+X)2_(lS)2 and di= y dt

When x =6, y =ISJ3 and dyldt =9. Then 9 = 30 +J dx

d
,from which dx
dI
=2.2 J3 ft/sec ..
IS,,3 t

8. A light L hangs H ft above a street. An object h ft tall at 0, directly under the light. moves in a straight line along
the street at v ft/sec. Find <I formula for the velocity V of the tip of the shadow cast by the object on the street at
t seconds. (See Fig. 20-5:)

Fig. 20-5

After t seconds, the object has moved a distance vI. Let y be the distance of the tip of the shadow from O. By
similar triangles, (y - VI)ly =hlH. Hence,

y= Hvt and, therefore, v = dy =..JiJ!.....= 1 v

H-h dt H- h 1- (hlH)

Thus. the velocity of the tip of the shadow is proportional to the velocity of the object, the factor of
proportionality depending upon the ratio hill. As II ~ 0, V ~ v. while as h ~ H. V ~ + 00.

SUPPLEMENTARY PROBLEMS
.: - . .-- __ r-

9. A rectangular trough is 8 ft long. 2 ft across the top, and 4 ft deep. If water flows in at a rate of 2 ftl/min, how fast
is the surface rising when the water is 1 ft deep?

Ans. t ft/min
CHAPTER 20 Related Rates

10. A liquid is flowing into a vertical cylindrical tank of radius 6 ft at the rate of 8 ft3/min. How fast is the surface
rising?

Ans. 2J91t ftlmin

11. A man S ft tall walks at a rate of 4 ftlsec directly away from a street light that is 20 ft above the street. (a) At what
rate is the tip of his shadow moving? (b}At what rate is the length of his shadow changing?

Ans. (a) .Jf-ft/sec;'(b) t ft/sec

12. A balloon is rising vertically over a point A on the ground at the rate of IS ftlsec. A point B on the ground is level
with and 30 ft from A. When the balloon is 40 ft from A, at what rate is its distance from B changing?

Ans. 12 ftlsec

13. A ladder 20 ft long leans against a house. If the foot of the ladder is moving away from the house at the rate of
2 ft/sec, find how fast (a) the top of the ladder is moving downward, and (b) the slope of the ladder is decreasing,
when the foot of the ladder is 12 ft from the house.

Ans. (a) t ft/sec; (b) i per second

14. Water is being withdrawn from a conical reservoir 3 ft in radius and 10 ft deep at 4 ft3/min. How fast is the
surface falling when the depth of the water is 6 ft? How fast is the radius of this surface diminishing?

Ans. 100/811t ftlmin; 1O/271t ftlmin

15. A barge. whose deck is 10 ft below the level of a dock, is being drawn in by means of a cable attached to the deck
t
and passing through a ring on the dock. When the barge is 24 ft away and approaching the dock at ft/sec, how
fast is the cable being pulled in? (Neglect any sag in the cable.)

Ans. nftlsec
16. A boy is flying a kite at a height of 150 ft. If the kite moves horizontally away from the boy at 20 ftlsec, how fast
is the string being paid out when the kite is 250 ft from him?

Ans. 16 ft/sec

17. One train. starting at II A.M., travels east at 45 milh while another. starting at noon from the same point, travels
south at 60 milh. How fast are they separating at 3 P.M.?

Ans. IOS/i/2 miIh

18. A light .is at the top of a pole 80 ft high. A ball is dropped at the same heighl'from a point 20 ft from the light.
Assuming that the ball falls according to s = 16t2• how fast is the shadow of the ball moving along the ground I
second later1

AilS. 200ftlsec

19. Ship A is 15 miles east of 0 and moving west at 20 miIh; ship B is 60 mi south of 0 and moving north at 15 milh.
(a) Are they approaching or separating after I h and at what rate? (b) After 3 h? (c) When are they nearest one
another?

Ans. (a) approaching.IIS/J8'i miIh; (b) separating, 9$012 miIh; (c) I h S5 min
 CHAPTER 20 Related Rates

20. Water. at a rate of 10 fi3/min. is pouring into a leaky cistern whose shape is a cone 16 ft deep and 8 ft in diameter
at the top. At the time the water is 12 ft deep, the water level is observed to be rising at 4 in/min. How fast is the
water leaking away?

AilS. (10 - 37t) ft3/ min

21. A solution is passi~g through a conical filter 24 in deep and 16 in across the top. into a cylindrica( vessel of
diameter 12 in. At what rate is the level of the solution in the cylinder rising if. when the depth of the solution in
the filter is 12 in. its level is falling at the rate I in/min?

Ans. tin/min

22. Oil from a leaking oil tanker radiates outward in the form of a circular filmon the surface of the water. If the
radius of the circle increases at the rate of 3 meters per minute, how fast is the area of the circle increasing when
the radius is 200 meters?

Ans. 12007t m 2/min

23. A point moves on the hyperbola Xl - 4y2 = 36 in such a way that the x coordinate increases at a constant rate of
20 units per second. How fast is the y coordinate changing at the point (10. 4)?

Ans. 50 units/sec

24. If a point moves along the curve y =Xl - lx. at what point is the y coordinate changing twice as fast as the
x coordinate?

Ans. (2.0)