RELATED RATES

PROBLEMS

If a particle is moving along a straight

line according to the equation of motion
s f (t )
, since the velocity may be interpreted
as a rate of change of distance with respect
to time, thus we have shown that the
velocity of the particle at time t is the
derivative
of s
with problems
respect toint.
There are
many
which we
are concerned with the rate of change of
two or more related variables with respect
to time, in which it is not necessary to
express each of these variables directly as
function of time. For example, we are given
an equation involving the variables x and y,
and that both x and y are functions of the
third variable t, where t denotes time.

Since the rate of change of x and y with

respect to t is given by
and
,
dy
dx
respectively,
we
differentiate
both
sides
of
dt
dt
the given equation with respect to t by
applying the chain rule.
When two or more variables, all functions
of t, are related by an equation, the relation
between their rates of change may be
obtained by differentiating the equation
with respect to t.

A Strategy for Solving Related Rates

Problems (p. 205)

Example 1
A 17 ft ladder is leaning against a wall. If the
bottom of the ladder is pulled along the ground
away from the wall at the constant rate of 5
ft/sec, how fast will the top of the ladder be
moving down the wall when it is 8 ft above the
ground?
17

ft.

dy
?
dt y 8 ft

dx
ft
5
dt
sec

Let x distance ft of the bottom of the ladder from the wall at any instant
y distance ft of the top of the ladder from the ground at any instant
t time sec since the bottom of the ladder is pulled along the ground
away from the wall


x2 y2 172 Working
Equation
dx
dy
2x 2y 0
dt
dt
dx
dx
2x
x
dy
dt
dt

dt
2y
y
wheny 8 x 172 82 15
dy 15 5
ft

9.375
dt
8
sec
Note:
Values which changes as time changes are denoted
by variable.
The rate is positive if the variable increases as time
increases and
is negative if the variable decreases as time
increases.

Example 2
A balloon leaving the ground 60 feet from an
observer, rises vertically at the rate 10 ft/sec .
How fast is the balloon receding from the
observer after 8 seconds?

dh
ft
10
dt
sec

dL
?
dt t 8 sec

Viewer
60 feet

Let

h height ft of the balloon from the ground at any instant

L distance ft of the balloon from the observer at any instant

t time sec since the balloon starts to rise from the ground

In the figure: L h 60
2

L h2 3600 WorkingEquation

dh
2h

dL
dt

dt 2 h2 3600
dh
h

dL
dt

2
dt
h 3600
dh
ft
Since
,
10
and t 8sec
dt
sec
ft

h 10 8sec 80ft.
sec

dL

dt

80 10
80 3600
2

dL
800
800

dt
6400 3600 10,000
dL 800
ft

8
dt 100 sec

Example 3
As a man walks across a bridge at the rate
of 5 ft/sec , a boat passes directly beneath
him at 10 ft/sec. If the bridge is 30 feet above
the water, how fast are the man and the boat
separating 3 seconds later?
5

ft
sec

Let t time sec the man starts

to cross the bridge

ft
10
sec

s distance ft between the man

and the boat at any instant

S2 30 L2
2

ft
5
sec

S 900 L2 but L 125t2

30

S
ft
10
sec

10t

900

125t
2

S 900 125t2 WorkingEquation

5t

30

Differenti
atebothsidesof the WE wrt timet :
125 2t
dS
L

dt 2 900 125t2
125t
dS

ds
2
Find:
whent 3sec dt 900 125t

dt

when t 3sec

L2 5t 10t
2

5t 10t
2

L 125t

ds
125 3

2
dt
900 125 3

dS 125 3 25 ft
ft

or 8.33
dt
45
3 sec
sec

Example 4
A man on a wharf of 20 feet above the
water pulls in a rope, to which a boat is
attached, at the rate of 4 ft/sec. At what rate is
the boat approaching the wharf when there is
25 feet of rope out?
dR
ft
4
dt
sec
R
20ft

Let t time sec since the boat starts to approach the wharf
x distance ft of the boat from the wharf at any instant
R length ft of the rope out at any instant
dx
Find
whenR 25ft
WhenR 25ft
dt
dR
ft
R2 x2 202
and 4
dt
sec
x2 R2 400
dx
25 4
2

x R 400 (WorkingEquation
)
dt
252 400
25 4
2

x R 400
15
dR
dR
dx
20 ft
2R
R

dx
dt
dt

2
dt
3 sec
2
dt 2 R 400 R 400

Example 5
Water is flowing into a conical reservoir 20
feet deep and 10 feet across the top, at the
rate of 15 ft3/min . Find how fast the surface is
rising when the water is 8 feet deep?
10
feet 5 feet

dV
ft 3
15
dt
min

20
feet

Let t time min sin ce the water flows int o the reservoir
r radius (ft) of the water surface at any instant
h height (ft) of the water at any instant

dh
Find
whenthe wateris 8 ft. deep
dt
By ratioandproportion
1
1 2
V Bh r h
5 r
1
3
3
r h
20 h
4
2

1
Thus, V
3

1
h h
4

V h WorkingEquation
48

dV 2 dh
2 dh
3h
h

dt 48
dt 16 dt
dV
16
dh
16 15 15 ft
ft
dt

or 1.194
2
2
dt h8ft
h
8
4 min
min

Example 6
Water is flowing into a vertical tank at
the rate of 24 ft3/min . If the radius of the
tank is 4 feet, how fast is the surface rising?
4 feet

dV
ft 3
24
dt
min
h

Let t time min since the water flows into the tank
h height ft of the water at any instant

V volume ft 3 of the water at any instant

dh
Find
whenthe radiusof the tankis 4 ft.
dt
From V Bh
V r2 h r2h
Butr isconstant,r 4 ft
V 4 h 16 h WorkingEquation

dV
dh
16
dt
dt
dV
dh
24 3 ft
dt

dt r4ft 16 16 2 min

Example 7
A triangular trough is 10 feet long, 6 feet
across the top, and 3 feet deep. If water
flows in at the rate of 12 ft3/min, find how
fast the surface is rising when the water is 6
inches deep?
6
feet

3
feet

ft 3
12
min

x
h
10

t
e
e
f

Let t time min since the water flows into the trough
h height ft of the water at any instant

x horizontal width ft of the water at the triangular

end at any instant

V volume ft 3 of the water at any instant

dh
Find
when the wateris 6 inchesdeep.
dt

From

V Bh
1
V xh 10 5xh
2

x 6
By ratioandproportion
,
x 2h
h 3
Thus, V 5xh 5 2h h 10h2 WorkingEquation

dV
dh
20h
dt
dt
dV
dh
dt
dt h6in 20h

12
ft
1.2
min

1ft
20 6in

12in

Example 8
A train, starting at noon, travels at 40
mph going north. Another train, starting
from the same point at 2:00 pm travels east
at 50 mph . Find how fast the two trains are
separating at C3:00
pm.
3p
m
y

80
miles

B 2p
m

dy
mi
40
dt
hr

12p
A
m
2p
m

dx
mi
50
dt
hr
x

3p
m
D

dL
Find when t 1hr.
dt
dx
dy
Since
50mph and
40mph
dt
dt
AB 40 2 80miles

Fromthe figure: L x 80 y
2

L x 80 y
2

WorkingEquation

dx
dy
2x 2(80 y)
dL
dt
dt 2
dt
2 x (80 y)2

1hr 50 miles
x 50mph
After1 hr
y 40mph 1hr 40 miles

dx
dy
x (80 y)
dL
dt
dt2
2
dt
x (80 y)

dL (50)(50)) ((80 40)(40)

dt
(50)2 (80 40)2
dL 2,500 4,800

dt
2,500 14,400
dL 7,300 7,300

dt
16,900 130

dL
mi
56.15
dt
hr

Example 9
A billboard 10 feet high is located on the
edge of a building 45 feet tall. A girl 5 feet in
height approaches the building at the rate of
3.4 ft/sec . How fast is the angle subtended
at her eye by the billboard changing when
she is 30 feet from the billboard?
10

45

3.4

ft
sec

Find

d
when x 30ft.
dt

In the figure:

Using:
tan tan
tan tan
tan
1 tan tan
50
40
but, tan
and tan
x
x
50 40

x x
tan
50 40
1

x
x

10
tan 2 x
x 2000
x2
10x
2
x 2000
10x

WorkingEquation

tan1 2

x 2000

10x
tan 2
WorkingEquation

x 2000
1

dt

1
2
10x
x2 2000

dx
dx
10x(2x)
dt
dt
x2 2000 2

(x2 2000
)(10)

dx

10x 20,000 20x

d
dt

dt
x 2000 100x

d 11,000 3.4

dt
8,500,000

dx

20,000 10x
d
dt

dt x 2000 100x

d
rad
0.0044
dt
sec

d 20,000 10 30 3.4

2
dt 30 2 2000 100 30 2
2

Example 10
A picture 40 cm high is placed on a wall
with its base 30 cm above the level of the
eye of an observer. If the observer is
approaching the wall at the rate of 40
cm/sec, how fast is the measure of the
angle subtended at the observers eye by
the picture changing when the observer is 1
2 1
m from the wall?
40 cm

2
30 cm

x
1 x
cot
cot
70
30
1

1 dx
1 dx

d
30dt
70dt

x2
x2
dt
1 2 1 2
70
30

d
dx/ dt 4900 dx/ dt 900

2
dt
70 4900 x
30 900 x2
dx
substitute 40cm/sec
and x 1m 100cm
dt
d
40
4900 40
900

dt
70 4900 10000
30 900 10000

d
700
300
4

dt
14900
10900

d 28 12

0.07782
...
dt 149 109

d
0.078rad./ sec.
dt

Example
11
A statue
10ft. high is standing on a
base 13ft. high. If an observers eye is 5ft.
above the ground, how far
should he stand from the base in order that
the angle between his lines of sight to the
top and bottom of the statue be a
Fromthe figure
maximum?
2

x
1 x
cot2
2 cot
10
18
18
x
x
cot1 1 cot1
8
8
x
x
cot1 cot1
18
8
13
d
1
1
1
1

2
2
dx
18
8
x
x
1
1

8
18


1
1

d
8
18 2
dx

x
x
1
1

18
8

1
1
2
2
18
8

18
8

2
2
2
2
x 18
x 8
1 2
1 2
18
8

18
8
2 2
2
2
18 x 8 x

9 64 x2 4 324 x2
9 64 9x2 4 324 4x2

5x2 1296 576

5x2 720

x2 144 x 12
x 12

Therefore, the observer

must be 12 ft from the base
of the statue so that his line
of sight from top to bottom
of the statue is maximum.

2.
The sum of
EXERCISE
A:two numbers is K. find the minimum
value of
the sum of their squares.
3. A rectangular field of given area is to be fenced off
along the bank of a river. If no fence is needed along
the river, what are the dimensions of the rectangle
that will require the least amount of fencing?
4. A Norman window consists of a rectangle
surmounted by a semicircle. What shape gives the
most light for a given perimeter?
5. A cylindrical glass jar has a plastic top. If the plastic
is half as
expensive as the glass per unit area, find the most
economical proportions for the glass.
6. Find the proportions of the circular cone of
maximum volume
inscribed in a sphere.
7. A wall 8 feet high and 24.5 feet from a house. Find
the shortest

EXERCISE
B:
1. A sign 3 ft high is placed on a wall with its
base 2 ft above the eye level of a woman
attempting to read it. Find how far from the
wall the woman should stand to get the
best view of the sign; that is, so that the
angle subtended at her eye by the sign is
2. maximum.
A man on dock is pulling in at the rate of
2ft/sec a rowboat by means of a rope. The
mans hands are 20ft. above the level of the
point where the rope is attached to the
boat. How fast is the measure of the angle
of depression of the rope changing when
there are 52 ft. of rope out?

3. Find the equations of the normal line and

1
2x equation
y sec
1
tangent lines to the graph
of the
1 1
at the point
.
,
2 3

4. A picture 5 ft high is placed on a wall with

its base 7ft above the level of the eye of an
observer is approaching the wall at the rate
of 3ft/sec. How fast is the measure of the
angle subtended at her eye by the picture
changing when the observer is 10ft. from
5. the
An wall?
airplane is flying at a speed of 300mi/hr at
an altitude of 4 mi. If an observer is on the
ground, find the time rate of change of the
measure of the observers angle of elevation
of the airplane when the airplane is over a
point on the ground 2 mi. from the observer.