Unit #5 - Implicit Differentiation, Related Rates

Some problems and solutions selected or adapted from Hughes-Hallett Calculus.

Implicit Differentiation

1. Consider the graph implied by the equation (c) Setting both equations equal to each other and
xy 2 = 1. solving, the only solution is x = 0 and y = 0, so
the two normal lines will intersect at the origin,
What is the equation of the line through ( 14 , 2)
(x, y) = (0, 0).
which is also tangent to the graph?
3. Calculate the derivative of y with respect to x,
Differentiating both sides with respect to x, given that
 
dy x4 y + 4xy 4 = x + y
y 2 + x 2y =0
dx
so
Let x4 y + 4xy 4 = x + y. Then
dy −y 2 dy dy dy
= 4x3 y + x4 + 42 xy 3 + 4y 4 = 1 +
dx 2xy dx dx dx
hence
dy 4yx3 + 4y 4 − 1
= .
dy dx 1 − x4 − 16xy 3
At the point ( 41 , 2), = −4, so we can use the
dx
point/slope formula to obtain the tangent line 4. Calculate the derivative of y with respect to x,
given that
y = −4(x − 1/4) + 2
xey = 4xy + 5y 4
2. Consider the circle defined by x2 + y 2 = 25
dy
(a) Find the equations of the tangent lines to To solve for dx , we must think of y as a function of x
the circle where x = 4. and differentiate both sides of the equation, using the
(b) Find the equations of the normal lines to chain rule where appropriate:
this circle at the same points. (The normal
line is perpendicular to the tangent line.) dy dy dy
ey + xey = 4y + 4x + 20y 3
(c) At what point do the two normal lines in- dx dx dx
tersect? dy
Now, we simplify and move the terms with a dx to the
dy
Differentiating both sides, right, and keep the terms without a dx to the left:
dy
ey − 4y = (4x + 20y 3 − xey ) dx
d d dy
Finally, we can solve for dx :
x2 + y 2 =


(25) y
dx dx dy e − 4y
dy =
2x + 2y =0 dx 4x + 20y 3 − xey
dx
dy −2x −x 5. Use implicit differentiation to find the equation
= =
dx 2y y of the tangent line to the curve xy 3 + xy = 14
at the point (7, 1).
(a) The points at x = 4, satisfying x2 +y 2 = 25, would
be y = 3 and y = −3.
Using the point/slope formula for a line, and our d
To get the slope, we take the derivative of both
dy dx
calculated , through (4, 3): y = −1.33333 ∗ sides.
dx
(x − 4) + 3, and
through (4, -3): y = 1.33333 ∗ (x − 4) + (−3) d d
xy 3 + xy =


(14)
(b) If you have a line with slope m, the slope of a     dx   dx
dy dy
perpendicular line will be −1/m. (1)y 3 + x 3y 2 + (1)y + x =0
dx dx
Through (4, 3): y = 3/4 ∗ (x − 4) + 3, and through
(4, -3): y = −3/4 ∗ (x − 4) + (−3)

1
 dy dy
Gathering terms with , and those without it, We need to find the derivative by implicit differen-
dx dx
tiation. Differentiating with respect to x on both sides
dy of the equation,
3xy 2 + x + y 3 + y = 0



dx  
dy y3 + y 2 2 dy dy
=− 2xy + x 2y +y+x =0
dx 3xy 2 + x dx dx

dy
Here, we could solve for , but we actually know the
At the point (x, y) = (7, 1), dx
dy
slope we want this time: = −1, so let’s just sub
dx
dy 13 + 1 that in now:
=−
dx 3(7)(1)2 + 7
−2 −1 2xy 2 + x2 (2y(−1)) + y + x(−1) = 0
= =
28 14 or 2xy 2 − 2x2 y + y − x = 0
factoring first terms: 2xy(y − x) + (y − x) = 0
To build a line that goes through the point (7, 1), and
−1 Factoring common y − x: (y − x)(2xy + 1) = 0
with slope , we can use the point-slope line formula.
14
We obtain the formula for the tangent line: Meaning either y − x = 0 (so y = x), or (2xy + 1) = 0.

−1 Subbing each possibility into the equation for the curve,

y= (x − 7) + 1 x2 y 2 + xy = 2
14

6. Find dy/dx by implicit differentiation. If y = x, x2 (x2 ) + x(x) = 2

√ x4 + x2 = 2
x + y = 9 + x2 y 2
x4 + x2 − 2 = 0
(x2 + 2)(x2 − 1) = 0
d
Taking of both sides,
dx So x = −1, 1 are two solutions, with the corresponding
d √ d y values, using y = x being y = −1 and 1 as well.
9 + x2 y 2



x+y =
dx  dx   The other possible case, 2xy + 1 = 0, leads to
1 1 dy dy
√ 1+ = 2xy 2 + x2 2y  2  
2 x+y dx dx −1 −1
If y = −1/2x, x2 +x =2
2x 2x
Expanding left side: 1 −1
or + =2

1 1

dy 1

1
  
dy 4 2
√ + √ = 2xy 2 + x2 2y
2 x+y dx 2 x + y dx

dy which is impossible, so the assumption that y = −1/2x

Gathering terms with and without , must be impossible to use with this curve.
dx
  Therefore the only two points on the curve x2 y 2 +xy =
dy 1 1 dy
√ − 2x2 y 2
= 2xy − √ 2 which have slope = −1 are (x, y) = (1, 1) and
dx 2 x+y 2 x+y dx
(−1, −1).
To simplify a little we multiply both sides through by
√ 8. Where does the normal line to the ellipse
2 x + y:

dy √ √ x2 − xy + y 2 = 3
1 − 4x2 y x + y = 4xy 2 x + y − 1


dx
at the point (−1, 1) intersect the ellipse for the
√ second time?
dy (4xy 2 x + y) − 1
= √
dx 1 − 4x2 y x + y
To obtain a normal (perpendicular) line, we find a line
7. Find all the x-coordinates of the points on the perpendicular to the tangent line on the ellipse at the
curve x2 y 2 + xy = 2 where the slope of the tan- point (-1, 1). (Linear algebra students may have other
gent line is −1. ways to do this.)

2
To get the slope of the tangent line, we use implicit 9. The curve with equation 2y 3 + y 2 − y 5 = x4 −
differentiation, with respect to x: 2x3 + x2 has been likened to a bouncing wagon
d d (graph it to see why). Find the x-coordinates
x2 − xy + y 2 =


(3) of the points on this curve that have horizontal
dx dx
tangents.
 
dy dy
2x − y + x + 2y =0
dx dx
dy
(−x + 2y) = −2x + y
dx
dy −2x + y
= d
dx (−x + 2y) Taking an implicit of both sides,
dx

At the point on the ellipse (−1, 1),

d d
−2(−1) + 1 2y 3 + y 2 − y 5 = x4 − 2x3 + x2



dy
= dx dx
dx (−(−1) + 2(1))
dy dy dy
= 3/3 = 1 6y 2 + 2y − 5y 4 = 4x3 − 6x2 + 2x
dx dx dx
So the slope of the tangent line to the ellipse at (−1, 1)
is 1.
The slope of the normal line will be perpendicular to
that, or −1/(1) = −1. dy
Since we know we want points where dx = 0 (horizon-
dy
The normal line, which also passes through (-1, 1), will tal tangents), we’ll set dx = 0 immediately:
therefore be
y = −1(x − (−1)) + 1
or y = −1(x + 1) + 1 6y 2 (0) + 2y(0) − 5y 4 (0) = 4x3 − 6x2 + 2x
or y = −x factoring: 0 = 2x(2x2 − 3x + 1)
0 = 2x(2x − 1)(x − 1)
To find the intersections of this normal line with the el-
lipse to find a second crossing, we sub in this expression
for y into the ellipse formula:
So x = 0, 12 and 1 are the points where the tangent to
x2 − xy + y 2 = 3
the graph will be horizontal.
x2 − x(−x) + (−x)2 = 3
x2 + x2 + x2 = 3
Note that the question only asked for the x coordinate
x2 = 1x = ±1 of these points. As you can see on the graph below, all
of these x coordinates correspond to multiple y values,
but all of those points have horizontal tangents.
Since x = −1 is the point we started at, x = +1 must
be the other intersection. At that point, y = −x, so
the point is (x, y) = (1, −1). Below is a graph of the
scenario.

3
10. Use implicit differentiation to find an equation Substituting x = 1 back into the circle equation to
of the tangent line to the curve find the matching y coordinates gives

y 2 (y 2 − 4) = x2 (x2 − 5) (1)2 + y 2 − 2(1) − 4y = −1

y 2 − 4y = 0
at the point (x, y) = (0, −2).
y(y − 4) = 0
y = 0, 4

The points with horizontal tangents are (1,0) and

(1,4).
(b) The points with vertical tangents are those where
dy
the denominator of dx is zero (making the slope
undefined). From part (a), we have

dy −2x + 2
=
dx 2y − 4
(The devil’s curve)
Setting the denominator equal to zero gives

This point happens to be at the bottom of the loop on 2y − 4 = 0

the y axis, so the slope there is zero. Therefore, the
tangent line equation is simply: y=2

y = −2 Substituting y = 2 back into the circle equation to

find the matching x coordinates gives
11. Use implicit differentiation to find the (x, y)
points where the circle defined by x2 + (2)2 − 2x − 4(2) = −1
x2 − 2x − 3 = 0
x2 + y 2 − 2x − 4y = −1
(x − 3)(x + 1) = 0
has horizontal and vertical tangent lines. x = 3, − 1
(a) Find the points where the curve has a hor-
izontal tangent line. This gives points on the circle with vertical tan-
gents at (3,2), and (-1,2).
(b) Find the points where the curve has a ver-
tical tangent line. 12. The relation

dy x2 − 2xy + y 2 + 6x − 10y + 29 = 0
(a) Use implicit differentiation, then set = 0.
dx
defines a parabola.
d d (a) Find the points where the curve has a hor-
x2 + y 2 − 2x − 4y =


(−1)
dx dx izontal tangent line.
dy dy
2x + 2y −2−4 =0 (b) Find the points where the curve has a ver-
dx dx tical tangent line.
dy
(2y − 4) = −2x + 2
dx
dy −2x + 2 dy
= (a) Use implicit differentiation, then set = 0.
dx 2y − 4 dx
The only point with horizontal tangent is (2, 5).
dy
Setting now equal to zero gives (b) From the implicit derivative, get the equation in
dx
dy ...
−2x + 2 the form = .
0= dx ...
2y − 4 The point with vertical tangent is the point where
−2x + 2 = 0 dy
the denominator of is zero, or (1, 6).
dx
x=1

4
13. The graph of the equation Solving for y 0 gives

x2 + xy + y 2 = 9 2x + y
y0 = − .
x + 2y
is a slanted ellipse illustrated in this figure:
Setting
y0 = 0
and solving for x gives
y
2x + y = 0 =⇒ x=− .
2
Substituting in the original equation gives

y2 y2
− + y 2 = 9.
4 2
Thus
3y 2
=9
4
or
y 2 = 12.
Think of y as a function of x. Hence the horizontal asymptotes have the equations
√
(a) Differentiating implicitly, find a formula for y = ± 12.
the slopes of this shape. (Your answer will
depend on x and y.) The plus sign gives the upper asymptote, the minus
sign the lower. By symmetry the vertical asymptotes
(b) The ellipse has two horizontal tangents.
have the equations
The upper one has the equation character-
ized by y 0 = 0. To find the vertical tangent √
x = ± 12.
use symmetry, or think of x as a function
of y, differentiate implicitly, solve for x0 and The rightmost vertical asymptote with the equation
then set x0 = 0. √
x = 12

x2 + xy + y 2 = 9 touches the ellipse in the point where

gives √
x 12 √
2x + y + xy 0 + 2yy 0 = 0. y=− =−
2 2
= − 3.

Related Rates

14. Gravel is being dumped from a conveyor belt at dV dh

r = h/2. We have , and want .
a rate of 30 cubic feet per minute. It forms a dt dt
pile in the shape of a right circular cone whose 1 2
base diameter and height are always equal. How Always true: V = πr h
3
fast is the height of the pile increasing when the
π h2
pile is 17 feet high? (Recall that the volume of but since r = h/2 for this cone, V = h
a right circular cone with height h and radius 3 4
of the base r is given by V = 13 πr2 h.) d dV π 2 dh
Taking dt of both sides: = 3h
dt 12 dt
dh 4 dV
so =
dt πh2 dt
Let V (t) = volume of the conical pile, and h and r be
the height and bottom radius of the cone respectively.
dV
The cone has a base diameter and h that are equal, so Subbing in dt = 30 ft3 /min, and h = 17,

5
 From this, the distance between the boats is D. We
dh dy
= 0.132 ft/min know dx dD
dt and dt , and want dt .
dt
Always true: D 2 = x2 + y 2
15. When air expands adiabatically (without gain- d dD dx dy
ing or losing heat), its pressure P and volume V Taking : 2D = 2x + 2y
dt dt dt dt 
are related by the equation P V 1.4 = C where C dD 1

dx dy
is a constant. Suppose that at a certain instant = x +y
dt D dt dt
the volume is 550 cubic centimeters, and the
pressure is 91 kPa and is decreasing at a rate of
7 kPa/minute. At what rate in cubic centime- At noon, ship A is due west of ship B, so x = 40 and
ters per minute is the volume increasing at this y = 0 nautical miles.
instant?
At the question time of 6 PM, each ship will have trav-
(Pa stands for Pascal – it is equivalent to one eled 23 · 6 = 138 nautical miles,
√ so x = 40 + 138 = 178
Newton/(meter squared); kPa is a kiloPascal or and y = 138. This gives D = 1782 + 1382 ≈ 225.23.
1000 Pascals. ) dx
Also = 23 and dy
dt = 23 knots (nautical miles per
dt
Let P and V be the pressure and volume respectively, hour). Subbing in these values into the derivative for-
and C be a constant. We know dP dV mula above gives
dt , and want dt .
dD
Always true: P V 1.4 = C = 32.269 knots
dt
d d
Taking d
dt : (P V 1.4 ) = (C) 17. The altitude of a triangle is increasing at a rate
 dt  dt of 1 cm/min while the area of the triangle is
dP dV
V 1.4 + P 1.4V 0.4 =0 increasing at a rate of 3 cm2 /min.
dt dt
  At what rate is the base of the triangle chang-
dP dV
V 1.4 + P 1.4V 0.4 =0 ing when the altitude is 10 cm and the area is
dt dt 105 cm2 ?
dV − dP V 1.4
so = dt 0.4 Let x be the base of the triangle, and y be the height,
dt 1.4P V
so area = A = 12 xy.
− dP
= dt V
1.4P
Subbing in the known values gives
y
A
dV
= 30.22 cm3 /min
dt
x
16. At noon, ship A is 40 nautical miles due west
of ship B. Ship A is sailing west at 23 knots (Note that the triangle doesn’t have to be a right-
and ship B is sailing north at 23 knots. How angled triangle as shown, since only the base and height
fast (in knots) is the distance between the ships affect the area, not the internal angles.)
changing at 6 PM? (Note: 1 knot is a speed of We are given dy
and dA
, and want dx
.
dt dt dt
1 nautical mile per hour.)
1
Always true: A= xy
2
The two boats can always be drawn in a triangular 
d dA 1 dx dy
configuration. Let their east/west (horizontal on the Taking : = y+x
graph) distance be x, and their north/south distance dt dt 2 dt dt
 
be y. dx dx 1 dA dy
solving for : = 2 −x
dt dt y dt dt
Boat B
At the point where y = 10 cm and A = 105, we can
b
find x = 2A/y = 21 cm. We are given dx
dt = 1 cm/min
Boat B
and dA
dt = 3 cm/min. Subbing these values into dx
dt ,
D y
dx
b b = −1.5 cm/min
x dt
Boat A Boat A Reference Point

6
 18. A street light is at the top of a 11 ft tall pole. A The tip of the shadow is moving at 11 ft/s (rate of
woman 6 ft tall walks away from the pole with change of the distance from the shadow tip to the fixed
a speed of 5 ft/sec along a straight path. How point of the pole).
fast is the tip of her shadow moving when she A related quantity, the size of the shadow (distance
is 45 ft from the base of the pole? ds
from the woman to the end of the shadow), or in
dt
the diagram, is growing at 6 ft/s.
The question asks for the speed of the tip so 11 ft/s is
Pole
the correct answer here.
11 ft
19. A boat is pulled into a dock by a rope attached
6 ft to the bow of the boat and passing through a
pulley on the dock that is 1 m higher than the
bow of the boat.
If the rope is pulled in at a rate of 1.2 m/s, how
x s=L−x fast is the boat approaching the dock when it is
9 m from the dock?
L
From the question, Rope
• We know that the walking speed is 5 ft/sec, and
Dock
on the diagram above this represents the rate of
dx Water
change = 5 ft/sec.
dt
• We are asked for the speed of the tip of the We define variables for the two lengths that are chang-
shadow. To measure this, we need to track the ing:
distance between the tip of the shadow and a fixed
dL
point like the pole, so we need to find . • x = length of the rope, and
dt
We start by finding a relationship between x and L that • w = water-level distance between the boat and
is always true. Based on the similar triangles 6:L − x the dock.
and 11:L,
L−x L x
=
6 11 1m
Differentiating both sides with respect to t,
d L−x d L w
=
dt 6 dt 11 In the problem, we are told that the rope is being pulled
1 dL 1 dx 1 dL in at 1.2 m/s, so
− =
6 dt 6 dt 11 dt dx
= −1.2. We want to find the speed of the boat
dL dt
Solving for , dw
dt relative to the water, or .
dt
 
1 1 dL 1 dx To get the relationship between those two rates, we
− =
6 11 dt 6 dt start with an equation that is always true:
 
5 dL 1 dx
= w 2 + 1 2 = x2
66 dt 6 dt
 
dL 66 1 dx Differentiating both sides with respect to time,
=
dt 5 6 dt
11 dx d 2 d
= (w + 1) = x2
5 dt dt dt
dx dw dx
but the rate = 5, so 2w = 2x
dt   dt dt
dL 11
= 5 = 11 ft/s dx
dt 5 Note that we have , but we still need x and w.
dt

7
We are asked for the water speed when w = 9, but  
we also need x at that point. Using the pythagorean 2 2 2 3π
c = a + b − 2ab cos
equation again, 4
3π
= − √12 ,


9 2 + 1 = x2 Filling in a = 16 and cos 4
√
x = 82 −1
c2 = 162 + b2 − 2(16)b √
2
Subbing in to our related rates equation, 32
c2 = 256 + b2 + √ b
2
dw dx
2w = 2x
dt dt db
dw √ We know = 4 km/min (plane’s speed), and we want
2(9) = 2( 82)(−1.2) dt
dt dc
√ to know .
dw ( 82) dt
= (−1.2) To get the relationship between those rates, we differ-
dt 9
= −1.207 m/s entiate both sides of the equation above.
 
The boat is approaching the dock (distance is decreas- d 2 d 2 32
c = 256 + b + √ b
ing) at 1.207 m/s. dt dt 2
dc db 32 db
20. A plane flying with a constant speed of 4 2c = 2b + √
km/min passes over a ground radar station at dt dt 2 dt
 
an altitude of 16 km and climbs at an angle of dc 1 db 16 db
= b +√
45 degrees. At what rate, in km/min, is the dt c dt 2 dt
distance from the plane to the radar station in-
creasing 1 minute later?
Recall the cosine law, dc
We are asked for after 1 minute, or when b = 4
dt
c2 = a2 + b2 − 2ab cos(θ) km/min × 1 min = 4 km. We need to solve for c as
well, and we can do that using the cosine law formula
where θ is the angle between the sides of length above,
a and b.
32
c2 = 256 + (4)2 + √ (4)
Here is a sketch of the scenario. Note that both b and 2
c are increasing as the plane flies away. c = 19.0397
Planeb

Subbing all the known values into the related rates

equation,
 
dc 1 16
b(t) = (4)(4) + √ (4)
dt 19.0397 2
= 3.2172 km/min

The plane is moving away from the radar station at a

π
rate of 3.2172 km/min.
4
3π 21. Water is leaking out of an inverted conical tank
c(t)
4 at a rate of 12000.0 cubic centimeters per min
at the same time that water is being pumped
into the tank at a constant rate.
a = 16 km
• The tank has height 8.0 meters and the
diameter at the top is 5.0 meters.
• The depth of the water is increasing at 28.0
b
centimeters per minute when the height of
Radar the water is 4.0 meters.
The cosine law gives us the “always true” relationship, Find the rate at which water is being pumped
3π
based on the constant angle of : into the tank, in cubic centimeters per minute.
4

8
The first challenge in this problem is not to get dis- dh
Subbing in the known values, h = 400 cm and = 28
tracted by the given outflow rate. If you imagine wa- dt
ter flowing both into and out of the tank, you will cm/min,
get a net rate of change of the volume, defined by
dV dV 25
= rate water in − rate water out, where V = = π · 3 · (400)2 · (28)
dt dt 768
actual volume of water in the tank. The information ≈ 1, 374, 000 cm3 /min
about the water level rising is directly tied to the vol-
ume, so we focus on that first.
The represents the net rate of change of water, taking
The second point is that we should use consistent units
into account both the inflow and the outflow. Since we
throughout. That will be easier if we standardize on
are told that the outflow is 12, 000 cm3 /min,
centimeters. Also note that the diameter at the top is
5 m (500 cm), so the radius will be 250 cm.

250 cm
| {z } = rate water in −
1374000 12000
| {z }
net flow rate water out

So the rate at which water is being poured in is

r
rate in ≈ 1, 374, 000 + 12, 000 = 1, 386, 000 cm3 /min

800 cm 22. A spherical snowball is melting in such a way

h that its diameter is decreasing at rate of 0.4
cm/min. At what rate is the volume of the
snowball decreasing when the diameter is 17
cm? (Note the answer is a positive number).

The volume formula for spheres relates the two quanti-

dh dV ties, volume and radius/diameter. Let r be the radius,
We are given , and want to know , so we need a
dt dt D be the diameter, and V be the volume.
relationship between h and V that will always be true.
With start with the formula for the volume of a cone:
1 4 3
Volume of water in the tank = πr2 h V = πr
3 3
There’s an extra r in there though, which we need to but D = 2r or r = D/2,
put in terms of h or V . The h/r and 800/250 triangles  3
4 D
are similar to each other, so so V = π
3 2
r 250 π 3
= V = D
h 800 6
5
so r = h Taking the time derivative of both sides,
16
Subbing this into the volume formula gives
d π 
2 (V ) = D3
dt 6

1 5
V = π h h dV π dD

3 16 = 3D2
25 dt 6 dt
V = πh3
768
dD
We can now differentiate both sides with respect to t: Subbing in the known values, = −0.4 cm/min,
dt
  and D = 17 cm,
d d 25
(V ) = πh3
dt dt 768 dV π
3(17)2 (−0.4)


dV 25

dh
 =
= π 3h2 dt 6
dt 768 dt ≈ 182 cm3 /min

9
23. The gas law for an ideal gas at absolute tem- df −1 p
(a) = T /p
perature T (in kelvins), pressure P (in atmo- dL 2L2
spheres), and volume V is P V = nRT , where n df 1
is the number of moles of the gas and R = .0821 (b) √
dT 4L T p
is the gas constant. Suppose that, at a certain
instant, P = 8 atm and is increasing at a rate of √
df − T
0.10 atm/min and V = 10 L and is decreasing at (c) =
a rate of 0.15 L/min. Find the rate of change of
dρ 4Lp3/2
T with respect to time at that instant if n = 10 (d) If we shorten the string length L, we are making
moles. df
∆L negative. Also the derivative is negative.
We start with the equality between the original quan- dL
tities, Using our linearity relationship, we can estimate
P V = nRT df
∆f ≈ (∆L).
dL
We note that n and R are constants, while P , V and
dT Looking at the signs of each element, sign ∆f =
T are changing with time. We want to find . (−)(−) = (+).
dt
Taking the derivative of both sides with respect to time, Since ∆f will be positive, the frequency will in-
d d crease and the pitch will be higher.
(P V ) = (nRT )
dt dt
dP dV dT (e) If we increase the string tension T , and the deriva-
V +P = nR df
tive dT is positive, the frequency will be higher, so
dt dt dt
dT 1

dP dV
 the pitch will be higher.
= V +P
dt nR dt dt
(f) If we increase the string density ρ, and the deriva-
Filling in the known values from the question, df
tive dρ is negative, the frequency will be lower, so
dT 1 the pitch will be lower.
= ((+0.1)(10) + (8)(−0.15))
dt (10)(0.0821)
dT 25. A potter forms a piece of clay into a right circu-
≈ −0.2436 degrees/min
dt lar cylinder. As she rolls it, the height h of the
24. The frequency of vibrationssof a vibrating violin cylinder increases and the radius r decreases.
Assume that no clay is lost in the process. Sup-
1 T pose the height of the cylinder is increasing by
string is given by f = , where L is the
2L ρ 0.4 centimeters per second. What is the rate at
length of the string, T is the tension, and ρ is which the radius is changing when the radius is
its linear density. 3 centimeters and the height is 12 centimeters?
Find the rate of change of the frequency with
respect to:

(a) the length (when T and ρ are constant) The cylinder of clay has a volume of V = πr2 h. We are
dh dr
(b) the tension (when L and ρ are constant) given = 0.4 cm/s, and are asked to find . We
dt dt
(c) the linear density (when L and T are con- are also told that no clay is lost, so we can also state
dV
stant) that the volume is unchanging, or = 0.
dt
The pitch of a note is determined by the
frequency f . (The higher the frequency, Starting with the known relationship V = πr2 h, we dif-
the higher the pitch.) Use the signs of the ferentiate both sides with respect to t to get the related
derivatives in (a) through (c) to determine rates.
what happens to the pitch of a note:
(d) when the effective length of a string is de- d d
(V ) = r2 h )
(π
creased by placing a finger on the string so dt dt |{z}
a shorter portion of the string vibrates. prod. rule
dV dr dh
(e) when the tension is increased by turning a = π2r h + πr2
tuning peg. dt dt dt
(f) when the linear density is increased by
dV
switching to another string. Subbing = 0, and solving for the rate we want,
dt

10
dr Using dθ
= 0.1 and θ = π
yields
, dt 6
dt
dr dh dy 1
0 = π2r h + πr2 = 2 (0.1) ≈ 0.2666 mi/min.
dt dt dt cos2 (π/6)
dr 2 dh
2r h = −r
dt dt 28. A road perpendicular to a highway leads to a
dr r2 dh farmhouse located 5 mile away. An car traveling
= − dt on the highway passes through this intersection
dt 2rh
dr r dh at a speed of 55mph.
= − dt
dt 2h How fast is the distance between the car and the
Subbing in the values we know, r = 3, h = 12 and farmhouse increasing when the car is 7 miles
dh past the intersection of the highway and the
= 0.4, road?
dt
dr (3)(0.4)
=−
dt 2(12)
dr

Highway
= −0.05 cm/s
dt
The radius of the cylinder of clay is decreasing at 0.05
cm/s at that moment.
5 miles
26. The volume V of a right circular cylinder of ra- Farmhouse Road
dius r and height h is V = πr2 h.
l s
dV dr
(a) How is related to if h is constant b
dt dt Car
and r varies with time?
dV dh
(b) How is related to if r is constant
dt dt
and h varies with time?
dV dh dr Let l denote the distance between the car and the farm-
(c) How is related to and if both h house and let s denote the distance past the intersec-
dt dt dt
and r vary with time? tion of the highway and the road. As seen in the dia-
gram, there is a right-angled triangle made, satisfying
(a) 2πrh(dr/dt) l2 = 52 + s2 .
(b) πr2 (dh/dt)
Taking the derivative of both sides of this equation with
(c) π(2rh(dr/dt) + r2 (dh/dt)) respect to t yields
27. A hot air balloon rising vertically is tracked
d 2
d
by an observer located 2 miles from the lift-off l = (52 + s2 )
point. At a certain moment, the angle between dt dt
dl ds
the observer’s line-of-sight and the horizontal is 2l = 2s
π dt dt
6 , and it is changing at a rate of 0.1 rad/min. dl s ds
How fast is the balloon rising at this moment? and so = .
dt l dt
Let y be the height of the balloon (in miles) and θ the We were told in the question that the car is moving at
angle between the line-of-sight and the horizontal. ds
= 55 miles/hr. When the car is s = 7 miles past
Drawing a sketch with the ground and the balloon dt
above the ground making a right angle, we have tan θ = the intersection, we can solve for l using
√ the Pythago-
√
y ras relationship we started with, l = 52 + 72 = 74.
2. dl 7
Taking the time derivative of both sides, This gives = 55 √ ≈ 44.7553 mph
dt 74
d d y
(tan θ) = 29. Assume that the radius r of a sphere is expand-
dt dt 2
dθ 1 dy ing at a rate of 6in./min. The volume of a sphere
sec2 θ · = is V = 43 πr3 .
dt 2 dt
dy dθ Determine the rate at which the volume is
= 2 sec2 θ. changing with respect to time when r = 11in.
dt dt

11
 Kite motion
As the radius is expanding at 6 inches per minute,
we know that drdt = 6 in./min. Taking the derivative
b
Kite
with respect
 to tof the equation V = 34 πr3 yields
dV 4 dr dr
= π 3r2 = 4πr2 . Substituting r = 11 L
dt 3 dt dt 100 ft
dV 2
and dr
dt = 6 yields dt = 4π11 (6) ≈ 9123.19 in./min. θ
b

Person
x
30. The radius of a circular oil slick expands at a
rate of 7 m/min. dx
We note that the kite motion of 8 ft/s represents
dt
(a) How fast is the area of the oil slick increas- dθ
in this diagram. We are searching for , so we need
ing when the radius is 26 m? dt
a relationship between x and θ. The simplest is
(b) If the radius is 0 at time t = 0, how fast is
100
the area increasing after 2 mins? tan θ =
x
d
Taking of both sides,
dt
Let r be the radius of the oil slick and A its area.  
d d 100
dA dr (tan θ) =
Then A = πr2 and = 2πr . Sub- dt dt x
dt dt dθ −100 dx
stituting r = 26 dr
and dt = 7, we find sec2 θ =
dt x2 dt
dA
= 2π (26) (7) ≈ 1143.54 m2 /min. dθ −100 dx
dt = 2 2
dt x sec θ dt
Since dr = 7 and r(0) = 0, it follows that dθ −100 cos2 θ dx
dt =
r(t) = 7 · t. Thus, r(2) = 7 · 2 and dt x2 dt
dA We can use the L value of 200 ft (200 ft of string) with
= 2π (7 · 2) (7) ≈ 615.752m2 /min.
dt Pythagoras to solve for x = 173.21 ft, and θ ≈ 0.5236
dx
31. A searchlight rotates at a rate of 2 revolutions rad. Subbing those and = 8 into the related rates
dt
per minute. The beam hits a wall located 10 equation gives
miles away and produces a dot of light that dθ −100 cos2 (0.5236)
moves horizontally along the wall. How fast (in = 8
dt 173.212
miles per hour) is this dot moving when the an- dθ
gle θ between the beam and the line through = −0.02 radians/s
dt
the searchlight perpendicular to the wall is π6 ?
Note that dθ/dt = 2(2π) = 4π. 33. If two resistors with resistances R1 and R2 are
connected in parallel, as in the figure, then the
total resistance R, measured in Ohms (Ω), is
Let y be the distance between the dot of light given by:
1 1 1
and the point of intersection of the wall and the = +
line through the searchlight perpendicular to the R R1 R2
wall. Let θ be the angle between the beam of If R1 and R2 are increasing at rates of .3 Ω/s
light and the line. Using trigonometry, we have and .2 Ω/s, respectively, how fast is R increas-
y dθ 1 dy ing when R1 = 80 Ω and R2 = 100 Ω?
tan θ = 10 . Therefore, sec2 θ · = , and
dt 10 dt
dy dθ
= 10 sec2 θ. With θ = π6 and dθ dt = 4π, we find
R1
dt dt
dy 1
= 10 (4π) = 53.33π ≈ 167.55 mi/min.
dt cos2 (π/6)

dy
Converting to miles per hour gives ≈ 10053.09 mph.
dt V
R2

32. A kite 100 f t above the ground moves horizon-

tally at a speed of 8 f t/s. At what rate is the
angle between the string and the horizontal de- There are several ways to solve this problem. The most
creasing when 200 f t of string have been let out? straightforward is to take the relationship that is given,

12
and differentiate with respect to t.

   
d 1 d 1 1
= +
dt R dt R1 R2
−1 dR −1 dR −1 dR
= 2 + 2
R2 dt R1 dt R2 dt
 
dR 2 1 dR1 1 dR2
=R + 2
dt R12 dt R2 dt

Using the given values of

When water is filling up the trough, we have a con-

• R1 = 80 and R2 = 100, and
nection between the filled depth h, and the volume V .
dV dh
dR1 dR2 We are given that = 0.2m3 /min, and we want
• = +0.3 and dt = 0.2, dt dt
dt when h = 30 cm.
We need an equation that relates h and V at any time
we can use the original equation to solve for R = 44.444 during the filling process.
ohms.
The depth of the trough is 10 m (not shown in the
dR diagrams), so
Subbing in all these values into our equation gives
dt
V = 10 × (cross-section area up to height h)
 
dR 1 dR1 1 dR2
= R2 + 2 The cross-section area in the diagram is made up of
dt R12 dt R2 dt three elements: T1 , R and T2 . If we express everything
 
1 1 in terms of meters (so 30 cm = 0.3 m),
= (44.444)2 (0.3) + (0.2)
802 1002
dR R = 0.3h
= 0.132 ohms/s
dt
The areas of T1 and T2 can be determined using similar
triangles, as their height/widths are in a 50 cm/25 cm
34. A water trough is 10 m long and a cross-section ratio: h/width = 0.50/0.25, so
has the shape of an isosceles trapezoid that is 30 width = 0.5h.
cm wide at the bottom, 80 cm wide at the top, 1
This means that (area of T1 ) = (area of T2 ) = hw =
and has height 50 cm. If the trough is being 2
1 1
filled with water at a rate of 0.2 m3 /min, how h(0.5h) = h2 .
fast is the water level rising when the water is 2 4
30 cm deep? Bringing it all back into the volume expression,

Diagrams are essential for this problem! V = 10 × (cross-section area up to height h)

V = 10(T1 + R + T2 )
 
1 2 1 2
V = 10 h + 0.3h + h
4 4
 
1 2
V = 10 h + 0.3h
2
V = 5h2 + 3h

We can now differentiate both sides with respect to

dV dh
time to find the relationship between and :
dt dt
dV dh dh
= 10h +3
dt dt dt

13
 dV We know dR/dt = 0.7 when R = 5 and V = 9 and we
Subbing in = 0.2 m3 /min, and h = 0.3 m,
dt want to know dI/dt. Differentiating I = V /R with V
dh dh constant gives
0.2 = 10(0.3) +3
dt dt  
dh dI 1 dR
0.2 = 6 =V − ,
dt dt R2 dt
dh 0.2 1
= = m/min, or so substituting gives
dt 6 30
dh 1 10
= 100 × = ≈ 3.33 cm/min.
 
dI 1
dt 30 3 = 4 − 2 · 0.7 ≈ −0.0571 amp/s .
dt 7
35. A voltage V across a resistance R generates a
current I = V /R. If a constant voltage of 4 (Note that we know the units are amp/s from the Leib-
volts is put across a resistance that is increas- dI
ing at a rate of 0.7 ohms per second when the nitz form of the derivative, . It is, of course, equally
dt
resistance is 7 ohms, at what rate is the current correct to use the expression
 on the right-hand side to
changing? determine the units, V ohm , or, V/ohm*s.)
ohm2 s

14