Examples/Activities

1. A weather balloon that contains of helium springs a leak and empties in 60

seconds. Suppose that the volume of helium in the balloon as a function of time is given

by . Find:

(a) the average rate of change of volume during the 60 seconds it takes to empty.
(b) the volume of the balloon after 40 seconds.
(c) the instantaneous rate of change of the volume at 40 seconds.

2. If , and x changes from 1 to 5, what is the average change in y ? What is the

instantaneous rate of change in y when ?

3. If a rock is thrown into the water, circular ripples begin to expand outward from the
point where the rock entered the water. The area of the circular ripple is given by the
function .

(a) What is the average change in area as r changes from 3 m to 7 m?

(b) What is the instantaneous rate of change in area with respect to the radius when the
radius is 6 m?

4. Suppose that the number of people in your school that hear a rumour about you x hours
after it is started is given by the function .

(a) What is the average rate at which the rumour is spreading between and ?
(b) What is the instantaneous rate at which the rumour is spreading after 4 hours?
(c) Is the rate at which the rumour is spreading increasing or decreasing? Hint: Consider
the graph of the function.

5. The value of a new car x years after it is purchased is given by the function

(a) What is the value of the car when it is new?

(b) What is the value of the car when it is five years old?
(c) What is the average yearly drop in price during those five years?
(d) What is the instantaneous rate of change in price after 4 years (that is when )?

6. If gasoline costs $.80/L and you drive 24000 km per year, then your annual cost for
gasoline will be given by the function where x is the number of km/L that
your car can travel.
(a) Find your annual gasoline costs if your car gets 3 km/L.
(b) Find your annual gasoline costs if your car gets 8 km/L.
(c) What is the average rate of change in your annual gasoline cost as x changes from 3 to
8?
(d) What is the instantaneous rate of change in your annual fuel costs when ?

Suggestions/Extensions

Have the students discuss situations familiar to them that involve instantaneous and/or
average rates of change. Students can also create problems for the class to solve based on
these situations.