9 MODELLING RELATIONSHIPS WITH FUNCTIONS: POWER FUNCTIONS

Direct and inverse variation

In Chapter 5 you learned about direct variation.
In this section you will be looking further at direct variation, and also
at inverse variation.

\
The symbol for variation is «= and it stands for tt = kx ...” (that is, k multiplied International
by the variable which follows). mindedness
For direct variation, y ocxn ory = kxtt Which do you think
cFor .inverse variation,
. . 1 k is superior: the
— ory = —
Bourbaki group
analytical approach
orthe Mandelbrot
In the following examples and exercises you will find out that variation
visual approach to
provides an alternative to the use of functions when representing real-
mathematics?
life situations.

Example 14
The distance, d metres, that a rock falls varies directly with the square of the
time taken, t seconds.
a If the rock falls 6 metres in 2 seconds, write an equation for d in terms of t.
b Find the distance the rock has fallen after 5 seconds.

a dt12 The first step is always to write the

statement with the variation symbol and
N
J
O
in

Si
ll

then write it as an equation involving

= k{2)2
6
k= 1.5 Notice that this gives us a quadratic
equation for d in terms of t.
The equation is d= 1.512.
Substitute the given values into the
equation to find k.
b d= 1.5<5)2= 1.5(25) = 37.5 metres Substitute t= 5 into your equation and find
the distance d.

1 The price of a taxi fare, %p AUD, varies
directly with the number of kilometres,
n, travelled. The fare for travelling
12 kilometres is $21 AUD. Write an
equation connecting p and n, and hence
find the fare for travelling 40 kilometres.
2 The distance, d metres, that a ball rolls
down a slope varies directly with the square
of the time, t seconds, it has been rolling
for. In 2 seconds the ball rolls 9 metres.
a Write an equation connecting d and r.
b Find how far the ball rolls in 5 seconds,
c Find the time it takes for the ball to roll
26.01 metres.
3 The volume of a sphere varies directly with
the cube of its radius. A certain sphere has
radius 3 cm and volume 113.1 cm3.
Find the volume of another sphere with
radius 3 cm.

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Investigation 10
1 A local authority pays their workers depending on the number of hours
that they work each week. If the workers are paid €22 per hour, complete
the following table:

Number of hours 20 25 30 35 40
Pay in €

Plot a graph of this information on your GDC.

Describe how a worker’s pay varies with the number of hours

Functions
worked.

2 The local authority has decided to put artificial grass tiles on a football field.
If four people are available to lay the grass tiles, it takes them two hours to
complete the work.
Fill in this table showing the number of people available and the number of
hours it takes to complete the work.

Number of people 1 2 4 6 8 12
Number of hours 2

Plot a graph of this information on your GDC.

■FBufil How do the number of hours to complete the work vary with the
number of people available?
4 ffiTiTHCTETl For problems which involve direct and inverse variation,
how does understanding the physical problem help you to choose the
correct mathematical function to model the problem with?

Example 15
The number of hours N taken to build a wall varies inversely with the number
of people x who are available to work on it.
a When three people are available the wall takes two hours to build. Find the time
it takes to build the wall when four people are available to work on it.
b Given it takes three hours to build the wall, state how many people worked on it.

1 k For inverse variation, the variable is written

a Noc and hence N = —
X X
as — or x~l which is a power function.
k
N -2 when x = 3 so 2 = - Find the value of k using the given
3
k=6 information.
6 Substitute the value of k you found into the
N=— equation for N.
X

N = — = 1.5
4
0
Continued on next page

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9 MODELLING RELATIONSHIPS WITH FUNCTIONS: POWER FUNCTIONS
O
So, it takes 1.5 hours to build the wall when
four people work on it.
b 3=—
X
3x = 6
6 -
x=-=2
3
So, two people were available to build the wall.
Reflect Explain why direct variation and inverse variation are related to
modelling real-life scenarios with mathematics.
1 In a lottery draw, the amount of money
US %m awarded to each winner varies
inversely with the number of winners w.
If there are 20 winners, each receives US $150.
a Write an equation connecting m and w.
b Determine how much each of 15 winners
would receive in prize money.
2 The number of hours h that it takes to build
a model varies inversely with the number
of people p who work on it.
It takes two hours for six people to build
the model.
a Write an equation connecting h and p.
b Find out how long it will take 10 people
to build the model.
c The model needs to be ready for an
exhibition which will take place in four
hours' time. Calculate the number of
people needed to build the model to
ensure it is ready on time.
3 The variable y varies inversely with the
square of x. y = 3 when x = 4.
a Write an equation connecting y and x.
b Find y when x = 6.
c Find x when y = 12.
4 The volume V of a gas varies inversely with
the pressure p of the gas.
The pressure is 20 Pa when its volume is
180 m3.
450
Now find N when x = 4.
Substitute N= 3 into the equation
N = — which you found in part a.
X
Find the volume when the pressure is
90 Pa.
5 A group of children attend a birthday party.
The number of pieces of candy c that each
child receives varies inversely with the
number of children n.
You are given that when there are 16
children, each one receives 10 pieces of candy.
Find the number of pieces of candy each
child receives when there are 20 children.
6 The intensity of a sound wave varies
inversely with the square of the distance
you are standing away from it.
a Given that you are initially standing
25 m away from the sound source, and
then move so that you are 50 m away,
find the factor by which the intensity of
the sound has decreased,
b You then move from 50 m away, to only
40 m away. Determine how the sound
intensity has changed on this occasion.
? The variable y varies inversely with the
square root of x.
When x = 16, y = 3.
a Find the value of y when x = 4.
b Find the value of x when y = -.
2