Time Rates
(Related Rates)
SEA – General Engineering Department
Time Rates
Guidelines for solving time-rate/related-rate
problems:
1. Identify all given quantities and quantities to be
determined.
2. Make a sketch and label the quantities.
3. Write an equation involving the variables whose
rates of change either are given or are to be
determined.
Time Rates
Guidelines for solving time-rate/related-rate
problems:
4. Using the Chain Rule, implicitly differentiate both
sides of the equation with respect to time t.
5. After completing Guideline 4, substitute into the
resulting equation all known values for the
variables and their rates of change. Then solve for
the required rate of change.
Time Rates
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑦
𝐺𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛: 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 = 25; 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑥 = 4, 𝑦 = 3 𝑎𝑛𝑑 = −2
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 25
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑦
2𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 0
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑦
2𝑥 = −2𝑦
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑥 −2𝑦 −𝑦 −3(−2) 𝟑
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
= = = =
𝑑𝑡 2𝑥 𝑥 4 𝟐
Time Rates
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑥
𝐺𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛: 𝑥𝑦 = 4; 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑥=8 𝑎𝑛𝑑 = 10
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝑥𝑦 = 4 𝑥𝑦 = 4
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑥
𝑥 +𝑦 =0 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑥 = 8; 8𝑦 = 4
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑥 4 1
𝑥 = −𝑦 𝑦= =
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 8 2
𝑑𝑥 1
𝑑𝑦 −𝑦 − (10) 𝟓
𝑑𝑡 2
= = = −
𝑑𝑡 𝑥 8 𝟖
Time Rates
Ifthe radius of a circle increases at a rate
of 0.01 inch per second, find the rate of
change of the area when the radius is 3
inches long.
Time Rates
𝑑𝑟 𝑖𝑛
𝑮𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏: = 0.01
𝑑𝑡 𝑠
𝑑𝐴
𝑹𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅: |𝑟=3 𝑖𝑛
𝑑𝑡
𝑺𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏:
𝐴 = 𝜋𝑟 2
𝑑𝐴 𝑑𝑟
= 𝜋 2𝑟
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝐴 𝟑𝝅 𝟐
= 𝜋 2 3 0.01 = 𝒊𝒏 /𝒔
𝑑𝑡 𝟓𝟎
𝟑𝝅
𝑨𝒏𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒓: = 𝟎. 𝟏𝟗 𝒊𝒏𝟐 /𝒔
𝟓𝟎
Time Rates
Air is being pumped into a spherical
balloon at a rate of 5 cubic feet per
minute. Find the rate of change of the
radius when the diameter is 6 feet.
Time Rates
𝑑𝑉
𝑮𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏: = 5𝑓𝑡 3 /𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝑺𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏:
𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑟 4 3
𝑹𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅: |𝑑=6𝑓𝑡; 𝑟=3 𝑓𝑡 𝑉 = 𝜋𝑟
𝑑𝑡 3
𝑑𝑉 4 2
𝑑𝑟 2
𝑑𝑟
= 𝜋 3𝑟 = 4𝜋 𝑟
𝑑𝑡 3 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑉
𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝑡 5 𝟓
= 2
= 2
= 𝒇𝒕/𝒎𝒊𝒏
𝑑𝑡 4𝜋 𝑟 4𝜋 3 𝟑𝟔𝝅
𝟓
𝑨𝒏𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒓: 𝟎. 𝟎𝟒 = 𝒇𝒕/𝒎𝒊𝒏
𝟑𝟔𝝅
Time Rates
All edges of a cube are expanding at a
rate of 6 centimeters per second. How fast
is the volume changing when each edge is
10 centimeters?
Time Rates
𝑑𝑥
𝑮𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏: = 6 𝑐𝑚/𝑠 𝑺𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏:
𝑑𝑡
𝑹𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅:
𝑑𝑉
|𝑥=10 𝑐𝑚 𝑉 = 𝑥3
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑉 𝑑𝑥
2
= 3𝑥
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑉
= 3 10 2 6 = 𝟏, 𝟖𝟎𝟎 𝒄𝒎𝟑 /𝒔
𝑑𝑡
𝟑
𝑨𝒏𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒓: 𝟏, 𝟖𝟎𝟎 𝒄𝒎 /𝒔
Time Rates
A balloon, leaving the ground 50 feet from
an observer, rises vertically at the rate 10
feet per second. How fast is the balloon
receding from the observer after 15
seconds?
Time Rates
𝑮𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏: ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑧𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 = 50 ft 𝑺𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏:
𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 = 10𝑡 𝐹𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑃𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑔𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑚:
𝑹𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅: 𝑑𝑠/𝑑𝑡 𝑠 2 = 50 2 + 10𝑡 2
𝑠 = 2500 + 100𝑡 2
𝑑𝑠 200𝑡 100𝑡
= =
𝑑𝑡 2 2500 + 100𝑡 2 2500 + 100𝑡 2
𝑎𝑡 𝑡 = 15 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑠
𝑑𝑠 100 15
= = 𝟑 𝟏𝟎 𝒇𝒕/𝒔
𝑑𝑡 2500 + 100 15 2
𝑨𝒏𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒓: 𝟗. 𝟒𝟗 = 𝟑 𝟏𝟎 𝒇𝒕/𝒔
Time Rates
An airplane is flying on a flight path that will
take it directly over a radar tracking station. If
the distance between the airplane and the
radar station is decreasing at a rate of 400
miles per hour and the airplane is 8 miles
above the station, what is the speed of the
airplane when it is 10 miles away from the
radar station?
Time Rates
𝑑𝑠
𝑮𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏: = −400 𝑚𝑖/ℎ𝑟 𝑺𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏:
𝑑𝑡
𝐹𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑃𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑔𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑚:
𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 = 8 𝑚𝑖
𝑠2 = 8 2 + 𝑥2
𝑹𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅: 𝑑𝑥/𝑑𝑡|𝑠=10𝑚𝑖
𝑥 = 𝑠 2 − 64 = 𝑥 = 10 2 − 64 = 6 𝑚𝑖
𝑑𝑠 𝑑𝑥
2𝑠 = 2𝑥
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑠 𝑑𝑠
𝑑𝑥 2𝑠 𝑠
= 𝑑𝑡 = 𝑑𝑡 = 10 −400 = − 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝒎𝒊/𝒉𝒓
𝑑𝑡 2𝑥 𝑥 6 𝟑
𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟎
𝑨𝒏𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒓: 𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒚 = − 𝒎𝒊/𝒉𝒓, 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐝 = 𝒎𝒊/𝒉𝒓
𝟑 𝟑
Time Rates
A ladder 20 feet long leans against a vertical
wall. If the top slides downward at the rate of
2 feet per second, find how fast the lower end
is moving when it is 16 feet from the wall.
Find the rate at which the area of the triangle
formed between the wall, the ladder and the
ground is changing when it is 16 feet from the
wall.
Time Rates
𝑑𝑦 𝑓𝑡
𝑮𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏: = −2
𝑑𝑡 𝑠
𝑑𝑥
𝑹𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅: |𝑥=16𝑓𝑡
𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝐴
|𝑥=16𝑓𝑡
𝑑𝑡
𝑺𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏:
𝐹𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑃𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑔𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑚:
𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 20 2
𝑎𝑡 𝑥 = 16𝑓𝑡
𝑦 = 20 2 − 𝑥 2
𝑦 = 20 2 − 16 2 = 12𝑓𝑡
Time Rates
𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 20 2 1 1
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑦 𝐴 = 𝑏ℎ = 𝑥𝑦
2𝑥 + 2𝑦 =0 2 2
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝐴 1 𝑑𝑦 1 𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑦 = 𝑥 + 𝑦
2𝑥 = −2𝑦 𝑑𝑡 2 𝑑𝑡 2 𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝐴 1 1 3
𝑑𝑥 −2𝑦 𝑑𝑡 −𝑦 𝑑𝑡 = 16 −2 + 12
= = 𝑑𝑡 2 2 2
𝑑𝑡 2𝑥 𝑥
𝑑𝑥 −(12)(−2) 𝟑 𝑑𝐴
= = 𝒇𝒕/𝒔 = −𝟕𝒇𝒕𝟐 /𝒔
𝑑𝑡 16 𝟐 𝑑𝑡
𝟑 𝑨𝒏𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒓: −𝟕𝒇𝒕𝟐 /𝒔
𝑨𝒏𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒓: = 𝟏. 𝟓 𝒇𝒕/𝒔
𝟐
Time Rates
Gravel is being dumped from a conveyor belt
at a rate of 3 cubic meters per minute, and its
coarseness is such that it forms a pile in the
shape of a cone whose base diameter and
height are always equal. How fast is the
height of the pile increasing when the pile is 4
meters high?
Time Rates
𝑑𝑉 3𝑚3
𝑮𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏:
𝑑𝑡
=
𝑚𝑖𝑛
𝑺𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏: 𝑑𝑉 𝜋 2
𝑑ℎ
1 2 = 3ℎ
𝑑ℎ 𝑉 = 𝜋𝑟 ℎ
3
𝑑𝑡 12 𝑑𝑡
𝑹𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅: |ℎ=4𝑚 𝑑𝑉 𝑑𝑉
𝑑𝑡 ℎ = 𝑑 = 2𝑟 𝑑ℎ 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
ℎ = 𝜋 3ℎ2 =𝜋
𝑑𝑡 ℎ2
𝑟= 12 4
2
1 ℎ
2 𝑑ℎ 3 𝟑
𝑉= 𝜋 ℎ =𝜋 = 𝒎/𝒎𝒊𝒏
3 2 𝑑𝑡 4 2 𝟒𝝅
𝜋 3 4
𝑉= ℎ 𝟑
12 𝑨𝒏𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒓: 𝟎. 𝟐𝟒 = 𝒎/𝒎𝒊𝒏
𝟒𝝅
Time Rates
Water is flowing into a conical reservoir 20
feet deep and 10 feet across the top at the
rate of 12 cubic feet per minute. Find how
fast the surface is rising when the water is
9 feet deep.
Time Rates
𝑑𝑉 12𝑓𝑡 3
𝑮𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏: = 𝑺𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏:
𝑑𝑡 𝑚𝑖𝑛 1 2
𝑑ℎ 𝑉 = 𝜋𝑟 ℎ
𝑹𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅: |ℎ=9𝑓𝑡 3
𝑑𝑡 𝐵𝑦 𝑠𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒𝑠:
5 𝑟
=
20 ℎ
5ℎ = 20𝑟
5ℎ ℎ
𝑟= =
20 4
Time Rates
2
1 2 1 ℎ 𝜋ℎ3
𝑉 = 𝜋𝑟 ℎ = 𝜋 ℎ=
3 3 4 48
𝑑𝑉 𝜋 2
𝑑ℎ 𝜋 2 𝑑ℎ
= 3ℎ = ℎ
𝑑𝑡 48 𝑑𝑡 16 𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑉
𝑑ℎ 𝑑𝑡 12 𝟔𝟒
= 𝜋 = 𝜋 = 𝒇𝒕/𝒎𝒊𝒏
𝑑𝑡 ℎ2 9 2 𝟐𝟕𝝅
16 16
𝟎. 𝟕𝟓𝐟𝐭 𝟔𝟒
𝑨𝒏𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒓: = 𝒇𝒕/𝒎𝒊𝒏
𝐦𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟕𝝅
Time Rates
A rectangular trough is 10 feet long and 5
feet wide. Find how fast the surface rises,
if water flows in at the rate of 15 cubic feet
per minute.
Time Rates
𝑑𝑉 15𝑓𝑡 3
𝑮𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏: = 𝑺𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏:
𝑑𝑡 𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝑉 = 𝐿𝑥𝑊𝑥𝐻 = 10 5 ℎ
𝑑ℎ 𝑉 = 50ℎ
𝑹𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅: 𝑑𝑉 𝑑ℎ
𝑑𝑡 = 50
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑉
𝑑ℎ 𝑑𝑡 15
= = = 𝟎. 𝟑 𝒇𝒕/𝒎𝒊𝒏
𝑑𝑡 50 50
𝟑
𝑨𝒏𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒓: = 𝟎. 𝟑 𝒇𝒕/𝒎𝒊𝒏
𝟏𝟎
Time Rates
A trough is 15 feet long and 4 feet across
the top. Its ends are isosceles triangles
with altitudes of 4 feet. If water is being
pumped into the trough at 3 cubic feet per
minute, how fast is the water level rising
when the depth is 2 feet?
Time Rates
𝑑𝑉 3𝑓𝑡 3 𝑺𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏:
𝑮𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏: =
𝑑𝑡 𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝐵𝑦 𝑠𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑟 𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒𝑠:
𝑑ℎ
𝑹𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅: |2 𝑓𝑡
𝑑𝑡
4 𝑏
=
4 ℎ
𝑏=ℎ
Time Rates
𝑉 = 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑥 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ
15 15 2
𝑉= ℎ ℎ= ℎ
1 1 2 2
𝑉 = 𝑏ℎ𝐿 = 𝑏ℎ 15 𝑑𝑉 15 𝑑ℎ 𝑑ℎ
2 2 = 2ℎ = 15ℎ
𝑑𝑡 2 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝑑ℎ 𝑑𝑉/𝑑𝑡 3 𝟏
= = = 𝒇𝒕/𝒎𝒊𝒏
𝑑𝑡 15ℎ 15(2) 𝟏𝟎
𝟏
𝑨𝒏𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒓: 𝒇𝒕/𝒎𝒊𝒏
𝟏𝟎
References
Larson, R. & Edwards, B. (2019). Calculus. Cengage Learning Asia Pte Ltd.
Stewart, J. (2018). Calculus: International Metric Edition. Cengage Learning Asia Pte Ltd.
Love, C. & Rainville, E. (1969). Differential and Integral Calculus (6th Ed.). The
Macmillan Company.
Peterson, T. (1964). Calculus with Analytic Geometry. Ken Incorporated.
[Picture of gravel being dumped from a conveyor belt][Photograph]. Retrieved on June 27,
2020 from https://www.bartleby.com/solution-answer/chapter-28-problem-29e-calculus-
mindtap-course-list-8th-edition/9781285740621/gravel-is-being-dumped-from-a-
conveyor-belt-at-a-rate-of-30ft3min-and-its-coarseness-is-such-that/f482403e-9405-
11e9-8385-02ee952b546e.
[Picture of airplane over a radar station][Photograph]. Retrieved on June 27, 2020 from
https://www.chegg.com/homework-help/distance-plane-flying-altitude-7-miles-radar-
antenna-pass-di-chapter-1.6-problem-91e-solution-9781439049075-exc.
