Section 2.

6 Related Rates

π
Example 1: Volume of a cone is V = r 2h .
3
If water in a conical tank is drained out, then the volume V, the radius r, and the height h
of the water level changes as time goes by and so they are all functions of the time t.

π
V= r 2h
3
dV π  dr dh 
=  2r h + r 2 
dt 3  dt dt 

Example 2: Suppose x and y are both differentiable functions of t and are related by the
dy dx
equation x 2 + y 2 = 16 . Find when x = 1, given that = 2 when x =1.
dt dt
Differentiate with respect to t:

x 2 + y 2 = 16
dx dy
2x + 2y =0
dt dt
dy x dx
=− ⋅
dt y dt

When x = 1, to find the corresponding y, substitute x by 1 to the equation

x 2 + y 2 = 16 and find y:
12 + y 2 = 16
y 2 = 15
y = ± 15
dy  x dx 1 2
=− =m (2) = m
dt  (1, ± 15 ) y dt 15 15

Calculus I by Chinyoung Bergbauer at NHMCCD: 2.6 Related rates 1

Example 3: A machine is rolling a metal cylinder under pressure. The radius of the
cylinder is decreasing at a constant rate of 0.05 inches per second and the volume is
128π cubic inches. At what rate is the length h changing when the radius r is 1.8inches?
128π = V
V = πr 2 h
128π = πr 2 h
dr dh
0 = 2πrh + πr 2
dt dt
dh 2πrh dr 2h dr
=− 2 ⋅ =− ⋅
dt πr dt r dt
2(39.51)
=− (− 0.05) ≈ 2.19 in / sec
1.8
128
r = 1.8, 128π = π (1.8) 2 h ⇒ h = 2 ≈ 39.51
1.8

Practice 3: A machine is rolling a metal cylinder under pressure. The radius of the
cylinder is decreasing at a constant rate of 0.02 inches per second and the volume is
240π cubic inches. At what rate is the length h changing when the radius r is 2.5 inches?

Example 4: Air is being pumped into a spherical balloon. The surface area of a balloon
increases at a rate of 4.5 square feet per minute. Find the rate of change of the radius
when the radius is 2 feet.
S = 4πr 2
dS dr
= 8πr
dt dt
dr dr 4.5 9
4.5 = 8π (2) ⇒ = = ft / min
dt dt 16π 32π

Practice 4: All edges of a cube are expanding at a rate of 3 centimeters per second. How
fast is the volume changing when each edge is ( a ) 1 centimeters and ( b ) 10
centimeters? (Hint: V = s 3 )

Calculus I by Chinyoung Bergbauer at NHMCCD: 2.6 Related rates 2

Example 5: The endpoints of a movable rod of length 1 meter have coordinates (x, 0)
1 πt
and (0, y). The position of the end of the x-axis is x(t ) = sin where t is the time in
2 6
seconds.

a) Find the time of one complete cycle of the rod.

The period of the function x of t is then one complete cycle.
1 πt 2π
x(t ) = sin ⇒ The period is = 12. The time of one complete cycle is t = 12
2 6 π /6
seconds.
b) What is the lowest point reached by the end of the rod on the y-axis?
When x has the maximum 1/2, the y has the minimum.
When x = ½, find the corresponding y using the equation: x 2 + y 2 = 1
2
1 3 3
  + y =1⇒ y = ⇒ y =
2 2

2 4 2
c) Find the speed of the y-axis endpoint when the x-axis endpoint is (1/4, 0).
The speed is the rate of change of y with respect to t, that is, dy/dt.
Differentiate both sides with respect to t and consider y and x functions of t.
x2 + y2 = 1
dx dy
2x + 2 y =0
dt dt
dy x dx  1 15  π 3 π 3 π
=− =  − ÷  = − = −
dt y dt  4 4  24 24 15 24 5
2
1 15
x = 1 / 4, x 2 + y 2 = 1 ⇒   + y 2 = 1 ⇒ y =
4 4
1 πt dx 1 π πt
x(t ) = sin ⇒ = ⋅ ⋅ cos =
2 6 dt 2 6 6
1 πt 1 πt 1 πt π
sin = ⇒ sin = ⇒ = ⇒ t = 1,5
2 6 4 6 2 6 6
dx 1 π π π 3 π 3
= ⋅ ⋅ cos = =
dt 2 6 6 12 2 24
The relationship of x, y, and 1 is x + y 2 = 1
2

3
Practice 5: Repeat Example 5 with x(t ) = sin πt . Use the point (3/10, 0) for part ( c ).
5

Calculus I by Chinyoung Bergbauer at NHMCCD: 2.6 Related rates 3