Trinity College Nabbingo

APPLICATION OF DIFFERENTIATION

RATE OF CHANGE

dy lim y
The derivative = is called the rate of change of y with respect to x .
dx x → 0 x
dy
It shows how changes in y are related to changes in x . For example, if =3,
dx
then y is increasing 3 times as fast as x .

Practical application involves;

The rate of change of displacement (s ) with time t which is velocity (v )

ds
•
dt
.
The rate of change of velocity (v ) with the time t
dv
• which is acceleration
dt
(a ) .
RELATED RATES OF CHANGE

This is where the rate of change in one quantity effects the change in other
variables. For example, suppose the side of a square piece of metal increases at
a rate of 0.1cm per second when heated. As a result, the area of the square of
the metal also increases as well as its volume. Using related rate of change we
can fine the rate of increase of area as follows. Let the square piece of metal
have sides of length 𝑥cm,then area A=𝑥 2 .

𝑑𝑥 dA
Is the rate of increase of length of sides with respect to t. If A = x 2 then = 2x .
𝑑𝑡 dx

𝑑𝐴 dA dA dx
The rate of change of area is obtained by chain rule as = . = 2 x  0.1
𝑑𝑡 dt dx dt

dA
:. = 0.2cm 2 s −1
dx

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Example 1

A spherical balloon is inflated at a rate of 3cm 3 s −1 . Find the rate of increase of the
radius when this radius is 2cm.

Solution

Let the balloon have radius r and volume v ,

4
v = r 3
3

dv
= 4r 2
dr
= 3(Given)
dv
dt
dv dv dr
By chain rule = .
dt dr dt

dr
3 = 4r 2
dt

dr 3
= when r = 2
dt 4r 2

dr 3 3
= =
dt 4 (2 ) 16
2

3
Therefore the rate of increase of radius when the radius is 2cm is cms −1 .
6

Example 2

A container in the shape of a hallow cone of semi-vertical angle 300 is held with
its vertex pointing down wards. Water is poured into the cone at the rate of
5cm3s-1. Find the rate at which the depth of water in the cone is increasing when
this depth is 10cm.

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Soln

x
30

Let the depth of water in the cone be xcm and radius r cm of the cross-section
of the water.

r
tan 30 =
x

x
r = x tan 30 =
3

1 1 1 2 1
The volume v=3 𝜋𝑟 2 𝑥 = 3 𝜋 ( ) 𝑥 = 9 𝜋𝑥 3
√3

dv 1 2
= x
dx 3

dv dv dv dx
Given that = 5 . By chain rule, = .
dt dt dx dt

1 dx
5 = x 2
3 dt

dx 15
=
dt x 2

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When x = 10

dx 15 3
= =
dt  (10)2
20

3
The rate of increase of depth when the depth is 10cm = cm −1 .
20

Example 3

The radius of a sphere is r cm, the area of its surface is 4r 2 cm 2 and its volume is
4 3 3
r cm . When the radius of the sphere is 21cm, the radius is increasing at the
3
rate of 0.01cm / s , find the rate at which the surface area and the volume are
22
increasing at this point. (Given that 𝜋 = ).
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Solution

dr 4
= 0.01cm / s, s = 4r 2 , v = r 3
dt 3

ds ds ds dr
= 8r , = .
dt dt dr dt

= 8r (0.01) = 8   21(0.01)

ds 22
dt 7

ds
= 5.28cm 2 / s (rate of increase of area)
drt

dv dr dv
= .
dt dt dr

dv
= 4r 2
dr

= 4r 2 (0.01)
dv
dt

= 4
22
(21)2  0.01
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dv
= 55.4cm 3 / sec.
dt

Example 4

A hollow right circular cone has base radius 4m and vertical height 20m. It is
held upside down with its axis vertical. It contains water which is being added at
the constant rate of 1.5cm3 per minute and which leaks away through a small
hole in vertex at the constant rate of 2m3 per minute. At what rate is the depth
of the water changing when the depth is 12m?

Solution

4m

20m r

x r
By similarity: =  r = x volume of water of radius r and height x
20 4 5

1
v = r 2 h, h = x
3
2
1  x 1 x2
=   x =  x
3 5 3 25

x 3
vol. =
75

dv 3x 2 x 2
= =
dt 75 25

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𝑑𝑣
= 1.5 − 2 = −0.5𝑚3 /𝑚𝑖𝑛 .The negative indicates decrease in volume.
𝑑𝑡

dv dx dv
= .
dt dt dx

dx dv dx dx 25
= . , =
dt dt dv dv x 2

25
= − 0 .5 . x=2
 ( x )2

25
= − 0 .5 . x = 12
 ( x )2

25  7
= − 0 .5 
22  (12)
2

= 0.03m / min(2dp)
dx
=
dt

Example 5

A large container in the shape of a right circular cone of height 10m and base
radius 1m is catching a drip of water from a tap leaking at the rate of 0.1m3/min.
Find the rate at which the area of the top surface of water is increasing when
water is half way up the cone.

Solution

h
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Let the height of water at any time t be h.

h r
By similarity =
H R

h r
= = r=h
10 1 10

Area of the top surface of water = r 2

A= h ( 10) = 100

2 h 2

dA h
=
dh 5 0
dA dA dh
= .
dt dh dt
𝑑𝐴 𝜋ℎ 𝑑ℎ
= 1
𝑑𝑡 50 𝑑𝑡

1 2 1 h2
Volume v = r h =  h
3 3 100

h 3
v=
300
dv h 2
=
dh 100

dv dv dh dv
= . . From chain rule but = 0.1m 3 / min
dt dh dt dt

h 2 dh
 0.1 =
100 dt

dh 100 0.1 10
 = = 2
dt h 2 h
dh
Substituting for in 1
dt

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dA 1 10
= .When h = = 5m
dt 5h 2

dA 1 1 dA
= = m2 = 0.04m 2 / min
dt 5  5 25 dt

Example 6

A spherical balloon is inflated such that the rate at which its radius is increasing is
0.5cms-1. Find the rate at which;

i) The volume is increasing at the point when r = 5.0cm

ii) Its surface area is increasing when r = 5.0cm

4 dv
(i) v = r 3 , = 4r 2
3 dr

dr
= 0.5cms −1
dt

dv dv dr
= −
dt dr dt

= 4r 2 (0.5)
dv
=
dt

= 2r 2 when r = 5

= 2 (5) = 50cm 3 s −1
dv 2

dt

ds
(ii) S = 4r 2 , = 8r
dr

ds ds dr
= . = 8r.0.5 (Using chain rule).
dt dr dt

= 4r , at r = 5

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Trinity College Nabbingo
= 4 (5) = 20cm 2 s −1
ds
dt

Example 5

Spherical rain drop is formed by condensation. In an interval of 40 seconds its

volume increases at a constant rate from 0.032mm3 to 0.256mm3. Find the rate
at which the surface area of the rain drop increasing when its radius is 0.5mm.

Solution

Volume V of the spherical rain drop is

4
v = r 3 ,
3

dv
= 4r 2
dr

dv dv dr dv 0.256 − 0.032
= . , (Using chain rule). But =
dt dr dt dt 40

dv
= 0.0056mm 3 / s
dt

dr
0.0056 = 4r 2 .
dt

dr 0.0056
= 1
dt 4r 2

dA
Surface area A = 4r 2 = 8r
dr

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Trinity College Nabbingo
dA dA dr 0.0056 2 𝑑𝑟
By chain rule, = . = 8r =  0.0056 . 𝑑𝑡 is obtained equation 1
dt dr dt 4r 2
r
above.
dA
Therefore , = 0.0224mm 2 / s .
dt

Example 8

A inverted cone of vertical angle 1200 is collecting water from a tap at a steady
rate of 18  cm3/min. Find;

(a) the depth of water after 12 min.

(b) the rate of increase of depth at this instant

Solution

2
r √3
𝑟 60
𝑡𝑎𝑛60 =
ℎ √
r = h tan 60
h

60

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1
v = r 2 h
3
1
( )
v= h 3 h
3
2

1 1
v =  3h 2 .h = r
3 3
v = h 3
This is the

volume of water at any time t.

dv
= 18cm.3 / m
dt
dv
dh dv dh 1 = 3h 2
= . = 18 . dh
dt dt dh 3h 2
18 6
2
= 2
3h h

dh 6
=
dt h 2

1min=18πcm3

12min=12x18πcm3=216πcm3.

Volume of water after 12 min =216πcm3.

Also volume of water =πh3. (From above).

Therefore 216π=πh3

h3= 216

h=6

𝑑ℎ 6 1
= = cm2/min
𝑑𝑡 62 6

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Example 9
A piece of metal is the shape of a cube of side 10cm is heated uniformly so that
its volume increases at a rate proportional to the area of one face. It is known
that when one of the sides is 10.5m, the rate of increase of the volume is
11.25m3/min. Find the rate at which the length L metre of each edge increases.
Solution

Type equation here.

L
L
L

Let V be the volume of metal cube and S the surface area.

v = L3 and S = L2
dv
= kL2 ( given)
dt
dv
at L = 10.5m = 11.025( given)
dt
dv
but = kL2
dt
 kL2 = 11.025
11.025 11.025
K= = = 0.1
L2 (10.5)2
dv
 = 0.1L2
dt
dv dv dL
= .
dt dt dt

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dL dv dL dv 1
= . = 
dt dt dv dt dv
dL
1 0 . 1
= 0.1L2 . 2 =
3L 3
= 0.03m / min

Hence the rate at which the length of each edge increases is 0.03m/min.

EXERCISE
1. The side of a square is increasing at the rate of 5cm-1. Find the rate of
Increase of the area when the length of the side is 10cm.
Ans. 100cm2s-1

2. The area of a circle is increasing at the rate of (4 )cm 2 s −1 . Find the rate of
1
increase of the radius when radius is cm.
2
Ans. 4cms -1

3. The volume of cube is increasing at the rate of 18cm3s-1. Find the rate of
increase of the length of a side when the volume is 125cm3.
6
Ans. cms −1
25

4. The area of a square, of side xcm, is increasing at the rate of 6cm2s-1.

Find the expression interim of x, for the rate of increase of the length of a
3
side. Ans. cms −1
x

5. A boy is inflating a spherical balloon at the rate of 10cm3s-1. Find the rate
of increase of surface area of the balloon when the radius is 5cm.
Ans. 4cm2s-1

6. A container in the shape of a hallow cone of semi-vertical angle 450 is

held with its vertex pointing down wards. Water drips into the container at
a rate of 3cm3 per minute. Find the rate at which the depth of water in
the cone is increasing when the depth is 2cm.
3
Ans. cm min −1
4

7. A container in the shape of a hallow cone of depth 12cm and radius 6cm

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is held with its vertex pointing down wards. Water is poured into the
container at a rate of 2cm3s-1. Find the rate at which the depth of water in
3
the cone is increasing when the depth is cm .
4
128
Ans. cms −1
9

8. A hallow cone of base radius 10cm and height 10cm is held with its vertex
down wards. The cone is initially empty when water is poured into it at the
rate of (4 ) cm3s-1. Find the rate of increase in the depth of water in the
cone 18 seconds after pouring has commenced.

1
Ans. cms −1
9

 1000  3 −1
9. Sand pouring at a constant rate of   cm s forms a right circular
 3 
conical heap of height 10cm. Express the volume of heap interims of the
vertical angle. hence, find the rate of change of vertical angle when its
600.
1 d  3 3  −1
Ans. v = h 3 tan 2  , = s
3 dt  8 

10. An inverted cone with vertical angle 600 has water in it dripping out
through a hole at the vertex at a rate of 3cm3 min-1. Find the rate at which
the surface area in contact with water is changing at the instant when
the volume left in the cone is 8cm 3 .
Ans. 1.44cm2min-1

11. Water runs at a constant rate of 6cm2s-1 in vessel whose volume is

obtained by rotating the area bounded by the curve 4 y = x 2 about the y-
axis from y = 0 to y = hcm .
(i) Show that the volume of the vessel is 2h 2 cm 3 .
(ii) Find the rate at which the water level is rising when the water has
been running for 3 second.

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1
Ans (ii) cms −1
2 

12. A hemispherical bowel of radius r cm is being filled with water at a

Constant rate.
(a) Show that when the depth of water in the bowl is hcm, then the
h 2 (3r − h )
volume of water in the bowl is given by v =
3
(b) Show that between the time water is half way to the top and the
time when the bowl is about to overflow, The rate at which the depth is
rising has fallen by a quarter.

END

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