Q.Find an angle θ, 0<θ<2π, which increases twice as fast as its sine.
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Related Rates
The idea: quantities that change together
Many real situations involve two or more quantities that all vary with time, linked by a fixed relationship. Inflate a balloon and its radius and volume both grow; slide a ladder down a wall and the top's height and the foot's distance both change. A related-rates problem gives you the rate at which one quantity is changing and asks for the rate of another, at some instant.
The key insight: if the quantities are tied together by an equation, then their rates are tied together too. We uncover that link by differentiating the equation with respect to time t.
The core mechanism: differentiate with respect to time
Every variable is a function of t, so differentiating brings in the chain rule — each variable's derivative picks up a factor of its own rate. For example, if the volume of a sphere is V=34πr3, then differentiating both sides with respect to t gives
dtdV=4πr2dtdr.
This single equation connects the rate the volume grows, dtdV, to the rate the radius grows, dtdr. Knowing one (and the current r) gives the other.
The standard procedure
Solving a related-rates problem
- Identify the quantities that change with time and the rate you want.
- Write an equation relating those quantities (geometry, a formula, etc.).
- Differentiate both sides with respect to t, treating every variable as a function of t.
- Substitute the known values and the known rate at the given instant.
- Solve for the unknown rate.
Worked example
Air is pumped into a spherical balloon at dtdV=100 cm3/s. How fast is the radius increasing when r=5 cm?
From dtdV=4πr2dtdr, substitute dtdV=100 and r=5:
100=4π(5)2dtdr=100πdtdr⟹dtdr=π1 cm/s. …
The key idea is the Increasing Function Test: if two quantities are changing with respect to the same variable, their rates of change are related by derivatives.
We are told that θ increases twice as fast as sinθ. This means the rate of change of θ with respect to time is double the rate of change of sinθ:
dtdθ=2⋅dtd(sinθ)
Differentiate sinθ using the chain rule:
dtdθ=2(cosθ⋅dtdθ) …
The problem asks for an angle θ in (0,π/2) where the rate of increase of θ is double the rate of increase of sinθ. Using the derivative interpretation, this means dtdθ=2dtd(sinθ), which simplifies to 1=2cosθ, giving θ=3π.
The key idea here is that "increases twice as fast" is a statement about rates of change with respect to time. When we say one quantity increases twice as fast as another, we mean their derivatives with respect to time are in the ratio 2:1.
Let’s unpack that. If θ and sinθ are both changing as time passes, then:
- The rate at which θ increases is dtdθ.
- The rate at which sinθ increases is dtd(sinθ)=cosθ⋅dtdθ (by the chain rule).
The condition “θ increases twice as fast as its sine” means:
dtdθ=2⋅dtd(sinθ)
Now substitute the derivative of sinθ:
dtdθ=2(cosθ⋅dtdθ)
Assuming dtdθ=0 (the angle is actually changing), we can divide both sides by dtdθ:
1=2cosθ
So:
cosθ=21
Within the interval 0<θ<2π, the angle whose cosine is 21 is: …
Method: Comparing the Rate of a Variable to the Rate of a Function of It
Some related-rates problems never mention time explicitly — instead they compare how fast a quantity itself changes to how fast some function of that quantity changes (e.g. "θ increases twice as fast as sinθ"). The trick is to translate the words into an equation of time-derivatives and let t cancel out.
Steps
Step 1: Translate the comparison into an equation of rates.
"P increases n times as fast as Q=g(P)" becomes
dtdP=n⋅dtdQ.
Step 2: Differentiate Q=g(P) using the chain rule.
dtdQ=g′(P)dtdP.
Step 3: Substitute and cancel dtdP.
dtdP=ng′(P)dtdP. …
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Dropping the chain-rule factor when differentiating sinθ with respect to time
Why it's wrong: writing dtd(sinθ)=cosθ (missing the dtdθ factor) treats θ as the independent variable of differentiation instead of a function of t, which breaks the whole "twice as fast" comparison of rates. Correct approach: dtd(sinθ)=cosθ⋅dtdθ, always.
Mistake 2: Dividing both sides by dtdθ without justifying it's nonzero
Why it's wrong: the cancellation 1=2cosθ is only valid because θ is actually increasing (dtdθ=0); skipping this check (even though it's true here) is a rigor gap examiners look for in a "prove/find" style question. Correct approach: explicitly state the angle is increasing, so dtdθ=0, before dividing it out. …
Showing the 12 most recent of 17 on this concept.
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-14-FN1 markMCQQ.If the vertical angle of a cone is 60∘ and the rate of change of its total surface area is 23 cm2/sec, then the rate of change of its volume (in cm3/sec) when its radius is 5 cm, is (A) 15 (B) 10 (C) 5 (D) 9
›Reveal solutionSolution
A related-rates problem: using the 60° vertical angle to fix h and slant height l in terms of r, then chaining dtdS→dtdr→dtdV gives 5 cm3/sec.
Concept and Intuition
When a cone's vertical (apex) angle is fixed, its shape stays similar as it grows — radius and height stay in a fixed ratio determined by the semi-vertical angle. This lets us express both surface area and volume purely in terms of r, so a single related-rates chain (through dr/dt) connects the given rate of surface-area change to the unknown rate of volume change.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Vertical angle =60°, so semi-vertical angle α=30°. In the cone's cross-section, tanα=r/h, so r=htan30°=h/3, i.e. h=r3.
- Slant height: l=r2+h2=r2+3r2=4r2=2r.
- Total surface area: S=πr2+πrl=πr2+πr(2r)=3πr2.
- Differentiate: dtdS=6πrdtdr.
- Given dtdS=23 and r=5: 23=6π(5)dtdr=30πdtdr, so dtdr=30π23=15π3.
- Volume: V=31πr2h=31πr2(r3)=3πr3. …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-14-FN1 markMCQQ.The surface area of a sphere is 49π sq.cm. If it is increased by 0.016 sq.cm, then the approximate increase in its volume (in c.c.) is (A) 0.07 (B) 0.04 (C) 0.032 (D) 0.028
›Reveal solutionSolution
Using differentials to connect a small change in surface area to the corresponding small change in volume, via the shared variable r, gives an approximate volume increase of 0.028 c.c.
Concept and Intuition
When a small change in one geometric quantity (surface area) causes a small change in another (volume), and both depend on a common variable (r), we can relate their differentials directly: dS=8πrdr and dV=4πr2dr share the same dr, so we solve for dr from the given dS and substitute into the dV formula — this is the standard "approximate change" technique using derivatives.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Surface area of sphere: S=4πr2=49π⇒r2=449⇒r=27=3.5 cm.
- Differentiate S=4πr2: dS=8πrdr.
- Given dS=0.016, and r=3.5: dr=8π(3.5)0.016=28π0.016.
- Volume: V=34πr3. Differentiate: dV=4πr2dr.
- r2=12.25, so dV=4π(12.25)dr=49πdr. …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-15-FN1 markMCQQ.If a cylindrical tank of radius 3 m is filled with water at the rate of 23 m3/sec, then the rate of change of its water level in (m/sec) is (A) 3π1 (B) 2π1 (C) π1 (D) 6π1
›Reveal solutionSolution
This tests related rates for a cylinder of fixed radius; the water level rises at 6π1 m/s.
Concept and Intuition
Since the radius doesn't change as the tank fills, the volume V=πr2h is a function of h alone (with r a constant), so differentiating with respect to time directly links dV/dt to dh/dt through the constant cross-sectional area πr2.
Step-by-Step Solution
- V=πr2h, with r=3 constant, so V=9πh.
- Differentiate w.r.t. time: dtdV=9πdtdh. …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-18-AN1 markMCQQ.If the rate of increase in the surface area of a cube is 6 sq.cm./sec, then the rate of increase in its volume (in c.c./sec), when the length of its edge is 12 cm, is (A) 6 (B) 12 (C) 18 (D) 9
›Reveal solutionSolution
A related-rates problem: convert the given rate of change of surface area into the rate of change of the edge length, then into the rate of change of volume.
Concept and Intuition
Both surface area and volume of a cube are functions of the single variable a (the edge length), so differentiating each with respect to time and using the chain rule links their rates through da/dt — the one quantity actually changing independently.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Surface area: S=6a2⇒dtdS=12adtda.
- Given dtdS=6: 12adtda=6⇒dtda=2a1.
- Volume: V=a3⇒dtdV=3a2dtda. …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-21-AN1 markMCQQ.If the velocity of a particle moving on a straight line is proportional to the cube root of its displacement, then its acceleration is (A) constant (B) inversely proportional to its velocity (C) proportional to its velocity (D) proportional to its displacement
›Reveal solutionSolution
Express acceleration as vdv/dx, substitute the given proportionality, and eliminate x in favour of v. Answer: acceleration is inversely proportional to velocity.
Concept and Intuition
For motion along a straight line, acceleration can be written as a=dtdv=vdxdv (chain rule through position). Given a relation between v and x, this lets us compute a purely as a function of x, and then re-express it in terms of v using the same original relation.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Given v∝x1/3, write v=kx1/3 for some constant k.
- dxdv=3kx−2/3.
- a=vdxdv=kx1/3⋅3kx−2/3=3k2x−1/3.
- From v=kx1/3, cube both sides: v3=k3x⇒x=k3v3, so x−1/3=vk.
- Substitute: a=3k2⋅vk=3vk3. …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-22-AN1 markMCQQ.An aeroplane is flying at a constant speed, parallel to the horizontal ground at a height of 5 kms. A person on the ground observed that the angle of elevation of the plane is changed from 15° to 30° in the duration of 50 seconds, then the speed of the plane (in kmph) is (A) 100 (B) 720 (C) 360 (D) 540
›Reveal solutionSolution
Convert both elevation angles to horizontal distances using hcotθ; the difference is the distance flown, giving a speed of 720 kmph.
Concept and Intuition
For a plane flying level at height h, if the angle of elevation from a fixed ground point is θ, the horizontal distance from the point directly below the plane's original position (or rather, the ground projection) satisfies tanθ=h/x⇒x=hcotθ. As the plane approaches, θ increases and x decreases — the plane has covered the difference in these horizontal distances.
Step-by-Step Solution
- At θ1=15∘: horizontal distance x1=hcot15∘=5(2+3) km.
- At θ2=30∘: horizontal distance x2=hcot30∘=53 km.
- Distance flown =x1−x2=5(2+3−3)=5×2=10 km. …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-23-FN1 markMCQQ.If the volume of a sphere is increasing at the rate of 12 c.c./sec, then the rate (in sq. cm/sec) at which its surface area is increasing, when the diameter of the sphere is 12 cm is (A) 2 (B) 3 (C) 4 (D) 6
›Reveal solutionSolution
This is a related-rates problem: given how fast volume grows, find how fast surface area grows at a specific radius; the answer is 4 cm2/s.
Concept and Intuition
Both V and S of a sphere depend only on r, so differentiating each with respect to time and eliminating dtdr (found from the volume-rate condition) gives the surface-area rate.
Step-by-Step Solution
- V=34πr3, so dtdV=4πr2dtdr.
- Given dtdV=12 and diameter =12⇒r=6: 12=4π(36)dtdr⇒dtdr=144π12=12π1.
- S=4πr2⇒dtdS=8πrdtdr. …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-24-FN1 markMCQQ.If the surface area of a spherical bubble is increasing at the rate of 4 sq.cm/sec, then the rate of change in its volume (in cubic cm/sec) when its radius is 8 cms is (A) 8 (B) 12 (C) 15 (D) 16
›Reveal solutionSolution
A related-rates problem: given dtdS, find dtdV by eliminating dtdr through the common variable r. Answer: 16 cubic cm/sec.
Concept and Intuition
Both surface area S and volume V of a sphere depend on the single variable r (radius), which itself changes with time. The strategy in any related-rates problem is: express both quantities in terms of the shared variable, differentiate each with respect to time using the chain rule, and then eliminate the unknown rate (dtdr here) between the two equations.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Surface area: S=4πr2. Differentiating w.r.t. t: dtdS=8πrdtdr.
- We're given dtdS=4, so 8πrdtdr=4⇒dtdr=8πr4=2πr1.
- Volume: V=34πr3. Differentiating w.r.t. t: dtdV=4πr2dtdr.
- Substitute dtdr from step 2: …
- AP EAPCET 2024Set eng-2024-05-18-FN1 markMCQQ.A point is moving on the curve y=x3−3x2+2x−1 and the y-coordinate of the point is increasing at the rate of 6 units per second. When the point is at (2,−1), the rate of change of x-coordinate of the point is (A) 3 (B) 21 (C) −21 (D) −3
›Reveal solutionSolution
A related-rates problem: knowing dy/dt and the curve's slope at the given point lets us solve directly for dx/dt. The answer is 3.
Concept and Intuition
For a point moving along y=f(x), the rates of change of x and y with respect to time are linked through the chain rule dtdy=f′(x)dtdx — the curve's local slope is exactly the conversion factor between the two rates at that instant.
Step-by-Step Solution
- y=x3−3x2+2x−1⇒dxdy=3x2−6x+2.
- At the point (2,−1): dxdy=3(4)−6(2)+2=12−12+2=2. …
- AP EAPCET 2024Set eng-2024-05-22-AN1 markMCQQ.If a man of height 1.8 mt. is walking away from the foot of a light pole of height 6 mt. with a speed of 7 km per hour on a straight horizontal road opposite to the pole, then the rate of change of the length of his shadow is (in kmph) (A) 7 (B) 5 (C) 3 (D) 2
›Reveal solutionSolution
Similar triangles link shadow length to distance walked; the shadow grows at 3 kmph.
Concept and Intuition
The tip of the shadow, the top of the pole, and the top of the man's head are collinear (that's what casts the shadow). This gives a similar-triangles relationship between the man's distance from the pole and his shadow's length, which can be differentiated with respect to time (related rates).
Step-by-Step Solution
- Let x = distance of the man from the pole, s = length of his shadow. The tip of the shadow is at distance x+s from the pole.
- Similar triangles (pole-to-shadow-tip vs man-to-shadow-tip): x+spole height=sman height⇒x+s6=s1.8.
- Cross-multiply: 6s=1.8(x+s)=1.8x+1.8s⇒4.2s=1.8x⇒s=4.21.8x=73x. …
- AP EAPCET 2024Set eng-2024-05-23-FN1 markMCQQ.A is a point on the circle with radius 8 and centre at O. A particle P is moving on the circumference of the circle starting from A. M is the foot of the perpendicular from P on OA and ∠POM=θ. When OM=4 and dtdθ=6 radians/sec, then the rate of change of PM is (in units/sec) (A) 243 (B) 24 (C) 153 (D) 483
›Reveal solutionSolution
M is the foot of the perpendicular from P to line OA, so OM=OPcosθ and PM=OPsinθ in the right triangle OMP; differentiate PM with respect to time.
Concept and Intuition
As P moves around the circle, the right triangle OMP (right-angled at M) has hypotenuse OP=8 (the radius) fixed, and angle θ=∠POM varying with time. So OM and PM are both simple trig functions of θ, and their time-rates follow directly by the chain rule using θ˙.
Step-by-Step Solution
- In right triangle OMP (right angle at M): OM=OPcosθ=8cosθ and PM=OPsinθ=8sinθ.
- Given OM=4: 8cosθ=4⇒cosθ=21⇒θ=60∘, and sinθ=23.
- Differentiate PM=8sinθ with respect to time: dtd(PM)=8cosθ⋅dtdθ. …
- AP EAPCET 2021Set eng-2021-08-19-AN1 markMCQQ.Let 'x' and 'y' be the sides of two squares such that y=x−x2. The rate of change of area of the second square with respect to area of the first square is ______. (A) 1−3x+2x2 (B) 1+3x−2x2 (C) 2x (D) x+2x3−3x2
›Reveal solutionSolution
Use the chain rule to compute a derivative of one area with respect to another, both parametrized by x. Answer: 1−3x+2x2.
Concept and Intuition
"Rate of change of Area2 w.r.t. Area1" means d(Area1)d(Area2), which by the chain rule equals d(Area1)/dxd(Area2)/dx since both areas are functions of the common parameter x.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Area1 =x2⇒dxd(Area1)=2x.
- Area2 =y2=(x−x2)2⇒dxd(Area2)=2(x−x2)(1−2x). …
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