Q.A balloon, which always remains spherical has a variable radius. Find the rate at which its volume is increasing with the radius when the later is 10 cm.
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🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Concept understanding — Rate Of Change
Rate of Change
The very first application of the derivative is to measure how fast one quantity changes when another changes. If y=f(x), then the derivative
dxdy=f′(x)
is the rate of change of y with respect to x. Geometrically it is the slope of the tangent; physically it tells you how sensitive y is to a small change in x at that instant.
Average versus instantaneous rate
Over an interval from x to x+h, the average rate of change is
hf(x+h)−f(x).
As h→0 this becomes the instantaneous rate dxdy. So the derivative is the limit of the average rate — the rate "right now" rather than "over a stretch".
Rates with respect to time
Many problems track how a quantity changes as time passes. If a quantity Q depends on time t, then dtdQ is its rate of change per unit time. For example, if the radius of a circle is r, its area is A=πr2, and the rate at which the area grows is
dtdA=2πrdtdr.
Here the chain rule links the rate of change of the area to the rate of change of the radius. A positive derivative means the quantity is increasing; a negative one means it is decreasing.
When two related quantities both change with time, differentiate the equation connecting them with respect to t. Every variable contributes its own rate, tied together by the chain rule.
Reading the sign and size
- dxdy>0: y increases as x increases.
- dxdy<0: y decreases as x increases.
- A large magnitude means a steep, fast change; a value near zero means y is barely responding. …
The volume of a sphere is V=34πr3. The question asks for drdV directly (no time variable involved).
Step 1: Differentiate: drdV=34π⋅3r2=4πr2. …
The volume of a sphere is V=34πr3. This asks directly for the rate of change of volume with respect to the radius — drdV — with no time variable involved at all. Differentiating gives drdV=4πr2, and at r=10 cm this is 400π cm3/cm.
Reading the question
The balloon "always remains spherical," so at any instant its volume is given by the sphere-volume formula in terms of its radius r. The question asks for the rate at which the volume increases with the radius — that is the rate of change of V with respect to r directly, drdV, evaluated at r=10 cm. There is no time variable anywhere in this question, so this is a direct rate-of-change computation.
Step 1 — Write the volume formula
V=34πr3.
Step 2 — Differentiate V with respect to r
drdV=34π⋅3r2=4πr2. …
Method: Direct Derivative for "Rate With Respect To" (No Time Variable)
This method applies whenever a question asks for the rate of change of one quantity with respect to another spatial quantity (like the radius), not with respect to time — the telltale phrase is "rate ... with the radius" or "with respect to x", never "per second" or "with time".
Steps
Step 1: Recognise there is no time variable here
Unlike a related-rates problem, only two quantities appear — no clock is running. So you do NOT need the chain rule through t; you differentiate one variable directly with respect to the other.
Step 2: Write the quantity to be differentiated as a function of the given variable
For a sphere, V=34πr3 expresses volume purely as a function of radius r.
Step 3: Differentiate directly with respect to that variable
drdV=34π⋅3r2=4πr2.
This is now a formula valid for any radius, giving volume change per unit change in radius (not per unit time).
Step 4: Substitute the given value of the variable …
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Treating this as a time-based related-rates problem and introducing dtdr
Why it's wrong: the question asks for the rate "with the radius", not "with time" — there is no clock in this problem, so writing dtdV=4πr2dtdr and then hunting for a missing dtdr value is solving the wrong problem entirely. Correct approach: differentiate V directly with respect to r to get drdV=4πr2 — no chain rule through time is needed here.
Mistake 2: Misreading the units of the final answer …
Showing the 12 most recent of 24 on this concept.
- CBSE 2026Set 65/3/11 markMCQQ.The rate of change of the volume of a sphere with respect to its diameter, when its radius is 5 cm, is: (A) 400π cm3/cm (B) 100π cm3/cm (C) 50π cm3/cm (D) 25π cm3/cm
›Reveal solutionSolution
We need to find the rate of change of the sphere's volume with respect to its diameter, which is dDdV. Using the chain rule, dDdV=drdV⋅dDdr, we find this rate to be 2πr2. For a radius of 5 cm, the rate is 50π cm3/cm.
When we talk about the "rate of change of the volume of a sphere with respect to its diameter," we are essentially asking for the derivative of the volume (V) with respect to the diameter (D). In mathematical terms, this is dDdV.
The volume of a sphere is typically expressed in terms of its radius, r. The diameter, D, is related to the radius by D=2r. To find dDdV, we can either express V entirely in terms of D and then differentiate, or we can use the chain rule. The chain rule is often more intuitive for problems like this, as it breaks down the problem into smaller, more manageable derivatives. It states that if V depends on r, and r depends on D, then dDdV=drdV⋅dDdr.
Let's work through the problem step-by-step.
- Identify the relevant formulas and relationships. The volume of a sphere is given by:
V=34πr3
The relationship between the radius ($r$) and the diameter ($D$) is:D=2r
From this, we can express $r$ in terms of $D$:r=2D
We are given that the radius $r = 5$ cm. We need to find $\frac{dV}{dD}$ at this specific radius.2. Find the rate of change of volume with respect to radius (drdV).
We differentiate the volume formula V=34πr3 with respect to r:
drdV=drd(34πr3)
drdV=34π⋅3r2
drdV=4πr2
This tells us how quickly the volume changes as the radius changes.3. Find the rate of change of radius with respect to diameter (dDdr).
We use the relationship r=2D and differentiate it with respect to D:
dDdr=dDd(2D)
dDdr=21
This makes sense: for every unit increase in diameter, the radius increases by half a unit.4. Apply the Chain Rule to find dDdV. …
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The rate of change of the area of a circle with respect to its radius r at r = 5 cm is(a) 12π(b) 8π(c) 5π(d) 10π
›Reveal solutionSolution
The area of a circle is A=πr2; its rate of change with r is dA/dr=2πr.
A=πr2⇒drdA=2πr.
…
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The rate of change of area of circle w.r.t. its radius 'r' when r = 4 cm is(a) 8π cm²/cm(b) 6π cm²/cm(c) 4π cm²/cm(d) 2π cm²/cm
›Reveal solutionSolution
The rate of change of area with radius is dA/dr=2πr; substitute r=4.
Area of a circle: A=πr2.
drdA=2πr
At r=4 cm: …
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The rate of change of area of a circle with respect to its radius r at r=6 cm is(a) 10π cm(b) 12π cm(c) 8π cm(d) 11π cm
›Reveal solutionSolution
Differentiate the area formula A=πr2 with respect to r and evaluate at r=6.
Area of a circle: A=πr2
drdA=2πr
At r=6 cm: …
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The rate of change of the area of a circle with respect to its radius r at r=6 cm is:(a)(i) 8\pi(b)(ii) 10\pi(c)(iii) 11\pi(d)(iv) 12\pi
›Reveal solutionSolution
drdA=2πr=12π at r=6 cm — option (iv).
Concept. The rate of change of a quantity with respect to a variable is its derivative with respect to that variable.
Steps.
- Area of a circle: A=πr2.
- Differentiate with respect to r: drdA=2πr. …
- CBSE 2025Set A1 markQ.The rate of change of the area of a circle with respect to its radius at r=6 cm is ______.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Area of a circle is A=πr2; differentiate with respect to r and substitute r=6.
Area of a circle: A=πr2.
drdA=2πr
At r=6 cm: …
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Find the rate of change of the area of a circle with respect to its radius r when r=2.5 cm.
›Reveal solutionSolution
The rate of change of the area of a circle with respect to its radius is drdA.
A=πr2⇒drdA=2πr
…
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The rate of change of area of a circle w.r.t. its radius 'r' when r = 5 cm is :(a) 8π cm²/cm(b) 10π cm²/cm(c) 9π cm²/cm(d) 16π cm²/cm
›Reveal solutionSolution
Area of a circle A=πr2; rate of change drdA=2πr, which at r=5 gives 10π.
Given A=πr2, differentiate with respect to r:
drdA=2πr.
At r=5 cm: …
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The rate of change of the area of circle with respect to its radius r at r=6 cm is(a) 6π cm2/cm(b) 6π cm/cm2(c) 12π cm2/cm(d) 12π cm/cm2
›Reveal solutionSolution
Differentiate the area formula A=πr2 w.r.t. r and substitute r=6.
Area of circle: A=πr2.
drdA=2πr
At r=6 cm: …
- CBSE 2024Set 65/3/11 markMCQQ.If the sides of a square are decreasing at the rate of 1.5 cm/s, the rate of decrease of its perimeter is: (A) 1.5 cm/s (B) 6 cm/s (C) 3 cm/s (D) 2.25 cm/s
›Reveal solutionSolution
The perimeter of a square is directly proportional to its side length. If the side decreases at 1.5 cm/s, the perimeter decreases at 4 times that rate, which is 6 cm/s. The correct option is (B).
This problem asks us to find the rate at which the perimeter of a square is decreasing, given the rate at which its sides are decreasing. This is a classic "related rates" problem in calculus. The core idea is to establish a relationship between the quantities involved (side length and perimeter), and then differentiate that relationship with respect to time to find how their rates of change are related.
When we talk about a "rate of change," we are essentially talking about a derivative with respect to time. If a quantity is decreasing, its rate of change will be negative.
Here's how we approach it:
-
Identify the variables and given rates.
Let s be the side length of the square at any given time t.
Let P be the perimeter of the square at any given time t.
We are given that the sides of the square are decreasing at the rate of 1.5 cm/s. In calculus terms, this means the derivative of the side length with respect to time, dtds, is −1.5 cm/s. The negative sign indicates a decrease.
Our goal is to find the rate of decrease of the perimeter, which means we need to find dtdP.
-
Establish a relationship between the variables.
The formula for the perimeter of a square with side length s is:
P=4s
- Differentiate the relationship with respect to time. To find how the rates of change are related, we differentiate both sides of the equation P=4s with respect to time t. We use the chain rule here.
dtdP=dtd(4s)
Since $4$ is a constant, we can pull it out of the differentiation:dtdP=4dtds
This equation tells us that the rate of change of the perimeter is $4$ times the rate of change of the side. This makes intuitive sense: if each of the four sides shrinks by a certain amount, the total perimeter shrinks by four times that amount.4. Substitute the given rate and calculate. …
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- CBSE 2024Set D1 markMCQQ.The rate of change of the area of a circle with respect to its radius r (in cm2/cm) at r=6cm is(a) 10π(b) 12π(c) 8π(d) 11π
›Reveal solutionSolution
drdA=2πr, which at r=6 equals 12π.
Area of a circle: A=πr2.
Rate of change of area with respect to radius: drdA=2πr.
…
- CBSE 2024Set ANNUAL1 markQ.The rate of change of the area of a circle with respect to its radius r at r=3 cm is ________.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Differentiate the area formula A=πr2 w.r.t. r and evaluate at r=3.
A=πr2⇒drdA=2πr
…
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