Q.A kite is moving horizontally at a height of 151.5 metres. If the speed of the kite is 10 m/s, how fast is the string being let out when the kite is 250 m away from the boy who is flying the kite? The height of the boy is 1.5 m.
Concept understanding — Related Rates
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.
Substitute the numerical values after differentiating, never before. If you plug r=5 into the volume formula first, r becomes a constant and its rate dtdr vanishes from the equation.
The everyday cases are the sphere/circle (V,A vs. r), the sliding ladder (x2+y2=ℓ2), and the filling cone. In each you differentiate the relation in t and solve for the missing rate.
Related rates problems are a named application within the NCERT Class 12 Application of Derivatives chapter, and classic setups like the growing balloon or the sliding ladder are staples of CBSE board and JEE Main 'rate of change' questions. Students searching 'related rates problems class 12 examples' or 'rate of change of volume and radius' will find this differentiate-then-substitute method is exactly the five-step procedure boards expect to see written out.
Concept: Related Rates — we relate the rate of change of the string length to the given horizontal speed using the Pythagorean theorem.
Let x be the horizontal distance of the kite from the boy, and let s be the length of the string. The vertical height of the kite above the boy’s hand is 151.5−1.5=150 m.
By Pythagoras:
s2=x2+1502
Differentiate with respect to time t:
2sdtds=2xdtdx⇒dtds=sx⋅dtdx
When the kite is 250 m away, s=250 and dtdx=10 m/s. Find x:
x=2502−1502=62500−22500=40000=200 m
Thus:
dtds=250200⋅10=0.8⋅10=8 m/s
The string is being let out at 8 m/s.
This is a related rates problem where the kite’s horizontal motion and the string’s length are linked by the Pythagorean theorem. Differentiating with respect to time gives the rate at which the string is let out. The answer is 8 m/s.
We have a kite flying at a constant height, moving horizontally away from the boy. The string is being let out as the kite moves. The question: how fast is the string length increasing at the instant the kite is 250 m away (along the string) from the boy?
The key idea in related rates is that two (or more) quantities change with time, and they are connected by a geometric relationship. Here, the horizontal distance x of the kite from the boy, the height h of the kite above the boy’s hand, and the string length L form a right triangle. As time passes, x increases, L increases, but the height stays constant. We know dx/dt (the kite’s horizontal speed) and want dL/dt (the rate at which string is let out) at a specific instant.
Let’s set up carefully.
1. Define variables and constants
Let:
- x = horizontal distance from the boy to the kite (in metres).
- h = vertical height of the kite above the boy’s hand. The boy’s height is 1.5 m, and the kite is at 151.5 m altitude. So the height above the boy’s hand is:
h=151.5−1.5=150 m.
This is constant.
- L = length of the string (in metres), which is the hypotenuse of the right triangle.
At the instant of interest, L=250 m.
We are given:
- dtdx=10 m/s (the kite’s horizontal speed, positive because distance increases).
We need dtdL when L=250 m.
2. Relate the quantities
By the Pythagorean theorem:
L2=x2+h2.
Here h=150 m, constant. So:
L2=x2+1502.
3. Differentiate with respect to time
Differentiate both sides implicitly (remember L and x are functions of t, h is constant):
2LdtdL=2xdtdx+0.
Divide through by 2:
LdtdL=xdtdx.
So:
dtdL=Lx⋅dtdx.
This makes sense: the rate of change of the string length is the horizontal speed times the ratio of horizontal distance to string length — essentially the component of velocity along the string.
4. Find x at the instant L=250
From L2=x2+h2:
2502=x2+1502.
62500=x2+22500.
x2=40000⇒x=200 m.
(Only the positive root matters — distance.)
5. Plug into the derivative
dtdL=250200×10=54×10=8 m/s.
So the string is being let out at 8 metres per second at that instant.
A common mistake is to forget the boy’s height. If you use 151.5 m directly as the vertical leg, you get a different (wrong) answer. Always subtract the observer’s height to get the correct vertical difference.
Notice that Lx=cosθ, where θ is the angle the string makes with the horizontal. So dL/dt=vcosθ — the horizontal speed times the cosine of the angle. This is a neat geometric shortcut: the string lengthens at exactly the horizontal component of the kite’s velocity.
The string is being let out at 8 m/s.
Method: Related Rates via the Pythagorean Theorem
When a problem describes a right-angle setup — a fixed height and a horizontal distance connected by a hypotenuse such as a string, a ladder, or a line of sight — the Pythagorean theorem is the equation that links the changing quantities.
Steps
Step 1: Sketch the right triangle and label the sides.
Identify which side is genuinely fixed (a constant height or wall), which side is the changing leg, and which side is the changing hypotenuse.
Step 2: Write the Pythagorean relation.
c2=a2+b2,
where c is the hypotenuse and a, b are the legs. If one leg is constant, it still appears in the equation, but its derivative will vanish in the next step.
Step 3: Differentiate both sides with respect to time.
With b constant:
2cdtdc=2adtda⟹dtdc=cadtda.
Step 4: Find the missing side length at the given instant.
Use the original Pythagorean relation (not the derivative) to solve for whichever leg or hypotenuse value is not given directly, using the known value(s) at that instant.
Step 5: Substitute the known rate and lengths to get the answer.
Plug the given rate (e.g. horizontal speed) and the side length found in Step 4 into the differentiated equation from Step 3, and simplify.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Using the kite's full altitude (151.5 m) as the triangle's vertical leg
Why it's wrong: the string runs from the boy's hand, not from the ground, so the true vertical distance is 151.5−1.5=150 m; using 151.5 m directly gives a wrong horizontal distance x and therefore a wrong dtds. Correct approach: always subtract the person's own height from the object's height above ground to get the vertical leg of the right triangle.
Mistake 2: Assuming the given horizontal speed IS the rate the string is let out
Why it's wrong: 10 m/s is dtdx, the rate of the horizontal distance, but the question asks for dtds, the rate of the string length — these differ by the factor sx (effectively cosθ of the string's angle). Treating them as equal skips the geometric link entirely. Correct approach: differentiate s2=x2+h2 to get dtds=sxdtdx before substituting any numbers.
Mistake 3: Forgetting to solve for the missing side x before substituting into the rate formula
Why it's wrong: the formula dtds=sxdtdx needs both x and s at the given instant, but only s=250 is stated directly — x must be recovered from Pythagoras first. Skipping this and plugging s=250 in place of x gives a badly wrong ratio.
Showing the 12 most recent of 30 on this concept.
- TG EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-03-AN1 markMCQQ.A man of 5 feet height is walking away from a light fixed at a height of 15 feet at the rate of K miles/hour. If the rate of increase of his shadow is 511 feet/sec, then K = (Take 1 mile = 5280 feet) (A) 2 (B) 3 (C) 4 (D) 5
›Reveal solutionSolution
Using similar triangles the shadow length is s=2x, so dtds=21dtdx. From dtds=511 ft/s the man's speed is 522 ft/s =3 mph. Answer: (B) 3.
Setup (similar triangles). Let the lamp be at height 15 ft, the man (5 ft tall) at distance x ft from the lamp post, and s the length of his shadow. The lamp-ground-shadow-tip triangle and the man-feet-shadow-tip triangle are similar:
x+s15=s5⇒15s=5x+5s⇒10s=5x⇒s=2x.
Differentiate.
dtds=21dtdx.
Solve for the man's speed. Given dtds=511 ft/s,
dtdx=2⋅511=522 ft/s.
Convert to miles/hour (1 mile =5280 ft, 1 hour =3600 s):
K=522⋅52803600=522⋅2215=515=3 mph.
Check: 3 mph =3⋅36005280=522=4.4 ft/s; half of that is 2.2=511 ft/s, matching the given shadow rate.
✓Final answerK=3 miles/hour - option (B).
ANSWER: B
- TG EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-03-FN1 markMCQQ.A man of 5 feet height is walking away from a light fixed at a height of 15 feet at the rate of K miles/hour. If the rate of increase of his shadow is 511 feet/sec, then K = (Take 1 mile = 5280 feet) (A) 2 (B) 3 (C) 5 (D) 4
›Reveal solutionSolution
K=3 miles/hour — option (B).
By similar triangles, if x is the man's distance from the pole and s his shadow's length, the tip of the shadow, the top of the lamp and the man's head are collinear:
15x+s=5s⇒5(x+s)=15s⇒5x=10s⇒s=2x.
Differentiating with respect to time:
dtds=21dtdx.
Given dtds=511 ft/sec,
dtdx=2⋅511=522 ft/sec.
Convert to miles/hour (1 mile =5280 ft, 1 hour =3600 sec):
K=522×52803600=522×2215=3.
✓Final answerK=3 miles/hour, i.e. option (B).
- TG EAPCET 2023Set eng-2023-05-14-AN1 markMCQQ.A ladder of length 13 mts has one end resting against a vertical wall and the other on the ground. If the lower end moves away from the wall at a speed of 2 mts/minute, then the speed (in mts/min) at which upper end falls when the bottom is 5 mts away from the wall is (A) 56 (B) 512 (C) 65 (D) 125
›Reveal solutionSolution
This is a classic related-rates problem: use the Pythagorean theorem to relate the ladder’s height and base distance, then differentiate with respect to time. The upper end falls at 65 m/min when the bottom is 5 m from the wall.
We have a ladder of fixed length 13 m leaning against a vertical wall. The bottom slides away from the wall at a constant speed of 2 m/min. We need the speed at which the top slides down the wall at the instant the bottom is 5 m from the wall.
Concept & Intuition
The ladder, wall, and ground form a right triangle: the ladder is the hypotenuse (always 13 m), the distance from the wall to the bottom is one leg, and the height of the top along the wall is the other leg. As the bottom moves, both legs change, but the hypotenuse stays fixed. This gives a relationship between the rates of change of the two legs — a classic related rates problem. Differentiating the Pythagorean relation with respect to time lets us connect the known speed (bottom moving away) to the unknown speed (top moving down).
- Set up variables and the fixed relation Let x = distance from the wall to the bottom of the ladder (in m). Let y = height of the top of the ladder on the wall (in m). The ladder length is constant:
x2+y2=132=169.
- Differentiate with respect to time Both x and y change with time t. Differentiate implicitly:
2xdtdx+2ydtdy=0.
Divide by 2:
xdtdx+ydtdy=0.
-
Identify known and unknown rates
We are given dtdx=2 m/min (positive because x increases).
We want dtdy when x=5 m.
Note: dtdy will be negative because y decreases (top falls). The problem asks for the speed (magnitude), so we will take the absolute value at the end.
-
Find y when x=5
From x2+y2=169:
52+y2=169⇒25+y2=169⇒y2=144⇒y=12 (positive height).
- Plug into the differentiated equation
(5)(2)+(12)dtdy=0⇒10+12dtdy=0.
Solve:
12dtdy=−10⇒dtdy=−1210=−65.
- Interpret the result The negative sign means the top is moving downward. The speed (magnitude) is 65 m/min.
TipA common mistake is forgetting the negative sign or mixing up which rate is given. Always check: if the bottom moves away, the top must move down, so dtdy should be negative.
Watch outAnother pitfall: using the given x=5 before differentiating. You must differentiate the general relation first, then substitute the specific values — otherwise you lose the relationship between the rates.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (C).
ANSWER: C
- TG EAPCET 2024Set eng-2024-05-11-FN1 markMCQQ.If Water is poured into a cylindrical tank of radius 3.5 ft at the rate of 1 cu ft/min, then the rate at which the level of the water in the tank increases (in ft/min) is (A) 1541 (B) 778 (C) 772 (D) 111
›Reveal solutionSolution
The water level rises at a constant rate because the tank’s cross‑sectional area is constant; the rate is the inflow divided by the area. The answer is 772 ft/min, option (C).
Concept & Intuition
When you pour water into a cylinder, the volume added is directly proportional to the increase in height, because the cross‑sectional area doesn’t change with depth. So the rate of change of height is simply the volumetric flow rate divided by the area of the base. No calculus chain‑rule gymnastics needed — just a straightforward division.
- Identify the relationship The volume of water in a cylinder of radius r and height h is
V=πr2h.
Here r=3.5 ft, so the base area is
A=π(3.5)2=π×12.25=449π ft2.
- Differentiate with respect to time Since r is constant,
dtdV=πr2dtdh=Adtdh.
We are given dtdV=1 cu ft/min.
- Solve for dtdh
dtdh=A1=449π1=49π4.
- Simplify numerically Use π≈722 (common in such problems):
dtdh=49⋅7224=49×7224=7×224=1544=772.
TipIf you use π=22/7, the arithmetic simplifies neatly. The exact value 49π4 is fine, but the multiple‑choice options are given as rational numbers, so the approximation is intended.
Watch outA common mistake is to forget that the radius is 3.5, not 7, and accidentally use r=7 — that would give 1541, which is option (A). Always square the radius correctly.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (C).
ANSWER: C
- TG EAPCET 2021Set eng-2021-08-04-AN1 markMCQQ.If the radius of a spherical balloon is increasing at the rate of 5 inch per minute, then the rate at which the volume increases (in cube inches per minute) when the radius is 10 inches is (A) 100π (B) 1000π (C) 2000π (D) 25000π
›Reveal solutionSolution
The rate of change of volume is found by differentiating the volume formula V=34πr3 with respect to time, using the chain rule. When r=10 inches and dtdr=5 in/min, the answer is 2000π cubic inches per minute.
The core idea here is related rates — a classic application of the chain rule in calculus. When a quantity changes over time, and another quantity depends on it, their rates of change are linked through differentiation. For a sphere, volume depends on radius, so if the radius grows at a known speed, the volume’s growth speed follows directly.
The trap many students fall into is forgetting that dtdV is not just the derivative of V with respect to r — you must multiply by dtdr because both are functions of time. Let’s walk through it cleanly.
- Write the relationship. The volume of a sphere of radius r is
V=34πr3.
- Differentiate both sides with respect to time t. Since r itself changes with t, use the chain rule:
dtdV=dtd(34πr3)=34π⋅3r2⋅dtdr=4πr2dtdr.
Notice how the 3 cancels with the 34, leaving a clean 4πr2 — that’s the surface area of the sphere. Makes intuitive sense: the volume grows like the surface area times the radial speed.
- Plug in the given values. We know dtdr=5 inches per minute, and we want the rate when r=10 inches:
dtdV=4π(10)2⋅5=4π⋅100⋅5=2000π.
Watch outA common mistake is to compute drdV=4πr2 and stop there, or to forget to multiply by dtdr. Always ask: “Am I differentiating with respect to r or t?” If the problem gives a time rate, you need the time derivative.
TipMemorize the shortcut: for any geometric formula V=kr3, the time derivative is dtdV=3kr2dtdr. Here k=34π, so 3k=4π, giving the same result instantly.
The units check out: inches2 times inches per minute gives cubic inches per minute, exactly what’s asked.
✓Final answerThe rate at which the volume increases is 2000π cubic inches per minute, which corresponds to option (C).
- TG EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-11-FN1 markMCQQ.If the base of an isosceles triangle is 32 feet and the two equal sides of it are increasing at the rate of 1 ft/s, then the rate of increase of its area (in sq.ft/sec) when the angle between the equal sides is a right angle is (A) 33 (B) 3 (C) 9 (D) 3
›Reveal solutionSolution
The area of an isosceles triangle is expressed in terms of the equal side length and the included angle. Using the given rate of change of the side and the fact that the angle is fixed at the instant of interest, the rate of increase of area is found to be 3 sq.ft/sec.
The problem gives an isosceles triangle with base 32 feet and equal sides that are increasing at 1 ft/s. We need the rate of increase of its area at the moment when the angle between the equal sides is a right angle.
The key is to choose a formula for area that directly involves the changing quantity (the equal side length) and the angle. For any triangle, area is 21absinC. Here, the two equal sides are the ones forming the included angle, so that formula is perfect.
- Set up the variables. Let the equal sides each have length s feet, and let θ be the angle between them. The area A of the triangle is
A=21⋅s⋅s⋅sinθ=21s2sinθ.
- What is given and what is wanted? We know dtds=1 ft/s. We want dtdA at the instant when θ=90∘=2π radians. But note: the base is fixed at 32 feet. Does that give a relation between s and θ? Yes — by the law of cosines, the base b satisfies
b2=s2+s2−2s2cosθ=2s2(1−cosθ).
So b=32 is constant, meaning s and θ are not independent — as s increases, θ must change to keep the base fixed. However, we only need the rate at a specific instant, not a full functional relation.
- Differentiate the area with respect to time. Since both s and θ can change with time,
dtdA=21(2sdtdssinθ+s2cosθ⋅dtdθ)=sdtdssinθ+21s2cosθdtdθ.
- Find s and dtdθ at the required instant. At θ=2π, sinθ=1, cosθ=0. The law of cosines gives
(32)2=2s2(1−cos2π)=2s2(1−0)=2s2.
So 18=2s2, hence s2=9 and s=3 feet (positive length).
Now we need dtdθ at that instant. Differentiate the law of cosines relation with respect to time. From b2=2s2(1−cosθ), since b is constant,
0=dtd[2s2(1−cosθ)]=4sdtds(1−cosθ)+2s2sinθdtdθ.
At θ=2π, cosθ=0, sinθ=1, s=3, dtds=1:
0=4(3)(1)(1−0)+2(9)(1)dtdθ=12+18dtdθ.
Thus 18dtdθ=−12, so dtdθ=−32 rad/s. (The angle is decreasing, which makes sense: as the sides lengthen, the angle must narrow to keep the base fixed.)
- Plug into the area rate formula. At the instant: s=3, dtds=1, sinθ=1, cosθ=0, dtdθ=−32.
dtdA=(3)(1)(1)+21(9)(0)(−32)=3+0=3.
Watch outA common mistake is to forget that θ changes with time and treat it as constant. That would give dtdA=sdtdssinθ=3⋅1⋅1=3, which accidentally matches the correct answer here — but only because cosθ=0 eliminates the dtdθ term. In general, you must include it.
TipWhen the included angle is 90∘, the cosθ term vanishes, so the rate depends only on the side length and its rate of change. That’s why the answer simplifies so neatly.
✓Final answerThe rate of increase of the area is 3 sq.ft/sec, which corresponds to option (D).
- TG EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-04-AN1 markMCQQ.The height of a cone with semi vertical angle 3π is increasing at the rate of 2 units/min. The rate at which the radius of the cone is to be decreased so as to have a fixed volume always is (A) 31 (B) 21 (C) 3 (D) 2
›Reveal solutionSolution
The problem uses related rates with the cone’s volume fixed. Differentiating V=31πr2h and using dtdh=2 gives dtdr=−2hr⋅2. With semi-vertical angle π/3, hr=tan(π/3)=3, so dtdr=−3 units/min. The rate of decrease is 3.
Concept & Intuition
We have a cone whose height is increasing, but we want its volume to stay constant. That means the radius must shrink to compensate. The key is to relate the radius and height through the fixed semi-vertical angle — this gives a constant ratio r/h=tan(π/3)=3. Then we use calculus (related rates) to find how fast the radius must change when the height changes at 2 units/min.
Step-by-step solution
-
Volume of a cone
The volume is V=31πr2h. Since the volume is fixed, V is constant, so dtdV=0.
-
Differentiate implicitly with respect to time
Using the product rule:
dtdV=31π(2rdtdr⋅h+r2dtdh)=0.
Multiply through by 3/π (nonzero):
2rhdtdr+r2dtdh=0.
- Solve for dtdr
2rhdtdr=−r2dtdh⇒dtdr=−2hrdtdh.
- Use the given rate and geometry We are told dtdh=2 units/min. The semi-vertical angle is π/3, so in a right triangle formed by the height, radius, and slant height:
tan(3π)=hr=3.
Hence r=3h.
- Substitute into the rate equation
dtdr=−2h3h⋅2=−3.
The negative sign means the radius is decreasing. The rate of decrease is 3 units/min.
TipThe ratio r/h is constant because the angle is fixed — this lets us avoid needing actual values of r and h at any instant.
Watch outA common mistake is forgetting the factor 2 from differentiating r2, or mixing up which variable is increasing/decreasing. Always check the sign: if height increases and volume is fixed, radius must decrease.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (C).
ANSWER: C
-
- TG EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-04-FN1 markMCQQ.The height of a cone with semi vertical angle π/3 is increasing at the rate of 2 units/min. The rate at which the radius of the cone is to be decreased so as to have a fixed volume always is (A) 3 (B) 21 (C) 31 (D) 2
›Reveal solutionSolution
For a cone of fixed volume, the radius must shrink at a rate that exactly compensates the growth in height. Using the relation V=31πr2h and differentiating with respect to time gives dtdr=−2hrdtdh. With semi-vertical angle π/3, we have r/h=tan(π/3)=3, so dtdr=−23⋅2=−3 units/min. The required rate of decrease is 3 units/min, so the correct option is (A).
The key idea is that "fixed volume" ties the radius and height together through a constraint. When one changes, the other must change in a specific way to keep the product r2h constant. The semi-vertical angle gives the instantaneous ratio of radius to height at the moment we are considering — that ratio is not constant over time (since the cone's shape changes), but at the instant we care about, it is fixed by the given angle.
Let’s work through it step by step.
- Write the volume constraint. For a cone, V=31πr2h. Since the volume is fixed, V is constant. Differentiating both sides with respect to time t:
dtdV=31π(2rdtdr⋅h+r2dtdh)=0.
Multiply through by 3/π (non-zero):
2rhdtdr+r2dtdh=0.
- Solve for dtdr. Rearranging:
2rhdtdr=−r2dtdh.
Assuming r=0, divide both sides by r:
2hdtdr=−rdtdh.
Hence:
dtdr=−2hrdtdh.
The negative sign tells us that if height increases, radius must decrease — exactly what we expect.
- Use the semi-vertical angle to find r/h. The semi-vertical angle is the angle between the axis and the slant height. In a right circular cone, tan(semi-vertical angle)=heightradius. Given the angle is π/3:
hr=tan3π=3.
So r=3h at the instant under consideration.
- Plug in the given rate. We are told dtdh=2 units/min. Substituting r/h=3 and dtdh=2:
dtdr=−21⋅hr⋅dtdh=−21⋅3⋅2=−3.
The negative sign means the radius is decreasing. The question asks for the rate at which the radius is to be decreased — that is, the magnitude of the decrease. So the required rate is 3 units/min.
Watch outA common mistake is to treat r/h as constant over time. It is not — the cone's shape changes as r and h change. But at the instant we are given the semi-vertical angle, the ratio is fixed. The derivative relation dtdr=−2hrdtdh is valid at that instant because r and h are the instantaneous values.
✓Final answerThe rate at which the radius must be decreased is 3 units/min, so the correct option is (A).
- TG EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-03-AN1 markMCQQ.Two ships leave a port at the same time. One of them moves in the direction of E50∘N with a speed of 8 kmph and the other moves in the direction of S20∘E with a speed of 12 kmph. Then the distance between the ships at the end of 2 hours is (in km) (A) 87 (B) 34 (C) 819 (D) 32
›Reveal solutionSolution
The distance between the ships is 819 km, so the answer is (C).
In 2 hours the ships travel OA=8×2=16 km and OB=12×2=24 km from the port O.
Angle between the two paths (as bearings from north).
- E50∘N = N40∘E ⇒ bearing 40∘.
- S20∘E ⇒ bearing 180∘−20∘=160∘.
So ∠AOB=160∘−40∘=120∘.
Law of cosines.
AB2=162+242−2(16)(24)cos120∘=256+576−768(−21)=832+384=1216.
AB=1216=64⋅19=819 km.
✓Final answerDistance =819 km, option (C).
- TG EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-03-FN1 markMCQQ.Two ships leave a port at the same time. One of them moves in the direction of E50∘N with a speed of 8 kmph and the other moves in the direction of S20∘E with a speed of 12 kmph. Then the distance between the ships at the end of 2 hours is (in km) (A) 34 (B) 32 (C) 87 (D) 819
›Reveal solutionSolution
The problem is a classic relative-motion / vector-addition problem: find the distance between two ships after 2 hours by computing the vector difference of their displacements. The correct answer is 819 km, which corresponds to option (D).
We have two ships leaving the same port at the same time, each moving along a different bearing. To find the distance between them after a given time, we can treat their paths as vectors from the origin (the port). The distance between them is the magnitude of the difference of these two vectors.
Why this works:
Instead of drawing a triangle and using the law of cosines directly (which is also valid), vector subtraction neatly handles the directions. Each ship’s displacement is simply (speed × time) in its given direction. The difference vector’s length is the straight-line separation.
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Convert bearings to standard angles (measured from the positive x‑axis, i.e., East).
- Ship A: direction E 50∘ N means 50∘ north of east. So its angle from East is +50∘ (counterclockwise). Standard angle: θA=50∘.
- Ship B: direction S 20∘ E means 20∘ east of south. South is 270∘ (or −90∘), so adding 20∘ eastward gives 270∘+20∘=290∘ (or equivalently −70∘). Standard angle: θB=290∘.
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Compute displacement vectors after 2 hours.
Speed of A = 8 km/h → distance = 8×2=16 km.
Speed of B = 12 km/h → distance = 12×2=24 km.
Vector for A:
A=16(cos50∘, sin50∘)
Vector for B:
B=24(cos290∘, sin290∘)
Since cos290∘=cos(360∘−70∘)=cos70∘ and sin290∘=−sin70∘, we have:
B=24(cos70∘, −sin70∘)
- Find the vector from ship A to ship B (or vice versa).
D=B−A=(24cos70∘−16cos50∘, −24sin70∘−16sin50∘)
- Compute the squared distance ∣D∣2.
∣D∣2=(24cos70∘−16cos50∘)2+(−24sin70∘−16sin50∘)2
Expand:
=242cos270∘+162cos250∘−2⋅24⋅16cos70∘cos50∘
+242sin270∘+162sin250∘+2⋅24⋅16sin70∘sin50∘
Notice cos2θ+sin2θ=1 for each angle, so:
=242+162+2⋅24⋅16(sin70∘sin50∘−cos70∘cos50∘)
The bracket is −cos(70∘+50∘) because cos(A+B)=cosAcosB−sinAsinB, so sinAsinB−cosAcosB=−cos(A+B).
Thus:
∣D∣2=576+256−2⋅24⋅16⋅cos120∘
Since cos120∘=−21, we get:
∣D∣2=832−768⋅(−21)=832+384=1216
- Take the square root.
∣D∣=1216=64×19=819
TipNotice that the term 2⋅24⋅16⋅cos120∘ appears with a minus sign because of the vector subtraction; the law of cosines would give c2=a2+b2−2abcosC, where C is the angle between the two displacement vectors. Here the angle between the directions is 50∘+70∘=120∘, so the same result follows directly.
Watch outA common mistake is to use the wrong angle between the ships’ paths. The bearing of A is 50∘ from East, and B is 20∘ east of south, which is 70∘ from East (but measured clockwise). The total angle between them is 50∘+70∘=120∘, not 50∘−20∘ or 50∘+20∘.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (D).
ANSWER: D
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- TG EAPCET 2021Set eng-2021-08-06-FN1 markMCQQ.The semi vertical angle of a right circular cone is 30∘. If the height of the cone is 6.125 cm, then the approximate value of the volume of the cone (in cubic cm) is (A) (23.5)π (B) (76.5)π (C) 48π (D) (25.5)π
›Reveal solutionSolution
With semi-vertical angle 30∘, r=htan30∘, so V=31πh3tan230∘≈(25.5)π.
Radius from the semi-vertical angle. The semi-vertical angle α satisfies tanα=hr, so
r=htan30∘=3h,r2=3h2.
Volume. With h=6.125 cm,
V=31πr2h=31π⋅3h2⋅h=9πh3=9π(6.125)3≈25.53π.
✓Final answerV≈(25.5)π cubic cm — option (D).
- TG EAPCET 2023Set eng-2023-05-14-FN1 markMCQQ.If siny=sin3t and x=sint, then dxdy= (A) 4−x23 (B) 1−x23 (C) 4−x21 (D) 4−x2−1
›Reveal solutionSolution
Treat both y and x as functions of t (parametric differentiation): dxdy=dx/dtdy/dt. With y=3t and x=sint, this gives 1−x23 — option (B).
Concept. We are not given y as a function of x directly; instead both are tied to the parameter t. Parametric differentiation says dxdy=dx/dtdy/dt whenever dx/dt=0.
Step 1 — read off y in terms of t.
The relation siny=sin3t has the principal solution y=3t, so
dtdy=3.
Step 2 — differentiate x=sint.
dtdx=cost.
Step 3 — form the ratio.
dxdy=dx/dtdy/dt=cost3.
Step 4 — express in terms of x.
Since x=sint, cost=1−sin2t=1−x2 (principal branch). Hence
dxdy=1−x23.
✓Final answerdxdy=1−x23 — option (B).
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