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 30 on this concept.
- TG EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-10-AN1 markMCQQ.The area of a triangle is obtained with lengths of two sides and included angle between them. If the angle is measured as 60∘20′ instead of 60∘, then the percentage error in its area is (A) 545π (B) 2735π (C) 2753π (D) 275π
›Reveal solutionSolution
The percentage error in area due to a small angular error is found by differentiating the area formula A=21absinC; the relative error is cotC⋅dC (in radians). With C=60∘, dC=20′=540π rad, the percentage error becomes 2735π, matching option (B).
Concept & Intuition
When a quantity is computed from measured values, a small error in one measurement propagates into the result. Here, area A=21absinC depends on the included angle C. If the sides a and b are exact, the only source of error is the angle. For small errors, we use differentials: the change in area dA≈dCdA⋅dC, and the relative error is AdA=cotC⋅dC (with dC in radians). This turns a messy trigonometric problem into a simple calculus step.
Step-by-step solution
- Write the exact area formula The area of a triangle with two sides a, b and included angle C is
A=21absinC.
Here a and b are assumed error‑free; only C is measured incorrectly.
- Find the differential of A with respect to C Differentiate:
dCdA=21abcosC.
Hence a small error dC in the angle causes an error in area:
dA≈21abcosC⋅dC.
- Compute the relative error The relative error is
AdA=21absinC21abcosC⋅dC=cotC⋅dC.
This is the key formula: the relative error in area equals cotC times the angular error (in radians).
- Convert the angular error to radians The measured angle is 60∘20′ instead of 60∘, so the error is
dC=20′=6020∘=31∘.
Convert degrees to radians:
1∘=180π rad⇒dC=31⋅180π=540π rad.
- Evaluate cotC at C=60∘ …
- TG EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-10-AN1 markMCQQ.If the rate of change of volume of a cube and that of its surface area are numerically equal, then the length of its diagonal is (A) 23 (B) 3 (C) 43 (D) 63
›Reveal solutionSolution
Equating dtdV and dtdS numerically gives edge x=4, so the diagonal is 43.
Let the edge length be x. Then
V=x3⟹dtdV=3x2dtdx,
S=6x2⟹dtdS=12xdtdx.
Numerically equal:
3x2=12x⟹x=4. …
- TG EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-10-FN1 markMCQQ.If the parabola y2=9x cuts the ellipse 9x2+by2=1 orthogonally, then the length of the latus rectum of the given parabola is (A) 2b (B) 2b (C) b (D) 3b
›Reveal solutionSolution
Orthogonality forces b=18, so the parabola's latus rectum =9=2b — option (B).
Setup. Parabola y2=9x (so 4a=9, latus rectum =4a=9) and ellipse 9x2+by2=1.
Slopes at a common point.
- Parabola: 2yy′=9⇒yp′=2y9.
- Ellipse: 92x+b2yy′=0⇒ye′=−9ybx.
Orthogonality (yp′ye′=−1):
2y9⋅(−9ybx)=−1⇒2y2bx=1⇒bx=2y2. …
- 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: …
- TG EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-11-AN1 markMCQQ.If P is any point on the curve y2=4ax, other than the origin, then the length of the subtangent at P, y-coordinate of P and the length of the subnormal at P are in (A) arithmetic progression (B) arithmetic-Geometric progression (C) harmonic progression (D) geometric progression
›Reveal solutionSolution
For a point P on the parabola y2=4ax, the subtangent, the y-coordinate, and the subnormal are in geometric progression. The correct option is (D).
The key idea is to recall the geometric meanings of subtangent and subnormal for a curve. For a point P on a curve, the subtangent is the projection of the tangent segment onto the x-axis, and the subnormal is the projection of the normal segment onto the x-axis. Their lengths have simple formulas in terms of the derivative.
For any curve y=f(x), at a point (x,y):
- Length of subtangent = dy/dxy
- Length of subnormal = y⋅dxdy
Here the curve is given implicitly as y2=4ax. We’ll use these formulas and then check the progression among the three quantities.
- Find the derivative. Differentiate y2=4ax with respect to x:
2ydxdy=4a⇒dxdy=y2a.
-
Compute the subtangent.
Subtangent length = dy/dxy=2a/yy=2ay2.
Since y2=4ax, this becomes 2a4ax=2∣x∣.
For a point on the parabola (other than the origin), x>0 (right-opening parabola), so subtangent = 2x.
-
The y-coordinate of P is simply y.
-
Compute the subnormal.
Subnormal length = y⋅dxdy=y⋅y2a=2a.
Notice this is constant — independent of the point P! That’s a neat property of the parabola.
-
Now we have three numbers:
- Subtangent: 2x
- y-coordinate: y
- Subnormal: 2a
We need to check if they are in arithmetic, geometric, or harmonic progression. …
- TG EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-02-AN1 markMCQQ.The slope of a common tangent to the circles x2+y2=16 and (x−9)2+y2=16 is (A) 138 (B) 134 (C) 817 (D) 178
›Reveal solutionSolution
The common tangent to two equal circles is found by considering the line’s distance from each centre equals the radius; solving gives slope ±178, so the correct option is (D).
We have two circles of equal radius 4:
- Circle 1: centre O1=(0,0), radius r=4
- Circle 2: centre O2=(9,0), radius r=4
A common tangent touches both circles. Because the circles are the same size, the common tangents are either direct (parallel to the line joining centres) or transverse (crossing between them). Here we want a common tangent — the slope will be the same for both points of tangency.
Why this approach works
For any line to be tangent to a circle, the perpendicular distance from the circle’s centre to the line must equal the radius. If the same line is tangent to both circles, then the distances from O1 and O2 to the line are both 4. This gives two equations in the line’s parameters, which we can solve for the slope.
Step-by-step solution
- Write the general line equation Let the common tangent have slope m and intercept c:
y=mx+c⇒mx−y+c=0
- Distance from centre (0,0) to the line equals radius 4
m2+1∣m⋅0−0+c∣=4⇒m2+1∣c∣=4(1)
- Distance from centre (9,0) to the same line also equals 4
m2+1∣m⋅9−0+c∣=4⇒m2+1∣9m+c∣=4(2)
- Equate the two distances From (1) and (2):
∣c∣=∣9m+c∣
This gives two cases:
-
Case 1: c=9m+c⇒9m=0⇒m=0
Then from (1): 1∣c∣=4⇒c=±4.
This gives horizontal tangents y=±4 — these are indeed common tangents (top and bottom), but slope 0 is not among the options.
-
Case 2: c=−(9m+c)⇒2c=−9m⇒c=−29m
- Substitute c into the distance condition (1) …
- TG EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-02-AN1 markMCQQ.The locus of a point which divides the line segment joining the focus and any point on the parabola y2=12x in the ratio m:n (m+n=0) is a parabola. Then the length of the latus rectum of that parabola is (A) m+nm (B) m+n12m (C) 12(m+n)m (D) 12(m+n)n
›Reveal solutionSolution
The locus of the point dividing the segment from the focus to a point on the parabola in a fixed ratio is itself a parabola; its latus rectum is m+n12m, so the correct option is (B).
We start with the parabola y2=12x. Its standard form is y2=4ax, so 4a=12 gives a=3. The focus is at (a,0)=(3,0).
Let P(t) be any point on the parabola. Using the parametric form x=at2, y=2at, with a=3, we have
P=(3t2, 6t).
Let Q be the point that divides the segment joining the focus F(3,0) and P in the ratio m:n, with m corresponding to the segment from F to Q and n from Q to P (the order matters for the section formula). Then by the section formula:
Q=(m+nn⋅3+m⋅3t2, m+nn⋅0+m⋅6t)=(m+n3n+3mt2, m+n6mt).
We want the locus of Q as t varies. Let the coordinates of Q be (X,Y). Then:
X=m+n3n+3mt2,Y=m+n6mt.
From the expression for Y, solve for t:
t=6m(m+n)Y.
Substitute into X:
X=m+n3n+3m(6m(m+n)Y)2=m+n3n+3m⋅36m2(m+n)2Y2=m+n3n+12m(m+n)2Y2.
Multiply numerator and denominator:
X=m+n3n+12m(m+n)Y2.
Rearrange to isolate Y2:
X−m+n3n=12m(m+n)Y2⇒… - 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. …
- 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. …
- TG EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-03-AN1 markMCQQ.There is a possible error of 0.03 cm in a scale of length 1 foot with which the height of a closed right circular cylinder and the diameter of a sphere are measured as 3.5 feet each. If the radii of both cylinder and sphere are same, then the approximate error in the sum of the surface areas of both cylinder and sphere is (in square feet) (A) 0.385 (B) 0.0962 (C) 0.77 (D) 0.1925
›Reveal solutionSolution
With equal radii, the total surface area is S=πdh+23πd2; propagating the scale error by differentials gives ΔS=17.5πΔx≈0.1925 ft2. Answer: (D) 0.1925.
Surface areas (radii equal, cylinder closed). Let the common radius be r=2d with measured diameter d=3.5 ft and height h=3.5 ft.
S=closed cylinder(2πrh+2πr2)+sphere4πr2=2πrh+6πr2.
In terms of the measured quantities d and h (with r=d/2):
S=πdh+23πd2.
Differential error.
dS=∂d∂SΔd+∂h∂SΔh,∂d∂S=πh+3πd,∂h∂S=πd.
At d=h=3.5:
∂d∂S=π(3.5)+3π(3.5)=14π,∂h∂S=3.5π. …
- 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, …
- 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.
-
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∘.
-
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∘) …
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