RELATED RATES PROBLEMS

1.) Suppose that a 12 - feet ladder is sliding down a wall. Suppose that at time t = 0 the bottom of the
ladder is 4 - feet from the wall and suppose that the ladder slides away from the wall at a constant
rate of 2 ft. / sec. Find the velocity of the top of the ladder at time t = 1 sec.

2.) A particle moves along the curve y = 1 Cx3 . As it reaches the pt. 2, 3 , the y Kcoordinate
is increasing at a rate of 4 cm. / sec. How fast is the x Kcoordinate of the pt. changing at that
instant ?

3.) Gravel is being dumped from a conveyor belt at a rate of 30 ft 3 / min., and its coarseness is such that
it forms a pile in the shape of a cone whose base diameter and height are always equal. How fast is
the height of the pile increasing when the pile is 10 ft. high ?
4.) A spotlight on the ground shines on a wall 12 m. away. If a man 2 m. tall walks from the spotlight
toward the building at a speed of 1.6 m. / sec., how fast is the length of his shadow on the building
decreasing when he is 4 m. from the building ?
5.) A runner sprints around a circular track of radius 100 m. at a constant speed of 7 m. / sec. The
runner's friend is standing at a distance 200 m. from the center of the track. How fast is the distance
between the friends changing when the distance between them is 200 m. ?
6.) A funnel in the form of a cone is 10 in. across the top and 8 in. deep. Water is flowing into the funnel
at the rate of 12 in 3 / sec. and out at the rate of 4 in 3 / sec. How fast is the surface of the water rising
when it is 5 in. deep ?
7.) A ship is located 4 mi. from a straight shore and has a radar transmitter that rotates 32 times per
minute. How fast is the radar beam moving along the shoreline when the beam makes an angle of
45 o with the shore ?
8.) A baseball diamond is a square 90 ft. on a side. A player
runs from first base to second at a rate of 16 ft. / sec.
( a ) At what rate is the player's distance from third base
changing when the player is 30 ft. from the first base ?
( b ) At what rates are angles θ1 and θ2 ( see the figure )
changing at that time ?
( c ) The player slides into second base at the rate of 15 ft. /
sec. At what rates are angles θ1 and θ2 changing as the
player touches base ?
9.) A girl flies a kite at a height of 300 ft., the wind carrying the
kite horizontally away from her at a rate of 25 ft. / sec. How
fast must she let out the sting when the kite is 500 ft. away FIGURE for number 8
from her ?
10.) A highway patrol plane flies 3 mi. above a level, straight road at a steady 120 mi. / hr. The pilot sees
an oncoming car and w/ radar determines that at the instant the line-of-sight distance from plane to
car is 5 mi., the line-of-sight distance is decreasing at the rate of 160 mi. / hr. Find the car's speed
along the highway.