Math Help Forum

Math Help Forum Feed Site Feed

Go Back   Math Help Forum > University Math Help > Calculus
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old November 21st, 2009, 09:53 AM
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 45
Country:
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Belowzero78 is on a distinguished road
Default Related Rates Question

A kite 120 feet above the ground is moving horizontally at a rate of 10 feet per second. At what rate is the angle between the string and the horizontal changing at the instant 240 feet of the string are out?

I know to draw a right triangle, but I don't know to solve it in terms of angle fata. Any help is very much appreciated. Could someone lead me in the right direction?
Reply With Quote
Advertisement
 
  #2  
Old November 21st, 2009, 09:56 AM
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 231
Country:
Thanks: 9
Thanked 77 Times in 73 Posts
qmech will become famous soon enoughqmech will become famous soon enough
Default On the right track

The y value is 120 (fixed).
The x value is x0+10t. I assume the kite is moving away from you.
So the angle theta is arctan(120/(x0+10t)).
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old November 21st, 2009, 09:59 AM
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 45
Country:
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Belowzero78 is on a distinguished road
Default

So then, how do i set up the equation to get dfata/dt? Can't you just find the angle by using sin fata = 120/240 = 1/2 so the angle is 30 degrees.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old November 21st, 2009, 10:22 AM
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 231
Country:
Thanks: 9
Thanked 77 Times in 73 Posts
qmech will become famous soon enoughqmech will become famous soon enough
Default The question you asked is different.

You've gotten the right triangle correct. At the instant the string is 240 ft long, the angle is 30 degrees by your argument. However you're trying to find the rate at which the angle is changing. Does the 30 degrees become 29 degrees in the next second or the next 2 seconds? That's where you'll have to take a derivative.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 10:26 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2010, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
SEO by vBSEO 3.2.0 ©2008, Crawlability, Inc.
©2005 - 2009 Math Help Forum


Math Help Forum is a community of maths forums with an emphasis on maths help in all levels of mathematics.
Register to post your math questions or just hang out and try some of our math games or visit the arcade.