Calculus: Early Transcendentals 9th Edition

Published by Cengage Learning
ISBN 10: 1337613924
ISBN 13: 978-1-33761-392-7

Chapter 3 - Review - Exercises - Page 272: 105

Answer

The length of the shadow is increasing at a rate of $400~ft/h$

Work Step by Step

Let $x$ be the length of the shadow. Let $\theta$ be the angle of elevation of the sun. $\frac{400}{x} = tan~\theta$ When $\theta = \frac{\pi}{6}$: $\frac{400}{x} = tan~\theta$ $x = \frac{400}{tan~\theta}$ $x = \frac{400}{tan~\frac{\pi}{6}}$ $x = 693$ We can find $\frac{dx}{dt}$: $\frac{400}{x} = tan~\theta$ $-\frac{400}{x^2}~\frac{dx}{dt} = sec^2~\theta~\frac{d\theta}{dt}$ $\frac{dx}{dt} = -\frac{x^2~sec^2~\theta~\frac{d\theta}{dt}}{400}$ $\frac{dx}{dt} = -\frac{(693)^2~(sec^2~\frac{\pi}{6})~(-0.25~rad/h)}{400}$ $\frac{dx}{dt} = 400~ft/h$ The length of the shadow is increasing at a rate of $400~ft/h$
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