-9.3.15 A tank contains 200 gal of fresh water

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a mathematical problem involving a tank containing fresh water and a soluble lawn fertilizer solution. Participants explore how to model the amount of fertilizer in the tank over time, considering the rates of inflow and outflow of liquid. The focus is on finding the maximum amount of fertilizer in the tank and the time required to reach that maximum, involving differential equations and integration techniques.

Discussion Character

  • Mathematical reasoning, Technical explanation, Homework-related, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes the initial conditions and rates of inflow and outflow, establishing a differential equation for the amount of fertilizer in the tank.
  • Another participant expresses confusion about the problem, indicating that it is more complex than initially thought and not just a simple related rates problem.
  • A participant proposes a specific form for the amount of fertilizer, \( X(t) \), and derives a differential equation based on the rates of change of fertilizer concentration.
  • Subsequent posts involve attempts to integrate the differential equation and apply initial conditions, with some participants correcting earlier formulations of the problem.
  • One participant acknowledges a mistake in their previous formulation of the initial value problem (IVP) and provides a corrected version, leading to a different approach to the solution.
  • Another participant confirms the integration steps and provides a potential solution for the maximum amount of fertilizer and the time to reach it, but does not assert it as definitive.
  • Expressions of gratitude and acknowledgment of the complexity of the problem are shared among participants.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the solution, as there are multiple approaches and corrections made throughout the discussion. Some participants propose different forms of the differential equation and integration techniques, leading to varying interpretations of the problem.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved mathematical steps and dependencies on the correct formulation of the initial value problem. The discussion reflects uncertainty in the integration process and the application of initial conditions.

karush
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$\tiny{9.3.15}$
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A tank contains 200 gal of fresh water. A solution containing 2 lb/gal of soluble lawn fertilizer runs into the tank at the rate of 1 gal/min, and the mixture is pumped out of the tank at the rate of 5 gal/min. Find the maximum amount of fertilizer in the tank and the time required to reach the maximum.
 
Last edited:
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this very mymathlab problem was also posted on mhf but was ?

and its due today ... but having got all the preveous problems right got very baffled on this one
the sanple problem was of little help.

I thought it was just a simple related rates but not.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
karush said:
$\tiny{9.3.15}$
A tank contains 200 gal of fresh water. A solution containing 2 lb/gal of soluble lawn fertilizer runs into the tank at the rate of 1 gal/min, and the mixture is pumped out of the tank at the rate of 5 gal/min. Find the maximum amount of fertilizer in the tank and the time required to reach the maximum.
Let X(t) bet the amount of fertilizer, in lbs, in the tank at time t, in min, with t= 0 when they begin pumping the solution in. Initially the tank contains no fertilizer so X(0)= 0. The tank originally contained 200 gals, then 1 gal per minute of liquid comes in and 5 gal per minute goes out, so there is a net loss of 1- 5= -4 gals per minute. The amount of liquid in the tank at time t is 200- 4t gal.

The concentration of fertilizer, in lbs per gallon, in the tank at time t is the amount of fertilizer in the tank, in lbs., at that time divided by the amount of liquid, in gallons, \frac{X(t)}{200- 4t}. Since there are 5 gallons per minute going out, the amount of fertilizer going out is 5 gallons/minute times \frac{X(t)}{200- 4t} pounds/gallon= \frac{1000- 20t}{200- 4t} pounds per minute.

So the amount of fertilizer in the tank changes because there is, at each time, t, 2 pounds/min of fertilizer going in and \frac{1000- 20t}{200- 4t} pounds per minute going out. So rate at which the amount of fertilizer is changing is \frac{dX}{dt}= 2- \frac{1000- 20t}{200- 4t}= \frac{400- 8t- 1000+ 20t}{200- 4t}= \frac{12t- 600}{200- 4t}= \frac{3t- 150}{50- t}. Write that as dX= \frac{3t- 150}{50- t}dt and integrate both sides. There will be, of course, a "constant of integration". Use the initial condition X(0)= 0 to determine the value of that constant.
 
Write that as $\displaystyle dX= \frac{3t- 150}{50- t}dt$ and integrate both sides. There will be, of course, a "constant of integration". Use the initial condition X(0)= 0 to determine the value of that constant.

do you mean like this

\begin{align*}\displaystyle
\int_a^b dX&= \int_a^b \frac{3t- 150}{50- t} \, dt \\
x&=\left[3t\right]_a^b
\end{align*}

looks :confused:

not sure where $x(0)=0$ goes
 
I would let $F(t)$ be the amount of fertilizer in the tank at time $t$. From the problem statement, we get the following IVP:

$$\d{F}{t}=2-\frac{F}{4(50-t)}$$ where $F(0)=0$

Write the ODE in linear form:

$$\d{F}{t}+\frac{F}{4(50-t)}=2$$

Now, we need to compute the integrating factor:

$$\mu(t)=\exp\left(\int \frac{1}{4(50-t)}\right)=\left(4(50-t)\right)^{-\frac{1}{4}}$$

Multiplying through by $\mu(t)$, we obtain:

$$\left(4(50-t)\right)^{-\frac{1}{4}}\d{F}{t}+\left(4(50-t)\right)^{-\frac{5}{4}}F=2\left(4(50-t)\right)^{-\frac{1}{4}}$$

Next, we observe that the LHS may we written as:

$$\frac{d}{dt}\left(\left(4(50-t)\right)^{-\frac{1}{4}}F\right)=2\left(4(50-t)\right)^{-\frac{1}{4}}$$

Okay, what do you get when you integrate through w.r.t $t$?
 
$\displaystyle \frac{d}{dt}\left(\left(4(50-t)\right)^{-\frac{1}{4}}F\right)=2\left(4(50-t)\right)^{-\frac{1}{4}}$
integrate both sides
$\displaystyle (4(50-t))^{-1/4}F=\frac{4\sqrt{2}}{3}(50-t)^{3/4}$
$F=\frac{8}{3}(50-t)$the answer was 29.5 min and 32.8 lb
 
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I made a mistake in my above post...the IVP should be:

$$\displaystyle \d{F}{t}=2-\frac{5F}{4(50-t)}$$ where $F(0)=0$.

So, this leads to:

$$\mu(t)=\left(4(50-t)\right)^{-\frac{5}{4}}$$

$$\left(4(50-t)\right)^{-\frac{5}{4}}\d{F}{t}+5\left(4(50-t)\right)^{-\frac{9}{4}}F=2\left(4(50-t)\right)^{-\frac{5}{4}}$$

$$\frac{d}{dt}\left(\left(4(50-t)\right)^{-\frac{5}{4}}F\right)=2\left(4(50-t)\right)^{-\frac{5}{4}}$$

Integrate:

$$\left(4(50-t)\right)^{-\frac{5}{4}}F=2\left(4(50-t)\right)^{-\frac{1}{4}}+C$$

$$F(t)=2\left(4(50-t)\right)+C\left(4(50-t)\right)^{\frac{5}{4}}$$

We know:

$$F(0)=2\left(4(50)\right)+C\left(4(50)\right)^{\frac{5}{4}}=0$$

Hence:

$$C=-2(200)^{-\frac{1}{4}}$$

And so:

$$F(t)=2\left(4(50-t)\right)-2(200)^{-\frac{1}{4}}\left(4(50-t)\right)^{\frac{5}{4}}$$

I will leave it to you to show that the maximum occurs at:

$$t=\frac{738}{25}=29.52$$
 
again my great thanks.
ill probably just try another similar problem.

really appreciate all the steps you showed.

☕
 

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