MHB Kavina's question at Yahoo Answers regarding an initial value problem

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The discussion revolves around solving an initial value problem related to a leaking barrel, where the rate of water loss is proportional to the square root of the water depth. The differential equation derived is dV/dt = -k√h, leading to the separable form dh/dt = -k√h. By integrating and applying initial conditions, the constant of proportionality k is determined. The time until the barrel is empty is calculated using the derived formula, resulting in t(0) = 3√29/(√29 - 5) minus the current time of 3 minutes. The final expression provides the time remaining until the barrel is empty.
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Here is the question:

Calculus question on differential equations?

Water in a barrel (upright cylinder) is leaking out at a rate proportional to the square root of the depth of the water. If the water level was 29 cm 3 minutes ago, and is at 25 cm now, how many more minutes (from now) will it take for the barrel to be empty? Please help :)

Here is a link to the question:

Calculus question on differential equations? - Yahoo! Answers

I have posted a link there to this topic so the OP may find my response.
 
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Hello Kavina,

Let $V(t)$ be the volume in $\text{cm}^3$ of water in the cylindrical barrel at time $t$ in minutes, and $h$ be the depth in $\text{cm}$ of the water in the barrel.

We are given:

$\displaystyle \frac{dV}{dt}=-k\sqrt{h}$ where $0<k$ in the constant of proportionality.

The formula for the volume of a cylinder is:

$\displaystyle V=\pi r^2h$

Differentiating this with respect to time (and observing that $\pi r^2$ will remain constant) we find:

$\displaystyle \frac{dV}{dt}=\pi r^2\frac{dh}{dt}$

Now, equating the two expressions for $\displaystyle \frac{dV}{dt}$ we have:

$\displaystyle \pi r^2\frac{dh}{dt}=-k\sqrt{h}$

$\displaystyle \frac{dh}{dt}=-\frac{k}{\pi r^2}\sqrt{h}$

Now, we may redefine the constant of proportionality and write the IVP:

$\displaystyle \frac{dh}{dt}=-k\sqrt{h}$ where $h(0)=29,\,h(3)=25$.

The ODE associated with the IVP is separable:

$\displaystyle h^{-\frac{1}{2}}\,dh=-k\,dt$

Integrate:

$\displaystyle \int h^{-\frac{1}{2}}\,dh=-k\int\,dt$

$\displaystyle 2h^{\frac{1}{2}}=-kt+C$

Use initial conditions to find parameter $C$

$\displaystyle 2(29)^{\frac{1}{2}}=-k(0)+C$

$\displaystyle C=2\sqrt{29}$

and so we have:

$\displaystyle 2h^{\frac{1}{2}}=-kt+2\sqrt{29}$

Now, use other given point to determine the constant of proportionality $k$:

$\displaystyle 2(25)^{\frac{1}{2}}=-k(3)+2\sqrt{29}$

$\displaystyle k=\frac{2(\sqrt{29}-5)}{3}$

Hence, we may write:

$\displaystyle t=\frac{3(\sqrt{29}-\sqrt{h})}{\sqrt{29}-5}$

Now, to find when the barrel will be empty, we may let $h=0$ and we find:

$\displaystyle t(0)=\frac{3\sqrt{29}}{\sqrt{29}-5}$

Since "now" is given to be $t=3$ we must subtract 3 from this to find the answer to the question:

$\displaystyle \frac{3\sqrt{29}}{\sqrt{29}-5}-3=\frac{3\sqrt{29}-3(\sqrt{29}-5)}{\sqrt{29}-5}=\frac{15}{\sqrt{29}-5}$
 
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Here is a little puzzle from the book 100 Geometric Games by Pierre Berloquin. The side of a small square is one meter long and the side of a larger square one and a half meters long. One vertex of the large square is at the center of the small square. The side of the large square cuts two sides of the small square into one- third parts and two-thirds parts. What is the area where the squares overlap?

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