Question on rates of change problem

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves a spherical balloon being inflated, with a focus on the rates of change of its radius and volume over time. Participants are tasked with expressing the radius and volume as functions of time, given the rate of change of the radius.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Conceptual clarification

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the expression of the radius as a function of time and the implications of integration and differentiation in the context of the problem. There are questions regarding the initial conditions and the assumptions made in deriving the functions.

Discussion Status

The discussion includes various perspectives on the correctness of the original poster's solution, with some participants expressing confidence in the approach while others raise concerns about the assumptions made, particularly regarding the initial radius at time t = 0. There is an ongoing exploration of whether integration is necessary for this problem.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the importance of defining initial conditions, such as the radius at time t = 0, which is not explicitly stated in the problem. This has led to a deeper examination of the assumptions underlying the mathematical expressions provided.

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Homework Statement



A spherical balloon is being inflated. Suppose the radius of the balloon is increasing at a rate of 2 centimeters per second.

a. Express the radius r of the balloon as a function of time t.
b. Express the volume V of the balloon as a function of time t

Homework Equations



\frac{dr}{dt}\; =\; 2

The Attempt at a Solution



Part A.

\frac{dr}{dt}\; =\; 2

Therefore, dr=2\cdot dt

\int_{}^{}{}dr=\int_{}^{}{}2\cdot dt

r\left( t \right)=2tPart B.

V\; =\; \frac{4}{3}\pi r^{3}

\frac{dV}{dt}\; =\; 4\pi r^{2}\cdot \frac{dr}{dt}

Substituting dr/dt = 2 gives:

\frac{dV}{dt}\; =\; 8\pi r^{2}

Since r=2t

\frac{dV}{dt}=32\pi \cdot t^{2}

dV=32\pi \cdot t^{2}\cdot dt

V=\frac{32\pi \cdot t^{3}}{3}
 
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Hint: what is the radius at time t = 0?
 
That would also be zero, right?
 
Your solution looks fine to me.
 
I don't see anything wrong either, and you wrote your solution very nicely. What's your question, or were you just not confident that it was correct?
 
I wasn't sure if that was correct. This was actually a precalc problem, so I was not sure if integration/differentiation was needed and whether my answer was correct.
 
krackers said:
I was not sure if integration/differentiation was needed
You're right, it isn't. It's sufficiently obvious that the radius is simply 2t cm after t seconds, so V = 4πr3/3 = 4π(2t)3/3.
 
krackers said:
\int_{}^{}{}dr=\int_{}^{}{}2\cdot dt

r\left( t \right)=2t

This second line does not follow from the first without the additional assumption, nowhere written and not given in the question, that f(0) = 0. The question says, express the radius as "a" function of time t. The answer is correct but what is written here is not. I'm picking out the literal fallacy here.
 
verty said:
This second line does not follow from the first without the additional assumption, nowhere written and not given in the question, that f(0) = 0. The question says, express the radius as "a" function of time t. The answer is correct but what is written here is not. I'm picking out the literal fallacy here.

Good point.

An '##r_{0}##' should appear and be defined.
 
  • #10
haruspex said:
You're right, it isn't. It's sufficiently obvious that the radius is simply 2t cm after t seconds, so V = 4πr3/3 = 4π(2t)3/3.

That's a lot simpler.

1MileCrash said:
Good point.

An '##r_{0}##' should appear and be defined.

You're right - I always forget to add the constant after anti-differentiation.
 

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