Related Rates Problem that I am getting wrong.

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Homework Statement



Sand is pouring from a pipe at the rate of 16 cubic feet per second. If the falling sand forms a conical pile on the ground whose altitude is always 1/4 the diameter of the base, how fast is the altitude increasing when the pile is 4 feet high?

Homework Equations



[itex]V = \frac{1}{3}\pi r^{2}h[/itex]

The Attempt at a Solution



Firstly, since I am given that the altitude is 1/4 of the diameter, I rearrange the volume formula.

1/4(2)r = h
1/2r = h
r = 2h

So:

[itex]V = \frac{1}{3}\pi 2h^{2}h[/itex]
or

[itex]V = \frac{1}{3}\pi 2h^{3}[/itex]

Second, I'm given the rate of volume increase as 16, so [itex]\frac{dV}{dt}=16[/itex]

Differentiation of both sides of the volume equation gives me:

[itex]16 = 2\pi 2h^{2}\frac{dh}{dt}[/itex]

So it follows that

[itex]\frac{dh}{dt}= \frac{16}{2\pi h^{2}}[/itex]

Solving this for h = 4 gives me ~= .159155

Which is incorrect.

Can someone show me where I'm messing this up?

Thanks!
 
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1MileCrash said:

Homework Statement



Sand is pouring from a pipe at the rate of 16 cubic feet per second. If the falling sand forms a conical pile on the ground whose altitude is always 1/4 the diameter of the base, how fast is the altitude increasing when the pile is 4 feet high?

Homework Equations



[itex]V = \frac{1}{3}\pi r^{2}h[/itex]

The Attempt at a Solution



Firstly, since I am given that the altitude is 1/4 of the diameter, I rearrange the volume formula.

1/4(2)r = h
1/2r = h
r = 2h

So:

[itex]V = \frac{1}{3}\pi 2h^{2}h[/itex]

Here's the problem, I think. You need parentheses around the 2h, like this:
[tex]V = \frac{1}{3}\pi (2h)^{2}h = \frac{1}{3}\pi 4h^{3} = \frac{4}{3}\pi h^{3}[/tex]

1MileCrash said:
[itex]16 = 2\pi 2h^{2}\frac{dh}{dt}[/itex]
Ignoring the mistake from earlier, I don't know where that extra 2 came from.

1MileCrash said:
So it follows that

[itex]\frac{dh}{dt}= \frac{16}{2\pi h^{2}}[/itex]
Now that extra 2 disappeared.

You really need to take care in typing in the equations.
 
Last edited:
Check your differentiation of

[tex]V \, = \, \frac{1}{3} \pi (2) h^{3}[/tex]

I think you made a small mistake in there. All your work seems ok to that point.

(P.S. sorry for basically a repeat of what the poster above pointed out. At the time I clicked on "reply" there were no responses posted)
 
Last edited:
My problem was indeed the volume formula. I needed (2h)(2h).