Math Problem Statement

a spotlight is on the ground 21 ft away from a wall and a 6 ft tall man is walking towards the was at a rate of 2 ft/sec. how fast is the height changing when the man is 6 ft from the wall

Solution

To solve this related rates problem, we need to analyze the situation step-by-step.


Step 1: Variables and Relationships

  1. Define the variables:

    • xx: The distance between the man and the wall (in feet).
    • yy: The height of the shadow on the wall (in feet).
    • hh: The height of the man (h=6h = 6 ft, constant).
    • dx/dt=2ft/secdx/dt = -2 \, \text{ft/sec}: The rate at which the man is moving toward the wall (negative because xx is decreasing).
  2. Geometry of the situation:

    • The spotlight, the top of the man, and the top of the shadow form similar triangles.
    • The first triangle is formed by the spotlight, the wall, and the shadow height (yy).
    • The second triangle is formed by the spotlight, the ground, and the man's height (hh).

Step 2: Set up the proportional relationship

Using the property of similar triangles: y21=hx\frac{y}{21} = \frac{h}{x} Substitute h=6h = 6: y21=6x\frac{y}{21} = \frac{6}{x}

Simplify: y=126xy = \frac{126}{x}


Step 3: Differentiate with respect to time (tt)

Differentiate y=126xy = \frac{126}{x} implicitly with respect to tt: dydt=126x2dxdt\frac{dy}{dt} = -\frac{126}{x^2} \cdot \frac{dx}{dt}

Substitute dxdt=2ft/sec\frac{dx}{dt} = -2 \, \text{ft/sec}: dydt=126x2(2)\frac{dy}{dt} = -\frac{126}{x^2} \cdot (-2) dydt=252x2\frac{dy}{dt} = \frac{252}{x^2}


Step 4: Solve for dydt\frac{dy}{dt} when x=6x = 6 ft

Substitute x=6x = 6: dydt=25262\frac{dy}{dt} = \frac{252}{6^2} dydt=25236=7ft/sec\frac{dy}{dt} = \frac{252}{36} = 7 \, \text{ft/sec}


Final Answer

The height of the shadow on the wall is increasing at a rate of: 7ft/sec\boxed{7 \, \text{ft/sec}}


Would you like a step-by-step explanation of any part of the solution?
Here are 5 related questions for deeper understanding:

  1. How does the principle of similar triangles apply in this scenario?
  2. Why is the rate of change of xx negative?
  3. What happens to the rate of change of yy as the man gets closer to the wall?
  4. Can this problem be solved using other methods besides similar triangles?
  5. How does the spotlight's distance from the wall affect the problem?

Tip: Always label variables clearly when solving related rates problems to avoid confusion!

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Related Rates
Similar Triangles
Rates of Change
Differentiation

Formulas

y = 126 / x
dy/dt = -126 / x^2 * dx/dt

Theorems

Principle of Similar Triangles
Chain Rule (Differentiation)

Suitable Grade Level

Grades 11-12