[The volume of a cone of height hh and base radius rr is 13πr2h\frac{1}{3}\pi r^2 h.] A hollow right circular cone of base radius 5 cm and height 20 cm has a small opening at the base. Initially, the cone is fully filled with water. Due to the leak from the base, water flows out at a constant rate of 2 cm3/s\text{cm}^3/\text{s}.

  1. (i)

    Show that the volume of water V cm3V\text{ cm}^3 in the cone when the height is x cmx\text{ cm} is given by V=500π3−π48(20−x)3V = \frac{500\pi}{3} - \frac{\pi}{48}(20 - x)^3.

  2. (ii)

    Find the rate of change of the height of water in the cone when x=8 cmx = 8\text{ cm}.

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Worked solution

5(i)

1. Identify the geometry of the water volume

The volume of water VV is the volume of the entire cone minus the volume of the empty cone at the top.
Let the height of the empty cone at the top be htop=20−xh_{top} = 20 - x.

2. Use similar triangles to find the radius of the empty top cone

Let the radius of the empty top cone be rtopr_{top}.
By similar triangles,
rtop5=20−x20\frac{r_{top}}{5} = \frac{20 - x}{20}
rtop=5(20−x)20=20−x4r_{top} = \frac{5(20 - x)}{20} = \frac{20 - x}{4}

3. Calculate the volume of the water

Volume of entire cone = 13π(5)2(20)=500π3\frac{1}{3}\pi (5)^2 (20) = \frac{500\pi}{3}
Volume of empty top cone = 13π(rtop)2(htop)=13π(20−x4)2(20−x)\frac{1}{3}\pi (r_{top})^2 (h_{top}) = \frac{1}{3}\pi \left(\frac{20 - x}{4}\right)^2 (20 - x)
=13π(20−x)216(20−x)=π48(20−x)3= \frac{1}{3}\pi \frac{(20 - x)^2}{16} (20 - x) = \frac{\pi}{48}(20 - x)^3
Therefore, V=500π3−π48(20−x)3V = \frac{500\pi}{3} - \frac{\pi}{48}(20 - x)^3 (Shown)

Answer

V=500π3−π48(20−x)3V = \frac{500\pi}{3} - \frac{\pi}{48}(20 - x)^3 (Shown)

5(ii)

1. Differentiate the volume equation with respect to $x$ to find $\frac{dV}{dx}$.

Given V=500π3−π48(20−x)3V = \frac{500\pi}{3} - \frac{\pi}{48}(20 - x)^3.
dVdx=−π48⋅3(20−x)2⋅(−1)\frac{dV}{dx} = -\frac{\pi}{48} \cdot 3(20 - x)^2 \cdot (-1)
dVdx=π16(20−x)2\frac{dV}{dx} = \frac{\pi}{16}(20 - x)^2

2. Set up the connected rates of change equation.

We are given dVdt=−2\frac{dV}{dt} = -2 (since water flows out).
By the chain rule:
dVdt=dVdx×dxdt\frac{dV}{dt} = \frac{dV}{dx} \times \frac{dx}{dt}

3. Substitute $x = 8$ and $\frac{dV}{dt} = -2$ to find $\frac{dx}{dt}$.

When x=8x = 8:
dVdx=π16(20−8)2=π16(144)=9π\frac{dV}{dx} = \frac{\pi}{16}(20 - 8)^2 = \frac{\pi}{16}(144) = 9\pi
Substitute into the chain rule equation:
−2=9π×dxdt-2 = 9\pi \times \frac{dx}{dt}
dxdt=−29π\frac{dx}{dt} = -\frac{2}{9\pi}

Answer

−13π cm/s-\frac{1}{3\pi}\text{ cm/s} or −0.106 cm/s-0.106\text{ cm/s}

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