As part of a game, a person stands xx m away from a wall and tries to throw an object through a 0.40 m wide hole in the wall. The point BB denotes the bottom of the hole, which is located 3.05 m above the ground. The object is thrown from point PP at a height of 1.75 m above the ground. The angle APBAPB is denoted by θ\theta in radians.

  1. (i)

    Show that θ=tan⁡−1(1.7x)−tan⁡−1(1.3x)\theta = \tan^{-1}\left(\frac{1.7}{x}\right) - \tan^{-1}\left(\frac{1.3}{x}\right).

  2. (ii)

    Using differentiation, find the value of xx which gives the stationary value of θ\theta, giving your answer to four significant figures.

  3. (iii)

    Show that the value of xx in (ii) corresponds to a maximum value of θ\theta, and suggest why knowing this value of xx may be useful in this situation.

  4. (iv)

    The person walks away from the wall at a constant rate of 0.1 m/s. Find the rate of change of θ\theta at the instant when the person is 1 m away from the wall.

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Worked solution

9(i)

1. Define a horizontal reference line from $P$ and calculate the vertical distances to $A$ and $B$.

Let MM be the point on the wall that is horizontally level with PP.
Height of PP above ground = 1.75 m1.75\text{ m}.
Height of AA above ground = 3.05+0.40=3.45 m3.05 + 0.40 = 3.45\text{ m}.
Height of BB above ground = 3.05 m3.05\text{ m}.

The vertical distance from MM to AA is:
AM=3.45−1.75=1.7 mAM = 3.45 - 1.75 = 1.7\text{ m}

The vertical distance from MM to BB is:
BM=3.05−1.75=1.3 mBM = 3.05 - 1.75 = 1.3\text{ m}

The horizontal distance PMPM is x mx\text{ m}.

2. Use trigonometric ratios to find the angles and subtract them to show the result.

In the right-angled triangle APMAPM:
tan⁡(∠APM)=AMPM=1.7x\tan(\angle APM) = \frac{AM}{PM} = \frac{1.7}{x}
∠APM=tan⁡−1(1.7x)\angle APM = \tan^{-1}\left(\frac{1.7}{x}\right)

In the right-angled triangle BPMBPM:
tan⁡(∠BPM)=BMPM=1.3x\tan(\angle BPM) = \frac{BM}{PM} = \frac{1.3}{x}
∠BPM=tan⁡−1(1.3x)\angle BPM = \tan^{-1}\left(\frac{1.3}{x}\right)

Since θ=∠APB=∠APM−∠BPM\theta = \angle APB = \angle APM - \angle BPM:
θ=tan⁡−1(1.7x)−tan⁡−1(1.3x)\theta = \tan^{-1}\left(\frac{1.7}{x}\right) - \tan^{-1}\left(\frac{1.3}{x}\right) (Shown)

Answer

θ=tan⁡−1(1.7x)−tan⁡−1(1.3x)\theta = \tan^{-1}\left(\frac{1.7}{x}\right) - \tan^{-1}\left(\frac{1.3}{x}\right) (Shown)

9(ii)

1. Differentiate $\theta$ with respect to $x$ using the chain rule.

dθdx=11+(1.7x)2(−1.7x2)−11+(1.3x)2(−1.3x2)\frac{d\theta}{dx} = \frac{1}{1 + \left(\frac{1.7}{x}\right)^2} \left(-\frac{1.7}{x^2}\right) - \frac{1}{1 + \left(\frac{1.3}{x}\right)^2} \left(-\frac{1.3}{x^2}\right)
dθdx=−1.7x2+1.72+1.3x2+1.32\frac{d\theta}{dx} = -\frac{1.7}{x^2 + 1.7^2} + \frac{1.3}{x^2 + 1.3^2}

2. Equate the derivative to zero and simplify to form an equation in $x$.

For a stationary value, dθdx=0\frac{d\theta}{dx} = 0:
1.7x2+1.72=1.3x2+1.32\frac{1.7}{x^2 + 1.7^2} = \frac{1.3}{x^2 + 1.3^2}
1.7x2+2.89=1.3x2+1.69\frac{1.7}{x^2 + 2.89} = \frac{1.3}{x^2 + 1.69}
1.7(x2+1.69)=1.3(x2+2.89)1.7(x^2 + 1.69) = 1.3(x^2 + 2.89)
1.7x2+2.873=1.3x2+3.7571.7x^2 + 2.873 = 1.3x^2 + 3.757

3. Solve for $x$ and round the answer to four significant figures.

0.4x2=0.8840.4x^2 = 0.884
x2=2.21x^2 = 2.21
x=2.21≈1.487 (since x>0)x = \sqrt{2.21} \approx 1.487 \text{ (since } x > 0)

Answer

1.4871.487

9(iii)

1. Use the second derivative test to show that the stationary point is a maximum.

From (ii), dθdx=1.3x2+1.69−1.7x2+2.89\frac{d\theta}{dx} = \frac{1.3}{x^2 + 1.69} - \frac{1.7}{x^2 + 2.89} and the stationary point occurs at x=2.21x = \sqrt{2.21}.

Differentiating with respect to xx:
d2θdx2=−1.3(x2+1.69)−2(2x)−(−1.7)(x2+2.89)−2(2x)\frac{d^2\theta}{dx^2} = -1.3(x^2 + 1.69)^{-2}(2x) - (-1.7)(x^2 + 2.89)^{-2}(2x)
d2θdx2=3.4x(x2+2.89)2−2.6x(x2+1.69)2\frac{d^2\theta}{dx^2} = \frac{3.4x}{(x^2 + 2.89)^2} - \frac{2.6x}{(x^2 + 1.69)^2}

Substitute x=2.21x = \sqrt{2.21} and x2=2.21x^2 = 2.21:
d2θdx2=3.42.21(2.21+2.89)2−2.62.21(2.21+1.69)2\frac{d^2\theta}{dx^2} = \frac{3.4\sqrt{2.21}}{(2.21 + 2.89)^2} - \frac{2.6\sqrt{2.21}}{(2.21 + 1.69)^2}
d2θdx2=3.42.215.12−2.62.213.92\frac{d^2\theta}{dx^2} = \frac{3.4\sqrt{2.21}}{5.1^2} - \frac{2.6\sqrt{2.21}}{3.9^2}
d2θdx2≈0.194−0.254=−0.060\frac{d^2\theta}{dx^2} \approx 0.194 - 0.254 = -0.060

Since d2θdx2<0\frac{d^2\theta}{dx^2} < 0, the value x=2.21x = \sqrt{2.21} corresponds to a maximum value of θ\theta.

2. Suggest why knowing this optimal value of x is useful in the context of the game.

Knowing this value of xx gives the optimal standing distance where the angle θ\theta subtended by the hole is maximized. This provides the largest apparent target size for the thrower, giving them the maximum margin of error and thus the highest chance of successfully throwing the object through the hole.

Answer

Knowing this value of xx gives the position where the angle subtended by the hole is at its maximum. This maximizes the apparent size of the hole for the thrower, making it the easiest position to successfully throw the object through the hole.

9(iv)

1. Find the rate of change of $\theta$ with respect to $x$ when $x = 1$.

Differentiating the expression from (i) with respect to xx (as previously done in part ii):
dθdx=11+(1.7x)2(−1.7x2)−11+(1.3x)2(−1.3x2)\frac{d\theta}{dx} = \frac{1}{1 + \left(\frac{1.7}{x}\right)^2} \left(-\frac{1.7}{x^2}\right) - \frac{1}{1 + \left(\frac{1.3}{x}\right)^2} \left(-\frac{1.3}{x^2}\right)
dθdx=−1.7x2+1.72+1.3x2+1.32\frac{d\theta}{dx} = -\frac{1.7}{x^2 + 1.7^2} + \frac{1.3}{x^2 + 1.3^2}
At x=1x = 1:
dθdx=−1.712+2.89+1.312+1.69\frac{d\theta}{dx} = -\frac{1.7}{1^2 + 2.89} + \frac{1.3}{1^2 + 1.69}
=−1.73.89+1.32.69≈0.046253 rad/m= -\frac{1.7}{3.89} + \frac{1.3}{2.69} \approx 0.046253 \text{ rad/m}

2. Apply the connected rates of change formula to calculate the rate of change of $\theta$ with respect to time.

Since the person walks away from the wall at 0.1 m/s0.1\text{ m/s}, the distance xx is increasing, so dxdt=0.1\frac{dx}{dt} = 0.1.
Using the chain rule for connected rates of change:
dθdt=dθdx×dxdt\frac{d\theta}{dt} = \frac{d\theta}{dx} \times \frac{dx}{dt}
dθdt≈0.046253×0.1\frac{d\theta}{dt} \approx 0.046253 \times 0.1
=0.0046253≈0.00463 rad/s (to 3 s.f.)= 0.0046253 \approx 0.00463 \text{ rad/s} \text{ (to 3 s.f.)}

Answer

0.00463 rad/s0.00463\text{ rad/s}

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