LECTURE ON APPLIED PROBLEMS IN

DIFFERENTIATION

1. INTRODUCTION TO APPLIED PROBLEMS IN DIFFERENTIATION

Differentiation is not just a theoretical tool; it plays a crucial role in solving real-world problems across multiple fields such as
physics, engineering, economics, and biology. These problems typically involve finding rates of change, solving optimization
problems, or dealing with related rates.

In this lecture, we will explore:

• How to apply differentiation to solve real-world problems in different fields.

• Practical applications of differentiation, including rates of change, optimization problems, and related rates.

• Examples from physics, engineering, economics, and other fields where differentiation provides valuable insights and
solutions.

2. RATES OF CHANGE

One of the most fundamental applications of differentiation is in solving problems involving rates of change. In various fields,
differentiation helps measure how quickly one quantity changes with respect to another.

2.1. Rates of Change in Physics

In physics, we often deal with quantities that change over time, such as velocity (the rate of change of position) and acceleration
(the rate of change of velocity).

• Position: A function 𝒔(𝒕) gives the position of an object at time 𝒕.

• Velocity: The velocity is the derivative of the position function:

𝒅𝒔(𝒕)
𝒗(𝒕) =
𝒅𝒕

• Acceleration: The acceleration is the derivative of the velocity function (or the second derivative of the position function):

𝒅𝒗(𝒕) 𝒅𝟐 𝒔(𝒕)
𝒂(𝒕) = =
𝒅𝒕 𝒅𝒕𝟐

2.2. Example: Motion of a Car

A car is moving along a straight road, and its position at time 𝒕 is given by:

𝒔(𝒕) = 𝟓𝒕𝟑 − 𝟑𝒕𝟐 + 𝟐𝒕

Let’s find the velocity and acceleration of the car at any time 𝒕.

1. Velocity: The velocity is the first derivative of the position function:

𝒅𝒔(𝒕)
𝒗(𝒕) = = 𝟏𝟓𝒕𝟐 − 𝟔𝒕 + 𝟐
𝒅𝒕

2. Acceleration: The acceleration is the second derivative of the position function:

 𝒅𝒗(𝒕)
𝒂(𝒕) = = 𝟑𝟎𝒕 − 𝟔
𝒅𝒕

At any time 𝒕, the car’s velocity and acceleration can be determined using these formulas. For example, at 𝒕 = 𝟐 seconds:

• Velocity: 𝒗(𝟐) = 𝟏𝟓(𝟐)𝟐 − 𝟔(𝟐) + 𝟐 = 𝟓𝟔 m/s

• Acceleration: 𝒂(𝟐) = 𝟑𝟎(𝟐) − 𝟔 = 𝟓𝟒 m/s 𝟐

2.3. Rates of Change in Economics

In economics, rates of change are crucial in understanding how quantities like cost, revenue, and profit vary with production.

• Marginal cost (𝑴𝑪(𝒙)): The rate of change of the total cost 𝑪(𝒙) with respect to the number of units produced 𝒙.

𝒅𝑪(𝒙)
𝑴𝑪(𝒙) =
𝒅𝒙

• Marginal revenue (𝑴𝑹(𝒙)): The rate of change of the total revenue 𝑹(𝒙) with respect to the number of units sold 𝒙.

𝒅𝑹(𝒙)
𝑴𝑹(𝒙) =
𝒅𝒙

Example: Suppose the cost function for producing 𝒙 units is 𝑪(𝒙) = 𝟓𝟎𝒙 + 𝟏𝟎𝟎. The marginal cost is:

𝒅
𝑴𝑪(𝒙) = (𝟓𝟎𝒙 + 𝟏𝟎𝟎) = 𝟓𝟎
𝒅𝒙

This tells us that the cost of producing one additional unit is always $50.

3. OPTIMIZATION PROBLEMS

Optimization is one of the most common applications of differentiation in the real world. Optimization problems involve finding
maximum or minimum values of a function. These problems are prevalent in business, engineering, economics, and more.

3.1. Optimization in Economics: Maximizing Profit

In business, companies aim to maximize profit by optimizing production levels. The profit function is given by:

𝑷(𝒙) = 𝑹(𝒙) − 𝑪(𝒙)

where 𝑹(𝒙) is the revenue function and 𝑪(𝒙) is the cost function. To find the production level that maximizes profit, we take the
derivative of the profit function, set it equal to zero, and solve for 𝒙.

3.2. Example: Maximizing Profit

Suppose a company’s revenue function is 𝑹(𝒙) = 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝒙 − 𝒙𝟐 , and its cost function is 𝑪(𝒙) = 𝟓𝟎𝒙 + 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎. Find the number of
units xxx that maximize profit.

1. Profit function: The profit is the difference between revenue and cost:

𝑷(𝒙) = 𝑹(𝒙) − 𝑪(𝒙) = (𝟐𝟎𝟎𝒙 − 𝒙𝟐 ) − (𝟓𝟎𝒙 + 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎)

𝑷(𝒙) = −𝒙𝟐 + 𝟏𝟓𝟎𝒙 − 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎

2. Find critical points: Differentiate the profit function and set the derivative equal to zero:

𝑃′ (𝑥) = −2𝑥 + 150

 −𝟐𝒙 + 𝟏𝟓𝟎 = 𝟎 ⇒ 𝒙 = 𝟕𝟓

3. Second derivative test: The second derivative of 𝑷(𝒙) is:

𝑷′′ (𝒙) = −𝟐

Since 𝑷′′ (𝒙) < 𝟎, the profit function is concave down, so = 𝟕𝟓 is a maximum.

Conclusion: The company should produce 75 units to maximize its profit.

3.3. Optimization in Engineering: Minimizing Material Use

In engineering, optimization problems often involve minimizing material usage or energy consumption. For instance, when designing
a structure, engineers may want to minimize the surface area of a container for a given volume to reduce material costs.

Example: Minimizing Surface Area of a Cylinder

A company needs to design a cylindrical can with a volume of 1000 cubic centimeters. Find the dimensions (radius and height) that
minimize the surface area.

1. Volume formula: The volume of a cylinder is:

𝑽 = 𝛑𝒓𝟐 𝒉

Given 𝑽 = 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎, we can express 𝒉 in terms of 𝒓:

𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎
𝒉=
𝛑𝒓𝟐

2. Surface area formula: The surface area of the cylinder is:

𝑨 = 𝟐𝛑𝒓𝟐 + 𝟐𝛑𝒓𝒉

𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎
Substitute 𝒉 = into the surface area formula:
𝛑𝒓𝟐

𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟎
𝑨(𝒓) = 𝟐𝛑𝒓𝟐 +
𝒓

3. Minimize surface area: Differentiate 𝑨(𝒓) with respect to 𝒓:

𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟎
𝑨′ (𝒓) = 𝟒𝛑𝒓 −
𝒓𝟐

Set the derivative equal to zero to find the critical points:

𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝟓𝟎𝟎
𝟒𝛑𝒓 = ⇒ 𝒓𝟑 = ⇒ 𝒓 ≈ 𝟓. 𝟒𝟐 cm
𝒓𝟐 𝛑

4. Find height: Using 𝒓 = 𝟓. 𝟒𝟐, calculate the height:

𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎
𝒉= ≈ 𝟏𝟎. 𝟖𝟒 cm
𝛑(𝟓. 𝟒𝟐)𝟐

Conclusion: To minimize the surface area, the can should have a radius of approximately 5.42 cm and a height of approximately
10.84 cm.

4. RELATED RATES
Related rates problems involve finding the rate at which one quantity changes by relating it to another quantity that is also changing
over time. These problems are common in physics, engineering, and other fields.

4.1. Solving Related Rates Problems

To solve related rates problems:

1. Identify the quantities that are changing and their rates of change.

2. Write an equation that relates these quantities.

3. Differentiate the equation with respect to time using implicit differentiation.

4. Substitute known values and solve for the desired rate of change.

4.2. Example: Related Rates with a Ladder

A 10-foot ladder is leaning against a wall. The bottom of the ladder is sliding away from the wall at a rate of 1 foot per second. How
fast is the top of the ladder sliding down the wall when the bottom of the ladder is 6 feet away from the wall?

1. Identify the variables: Let:

o 𝒙 be the distance of the bottom of the ladder from the wall,

o 𝒚 be the height of the top of the ladder above the ground.

The Pythagorean theorem relates 𝒙, 𝒚, and the length of the ladder:

𝒙𝟐 + 𝒚𝟐 = 𝟏𝟎𝟐

2. Differentiate with respect to time:

𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒚
𝟐𝒙 + 𝟐𝒚 =𝟎
𝒅𝒕 𝒅𝒕

3. Substitute known values: At the moment when x=6x = 6x=6, we can solve for 𝒚 using the Pythagorean theorem:

𝟔𝟐 + 𝒚𝟐 = 𝟏𝟎𝟎 ⇒ 𝒚=𝟖

𝒅𝒙
Now, substitute 𝒙 = 𝟔, 𝒚 = 𝟖, and = 𝟏:
𝒅𝒕

𝒅𝒚
𝟐(𝟔)(𝟏) + 𝟐(𝟖) =𝟎
𝒅𝒕

Simplifying:

𝒅𝒚 𝒅𝒚 −𝟏𝟐 𝟑
𝟏𝟐 + 𝟏𝟔 =𝟎 ⇒ = = − ft/s
𝒅𝒕 𝒅𝒕 𝟏𝟔 𝟒
𝟑
Conclusion: The top of the ladder is sliding down the wall at a rate of feet per second when the bottom is 6 feet away from the
𝟒
wall.

5. APPLICATIONS OF DIFFERENTIATION IN VARIOUS FIELDS

5.1. Physics

In physics, derivatives are used to describe the motion of objects, analyze forces, and understand how physical quantities like
velocity, acceleration, and energy change over time. For example, in kinematics, we use derivatives to calculate the velocity and
acceleration of an object based on its position as a function of time.
5.2. Engineering

In engineering, derivatives help solve optimization problems and understand how systems behave over time. Engineers use
differentiation to minimize costs, maximize efficiency, and ensure the safety of structures by analyzing stress, strain, and material
deformation.

5.3. Economics

In economics, derivatives help businesses and economists model how costs, revenue, and profits change with varying production
levels. Marginal analysis uses the derivative to find the additional cost or revenue associated with producing one more unit, which is
crucial for decision-making.

6. CONCLUSION

Differentiation is a powerful tool that has numerous applications across a wide range of fields. By understanding how to use
derivatives, we can:

• Solve problems involving rates of change in physics and economics.

• Address optimization problems in business, engineering, and more.

• Solve related rates problems where multiple quantities change over time.

Mastering differentiation techniques enables us to model, analyze, and optimize real-world processes efficiently.

SUGGESTED PRACTICE PROBLEMS

1. Maximizing Revenue:
A company’s revenue function is 𝑹(𝒙) = 𝟏𝟐𝟎𝒙 − 𝟐𝒙𝟐 . Find the number of units 𝒙 that maximize revenue.

2. Related Rates:
Water is being poured into a cylindrical tank at a rate of 10 cubic meters per minute. The tank has a radius of 2 meters. How
fast is the water level rising when the water is 3 meters deep?

3. Minimizing Cost:
A box with a square base and no top is to be constructed. The box must have a volume of 500 cubic inches. Find the
dimensions that minimize the amount of material used.

4. Motion of a Particle:
The position of a particle is given by 𝒔(𝒕) = 𝒕𝟑 − 𝟔𝒕𝟐 + 𝟗𝒕. Find the velocity and acceleration of the particle at 𝒕 = 𝟐.

5. Maximizing Profit:
A company’s cost function is 𝑪(𝒙) = 𝟐𝟎𝒙 + 𝟓𝟎𝟎, and its revenue function is (𝒙) = 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝒙 − 𝟐𝒙𝟐 . Find the number of units
that maximize profit.