Calculus 1 Signature Assignment

Related Rates
Problem: Two small planes are flying together in formation. At a certain point, they
split up with one plane proceeding at a rate of 130 mph at a bearing of 22◦. The second
plane proceeds at speed of 96 mph at a bearing of 87◦. Find the rate of change of the
distance between the two planes 15 minutes after they break formation. Recall that
generally in air navigation, bearing is given as a nonnegative angle less than 360 degrees
measured in a clockwise direction from a ray pointing due north.

Procedure:
Step 1.

The first things I do when solving

for a related rates problem is make a
picture and label my variables.

We can find 𝜃 by subtracting 22° from

87° (keeping in mind that N=0). 𝜃 =
65°

We are given the rates for both planes A

𝑑𝑎 𝑑𝑏
&B. = 130𝑚𝑝ℎ =
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
96𝑚𝑝ℎ

The next thing we need is the lengths of

both sides A & B at the given time of
1
15 minutes. Since we know that 15 min is exactly of an hour and we are given
4
1
the distance traveled per hour, we simply multiply the rate of each plane by to get
4
1 1
the distance traveled in 15 minutes. 130 ∗ = 32.5 = 𝑎 96 ∗ = 24 = 𝑏
4 4

𝑑𝑎 𝑑𝑏
= 130𝑚𝑝ℎ = 96𝑚𝑝ℎ 𝜃 = 65° 𝑎 = 32.5 𝑏 = 24
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
 Step 2.

Next we will need an equation that relates our variables; we will be using the
law of cosines equation 𝑐 2 = 𝑎2 + 𝑏 2 − 2𝑎𝑏 ∗ cos⁡(𝜃).

I like to slightly rewrite the equation to fit my variables

𝑑 2 = 𝑎2 + 𝑏 2 − 2𝑎𝑏 ∗ cos⁡(𝜃)

This helps remind us that we are looking for the

𝑑𝑑
changing distance in regard to time or .
𝑑𝑡

Step 3.

Now we need to take the derivative with respect to time.

𝑑 2 𝑑
[𝑑 ] = [𝑎2 + 𝑏 2 − 2𝑎𝑏 ∗ cos(𝜃)]⁡
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑑 𝑑𝑎 𝑑𝑏
2𝑑 ∗ = 2𝑎 ∗ + 2𝑏 ∗ − (2𝑏 + 2𝑎) ∗ cos(𝜃) − 2𝑎𝑏 ∗ sin(𝜃)
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑑
↑ Now that we have the variable we need ( ) and will solve to isolate it,
𝑑𝑡
substituting in known values.
𝑑𝑎 𝑑𝑏
= 130𝑚𝑝ℎ = 96𝑚𝑝ℎ 𝜃 = 65° 𝑎 = 32.5 𝑏 = 24
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡

𝑑𝑑
2𝑑 ∗ = 2(32.5) ∗ 130 + 2(24) ∗ 96 − (2(24) + 2(32.5)) ∗ cos(65°)
𝑑𝑡
− 2(32.5)(24) ∗ sin(65°)
𝑑𝑑
2𝑑 ∗ = 8450 + 4608 − 47.755863 − 1413.840148
𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑑 11596.40399
=
𝑑𝑡 2𝑑
 At this point we realize that we have not solved for the variable 𝑑, but we
can quickly solve for 𝑑 by plugging in our known values.

𝑑 2 = 𝑎2 + 𝑏 2 − 2𝑎𝑏 ∗ cos⁡(𝜃)
𝑑𝑎 𝑑𝑏
= 130𝑚𝑝ℎ = 96𝑚𝑝ℎ 𝜃 = 65° 𝑎 = 32.5 𝑏 = 24
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡

𝑑 2 = (32.5)2 + (24)2 − 2(32.5)(24) ∗ cos⁡(65°)

𝑑 2 = 972.9655117 𝑑 = √972.9655117 𝑑 = 31.19239509

Continuing on we plug 𝑑 into

𝑑𝑑 11596.40399
=
𝑑𝑡 2𝑑
𝑑𝑑 11596.40399
=
𝑑𝑡 2(31.19239509)
𝑑𝑑
= 185.9
𝑑𝑡
So to answer our original question; the rate of change of the distance
between the two planes 15 minutes after they break formation is ≈ 185.9𝑚𝑝ℎ.