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A spherical ice ball is melting at the rate of 100 π\pi cm³/min. The rate at which its radius is decreasing when its radius is 15 cm, is

Solution

Correct Option: 2

The ice ball is melting at a rate of 100π cm³/min. The radius at this moment is 15 cm.

For a sphere, the volume is:

V=43πr3V = \frac{4}{3}\pi r^3


Differentiating both sides with respect to time:

dVdt=43π×3r2×drdt\frac{dV}{dt} = \frac{4}{3}\pi \times 3r^2 \times \frac{dr}{dt}

dVdt=4πr2drdt\frac{dV}{dt} = 4\pi r^2 \cdot \frac{dr}{dt}


The volume is decreasing, so dVdt=100π\frac{dV}{dt} = -100\pi cm³/min.

At r=15r = 15 cm:

100π=4π(15)2drdt-100\pi = 4\pi (15)^2 \cdot \frac{dr}{dt}

100π=4π×225drdt-100\pi = 4\pi \times 225 \cdot \frac{dr}{dt}

100π=900πdrdt-100\pi = 900\pi \cdot \frac{dr}{dt}

drdt=100π900π\frac{dr}{dt} = \frac{-100\pi}{900\pi}

drdt=19\frac{dr}{dt} = -\frac{1}{9}


The negative sign indicates the radius is decreasing.

The radius is decreasing at a rate of 19\frac{1}{9} cm/min.

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