Engineering Board Exam Reviewer · Related Rates (Time Rates) · medium

The length of a rectangle is increasing at 3 cm/s while its width is decreasing at 2 cm/s. At what rate is the area changing when the length is 10 cm and the width is 6 cm?

  1. 2 cm2 /s
  2. -2 cm2 /s
  3. 18 cm2 /s
  4. -20 cm2 /s

Answer

B. -2 cm2 /s

Solution

A=lw /dt=dl/dtw+ldw/dt=3(6)+10(-2)=18-20=-2 cm2/s (the area is decreasing).

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