Class 12 Maths NCERT Solutions Chapter 6 Ex 6.1 – Rate of Change of Quantities | Boundless Maths
Chapter 6 · Application of Derivatives

Class 12 Maths NCERT Solutions Chapter 6 Ex 6.1: Rate of Change of Quantities

This Class 12 Maths NCERT Solutions Chapter 6 Ex 6.1 page covers all 18 questions, solved step-by-step — applying dy/dx and the Chain Rule to rate-of-change problems on circles, cubes, spheres, cones and marginal cost & revenue, exactly the way CBSE Application of Derivatives answers are marked.

18Questions
Easy–HardDifficulty Mix
2026-27CBSE Syllabus

Class 12 Maths NCERT Solutions Chapter 6 Ex 6.1 — All 18 Questions

1

Find the rate of change of the area of a circle with respect to its radius r when (a) r = 3\text{ cm} (b) r = 4\text{ cm}

Easy +
Solution

A = \pi r^2 \Rightarrow \dfrac{dA}{dr} = 2\pi r.

(a) At r = 3: 2\pi(3) = 6\pi.

(b) At r = 4: 2\pi(4) = 8\pi.

Answer: (a) 6\pi\text{ cm}^2\text{/cm}   (b) 8\pi\text{ cm}^2\text{/cm}
2

The volume of a cube is increasing at the rate of 8\text{ cm}^3\text{/s}. How fast is the surface area increasing when the length of an edge is 12\text{ cm}?

Medium +
Solution

Let edge = x: V = x^3 \Rightarrow \dfrac{dV}{dt} = 3x^2\dfrac{dx}{dt}.

At x = 12: 8 = 3(144)\dfrac{dx}{dt} \Rightarrow \dfrac{dx}{dt} = \dfrac{1}{54}.

Also S = 6x^2 \Rightarrow \dfrac{dS}{dt} = 12x\dfrac{dx}{dt} = 12(12)\left(\dfrac{1}{54}\right) = \dfrac{8}{3}.

Answer: the surface area is increasing at \dfrac{8}{3}\text{ cm}^2\text{/s}.
3

The radius of a circle is increasing uniformly at the rate of 3\text{ cm/s}. Find the rate at which the area of the circle is increasing when the radius is 10\text{ cm}.

Easy +
Solution

A = \pi r^2 \Rightarrow \dfrac{dA}{dt} = 2\pi r\dfrac{dr}{dt} = 2\pi(10)(3) = 60\pi.

Answer: the area is increasing at 60\pi\text{ cm}^2\text{/s}.
4

An edge of a variable cube is increasing at the rate of 3\text{ cm/s}. How fast is the volume of the cube increasing when the edge is 10\text{ cm} long?

Easy +
Solution

V = x^3 \Rightarrow \dfrac{dV}{dt} = 3x^2\dfrac{dx}{dt} = 3(100)(3) = 900.

Answer: the volume is increasing at 900\text{ cm}^3\text{/s}.
5

A stone is dropped into a quiet lake and waves move in circles at the speed of 5\text{ cm/s}. At the instant when the radius of the circular wave is 8\text{ cm}, how fast is the enclosed area increasing?

Easy +
Solution

A = \pi r^2 \Rightarrow \dfrac{dA}{dt} = 2\pi r\dfrac{dr}{dt} = 2\pi(8)(5) = 80\pi.

Answer: the enclosed area is increasing at 80\pi\text{ cm}^2\text{/s}.
6

The radius of a circle is increasing at the rate of 0.7\text{ cm/s}. What is the rate of increase of its circumference?

Easy +
Solution

C = 2\pi r \Rightarrow \dfrac{dC}{dt} = 2\pi\dfrac{dr}{dt} = 2\pi(0.7) = 1.4\pi.

Answer: the circumference is increasing at 1.4\pi\text{ cm/s}.
7

The length x of a rectangle is decreasing at the rate of 5\text{ cm/min} and the width y is increasing at the rate of 4\text{ cm/min}. When x = 8\text{ cm} and y = 6\text{ cm}, find the rates of change of (a) the perimeter, and (b) the area of the rectangle.

Medium +
Solution

Given \dfrac{dx}{dt} = -5,\ \dfrac{dy}{dt} = 4.

(a) P = 2(x+y) \Rightarrow \dfrac{dP}{dt} = 2(-5+4) = -2.

(b) A = xy \Rightarrow \dfrac{dA}{dt} = \dfrac{dx}{dt}\cdot y + x\cdot\dfrac{dy}{dt} = (-5)(6) + (8)(4) = 2.

Answer: (a) perimeter decreasing at 2\text{ cm/min}   (b) area increasing at 2\text{ cm}^2\text{/min}
8

A balloon, which always remains spherical on inflation, is being inflated by pumping in 900\text{ cm}^3 of gas per second. Find the rate at which the radius of the balloon increases when the radius is 15\text{ cm}.

Medium +
Solution

V = \dfrac{4}{3}\pi r^3 \Rightarrow \dfrac{dV}{dt} = 4\pi r^2\dfrac{dr}{dt}. At r = 15: 900 = 4\pi(225)\dfrac{dr}{dt} \Rightarrow \dfrac{dr}{dt} = \dfrac{1}{\pi}.

Answer: the radius is increasing at \dfrac{1}{\pi}\text{ cm/s}.
9

A balloon, which always remains spherical, has a variable radius. Find the rate at which its volume is increasing with the radius when the latter is 10\text{ cm}.

Easy +
Solution

V = \dfrac{4}{3}\pi r^3 \Rightarrow \dfrac{dV}{dr} = 4\pi r^2 = 4\pi(100) = 400\pi.

Answer: 400\pi\text{ cm}^3\text{/cm}
10

A ladder 5\text{ m} long is leaning against a wall. The bottom of the ladder is pulled along the ground, away from the wall, at the rate of 2\text{ cm/s}. How fast is its height on the wall decreasing when the foot of the ladder is 4\text{ m} away from the wall?

Medium +
Solution

Let x = distance of foot from wall, y = height on wall. By Pythagoras: x^2 + y^2 = 25  ...(1).

Differentiating: 2x\dfrac{dx}{dt} + 2y\dfrac{dy}{dt} = 0 \Rightarrow \dfrac{dy}{dt} = -\dfrac{x}{y}\cdot\dfrac{dx}{dt}.

At x = 4\text{ m}, (1) gives y = 3\text{ m}. With \dfrac{dx}{dt} = 0.02\text{ m/s}: \dfrac{dy}{dt} = -\dfrac{4}{3}(0.02) = -\dfrac{8}{3}\text{ cm/s}.

Answer: the height is decreasing at \dfrac{8}{3}\text{ cm/s}.
11

A particle moves along the curve 6y = x^3 + 2. Find the points on the curve at which the y-coordinate is changing 8 times as fast as the x-coordinate.

Hard +
Solution

Differentiating 6y = x^3+2: 6\dfrac{dy}{dt} = 3x^2\dfrac{dx}{dt}  ...(1).

Given \dfrac{dy}{dt} = 8\dfrac{dx}{dt}, (1) gives 48 = 3x^2 \Rightarrow x = \pm 4.

At x = 4: y = 11. At x = -4: y = -\dfrac{31}{3}.

Answer: the points are (4,\,11) and \left(-4,\,-\dfrac{31}{3}\right).
12

The radius of an air bubble is increasing at the rate of \tfrac{1}{2}\text{ cm/s}. At what rate is the volume of the bubble increasing when the radius is 1\text{ cm}?

Easy +
Solution

V = \dfrac{4}{3}\pi r^3 \Rightarrow \dfrac{dV}{dt} = 4\pi r^2\dfrac{dr}{dt}. At r=1,\ \dfrac{dr}{dt}=\tfrac{1}{2}: 4\pi(1)\left(\dfrac{1}{2}\right) = 2\pi.

Answer: 2\pi\text{ cm}^3\text{/s}
13

A balloon, which always remains spherical, has a variable diameter \tfrac{3}{2}(2x+1). Find the rate of change of its volume with respect to x.

Medium +
Solution

r = \dfrac{3}{4}(2x+1) \Rightarrow V = \dfrac{4}{3}\pi r^3 = \dfrac{9}{16}\pi(2x+1)^3. \dfrac{dV}{dx} = \dfrac{27}{8}\pi(2x+1)^2.

Answer: \dfrac{dV}{dx} = \dfrac{27}{8}\pi(2x+1)^2
14

Sand is pouring from a pipe at the rate of 12\text{ cm}^3\text{/s}. The falling sand forms a cone on the ground such that the height of the cone is always one-sixth of the radius of the base. How fast is the height of the sand cone increasing when the height is 4\text{ cm}?

Hard +
Solution

Given h = \dfrac{r}{6} \Rightarrow r = 6h  ...(1).

Substituting (1): V = \dfrac{1}{3}\pi r^2 h = 12\pi h^3 \Rightarrow \dfrac{dV}{dt} = 36\pi h^2\dfrac{dh}{dt}.

At h=4: 12 = 36\pi(16)\dfrac{dh}{dt} \Rightarrow \dfrac{dh}{dt} = \dfrac{1}{48\pi}.

Answer: the height is increasing at \dfrac{1}{48\pi}\text{ cm/s}.
15

The total cost C(x) in Rupees associated with the production of x units of an item is given by C(x) = 0.007x^3 - 0.003x^2 + 15x + 4000. Find the marginal cost when 17 units are produced.

Medium +
Solution

\dfrac{dC}{dx} = 0.021x^2 - 0.006x + 15. At x=17: 6.069 - 0.102 + 15 = 20.967.

Answer: the marginal cost is approximately ₹20.97 (nearly ₹21).
16

The total revenue in Rupees received from the sale of x units of a product is given by R(x) = 13x^2 + 26x + 15. Find the marginal revenue when x = 7.

Easy +
Solution

\dfrac{dR}{dx} = 26x + 26. At x=7: 182 + 26 = 208.

Answer: the marginal revenue is ₹208.
17

MCQ. The rate of change of the area of a circle with respect to its radius r at r = 6\text{ cm} is:   (A) 10\pi   (B) 12\pi   (C) 8\pi   (D) 11\pi

Easy +
Solution

\dfrac{dA}{dr} = 2\pi r. At r=6: 12\pi.

Answer: (B) 12\pi
18

MCQ. The total revenue in Rupees received from the sale of x units of a product is given by R(x) = 3x^2 + 36x + 5. The marginal revenue, when x = 15 is:   (A) 116   (B) 96   (C) 90   (D) 126

Easy +
Solution

\dfrac{dR}{dx} = 6x + 36. At x=15: 90 + 36 = 126.

Answer: (D) 126

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Common Questions

FAQs — Class 12 Maths NCERT Solutions Chapter 6 Ex 6.1

How many questions are there in Exercise 6.1?

Exercise 6.1 has 18 questions (16 short-answer questions plus 2 MCQs), all on the rate of change of quantities using derivatives.

What concept does Exercise 6.1 test?

It tests how to use derivatives to find how fast one quantity changes with respect to another — areas, volumes, surface areas, distances, and marginal cost/revenue — often using the Chain Rule when both quantities vary with time.

Where can I find the official NCERT textbook for this exercise?

Exercise 6.1 is from Chapter 6, Application of Derivatives, in the NCERT Class 12 Mathematics textbook (Part I), published by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and prescribed by CBSE. You can download the official textbook PDF directly from ncert.nic.in, NCERT's official website — the solutions on this page follow the questions exactly as they appear there.

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