Mixing Problems

The general set-up for mixing problems is:

dQ
dt
= (ow rate)
in

amount
volume

in
(ow rate)
out

Q
initial volume + t(ow rate
in
ow rate
out
)

Lets write this a bit more concisely by dening some variables.

Let F = ow rate V = volume i = in
A = amount V
0
= initial volume o = out
So, our equation becomes:
dQ
dt
= F
i

A
V

QF
o
V
0
+ t(F
i
F
o
)

Solving Mixing Problems: Step-by-Step

1. Identify variables: F
i
, F
o
, A
i
, V
i
, V
0
2. Plug all values into the general formula
3. Solve by one of the following methods
Separable Equations
Integrating Factors
See the handouts on Separable Equations and Integrating Factors to complete Step 3.
Example 1 A 300 gal tank is lled with pure water. Solution from a 100 gal tank containing water and
5 lb of salt is poured into the 300 gal tank at a rate of 2 gal/min and ows out at the same rate. Find
the amount of salt in the larger tank at any time t.
Solution
Step 1: Identify variables
The rst sentence indicates initial volume:
V
0
= 300
Next, we have a solution entering our tank at a
rate of 2 gal/min and leaving at the same rate.
Thus,
F
i
= F
o
= 2
We are told that the solution entering contains 5
lbs of salt in the 300 gal of volume. Therefore,

A
V

i
=
5
100
=
1
20
Step 2: Plug all values into the general formula
dQ
dt
= 2

1
20

2Q
300 + t(2 2)

=
1
10

2Q
300

=
1
10

Q
150
We will not solve the dierential equation.

c 2014 Matthew Beesley - math.byututor.com

Mixing Problems
Example 2 A 60 liter tank is lled with water and 3 kg of salt totaling 50 liters. Water containing 5 kg
of salt per liter is poured in at a rate of sin t liters/min and ows out at a rate of cos t liters/min. Write
an initial value problem for Q.
Solution
Step 1: Identify variables
Our initial volume is given again in the rst
sentence.
V
0
= 50
We are then told that the water coming in has 5
kg of salt per every liter. So,
A
i
= 5
V
i
= 1
The ow rate in is then given as a function of t
F
i
= sin t
Similarly, the ow rate out is
F
o
= cos t
Step 2: Plug all values into the general formula
dQ
dt
= sin t

5
1

(cos t)Q
50 + t(sin t cos t)

= 5 sin t

(cos t)Q
50 + t(sin t cos t)

And our initial amount of Q is given as 3 kg.

Thus, our initial value problem is:
dQ
dt
= 5 sin t

(cos t)Q
50 + t(sin t cos t)

Q(0) = 3

c 2014 Matthew Beesley - math.byututor.com