Application of Derivatives: Approximations

Radius of a circle is 15 cm and it increases by $3\%$. Find the approximate increase in its area using differentials.


Radius of circle $=r=15$ cm

$\Delta r = 3 \% = 0.03$

Area of circle $=A=\pi r^2$

$\therefore$ $\dfrac{dA}{dr}= 2 \pi r$

$\begin{aligned} \text{Increase in area} = \Delta A & = \left(\dfrac{dA}{dr}\right) \times \Delta r \\ & = 2 \pi r \times \Delta r \\ & = 2 \times \pi \times 15 \times 0.03 \\ & = 0.9 \pi \;\; cm^2 \end{aligned}$