Related Rates: Rocket Lift-off

[kallen805]

A television camera at ground level is filming the lift-off of a rocket that is rising vertically according to the position function s=50t^2, where "s" is in feet and "t" is in seconds. The camera is 2,000 feet from the base of the launch pad. Find the rate of change in the angle of elevation of the camera 10 seconds after lift-off.

I have the diagram. It is a right triangle, with the base=2,000 ft. the height="s".

I took Calculus a couple of semesters ago, and didn't get it then, and am struggling again. I know I have to come up with an equation, but not the s=50t^s one...

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

[stapel_eliz]

Hint: This is a related-rates exercise, where you need to differentiate stuff with respect to time "t".