3.

8 Direct, Inverse, and Joint

Variation
Objective: Solve problems
involving direct, inverse, and joint
variation.
 Direct
Variation:

y = kx
Ex.1) Suppose y varies directly as x and y=45
when x = 2.5.
a.) Find the constant of variation and write
an equation in the form y=kx^n
b.) Use the equation to find the value of y
when x=4.
 When an object such as a car is accelerating,
Ex.2) twice the distance d it travels varies directly
with the square of the time t elapsed. One
car accelerating for 4 minutes travels 1440
feet.
a.) Write an equation of direct variation relating
travel distance to time elapsed. Then graph
the equation.
b.) Use the equation to find the distance
traveled by the car in 8 minutes.

Ex.3) If y varies directly as the square of x and

y=30 when x=4, find x when y=270.
 Inverse
Variation:

Ex. 4) If y varies inversely as x and y=14 when

x=3, find x when y=30.
 Joint
Variation:

Ex.5) In Physics, the work W done in charging a

capacitor varies jointly as the charge q
and the voltage V. Find the equation of
joint variation if a capacitor with a
charge of 0.004 coulomb and a voltage
of 100 volts performs 0.20 joule of work.