Math 220 GW 7

SOLUTIONS

1. Using the limit definition of derivative, find the derivative function,

f 0 (x), of the following functions. Show all your beautiful algebra.

(a) f (x) = 2x

f (x + h) − f (x) 2(x + h) − 2x
lim = lim
h→0 h h→0 h
2x + 2h − 2x
= lim
h→0 h
2h
= lim
h→0 h
2.

(b) f (x) = −x2 + 2x

f (x + h) − f (x) −(x + h)2 + 2(x + h) + x2 − 2x

lim = lim
h→0 h h→0 h
−x − 2xh − h + 2x + 2h + x2 − 2x
2 2
= lim
h→0 h
2
−2xh − h + 2h
= lim
h→0 h
= lim (−2x − h + 2)
h→0
= −2x + 2.

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2. You are told f (x) = 2x3 − 4x, and f 0 (x) = 6x2 − 4. Find f 0 (3) and
f 0 (−1) and explain, in words, how to interpret these numbers.

f 0 (3) = 6(3)2 − 4 = 50. f 0 (1) = 6(1)2 − 4 = 2.

These are the slopes of f (x) at x = 3 and x = 1. Both are positive,
thus f is increasing at those points. Also, 50 > 2, so f is increasing
faster at x = 3 than at x = 1.
Example Find the derivative of f (x) = 3/x2 .

f (x + h) − f (x)
f 0 (x) = lim
h→0 h
3
(x+h)2
− x32
= lim
h→0 h
x2 3 3 (x+h)2
x2
∗ (x+h)2
− x2
∗ (x+h)2
= lim
h→0 h
3x2 −3(x+h)2
x2 (x+h)2
= lim h
h→0
1
3x2 − 3(x + 1 h)2
= lim ∗
h→0 +x2 (x h)2
h
3x − 3(x + 2xh + h2 )
2 2
= lim
h→0 hx2 (x + h)2
3x2 − 3x2 − 6xh + h2
= lim
h→0 hx2 (x + h)2
h(−6x + h)
= lim
h→0 hx2 (x + h)2
h −6x + h
= lim ∗ 2
h→0 h x (x + h)2
−6x + h
= lim 2
h→0 x (x + h)2
−6x + 0
= 2
x (x + 0)2
−6x
= 4
x
−6
= 3
x
3. For the following questions consider f (x) = 4/x.

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(a) Find the derivative f 0 (x).

4 4
f (x + h) − f (x) x+h − x
lim = lim
h→0 h h→0 h
4x−4(x+h)
x(x+h)
= lim
h→0 h
4h
= lim
h→0 hx(x + h)
4
= lim
h→0 x(x + h)
4
= 2.
x

(b) Find and interpret f 0 (5).

4 4
f 0 (5) = 2
= .
5 25
4
The slope of f at x = 5 is 25 .
(c) When x = 5, is the graph of f (x) increasing, decreasing, or nei-
ther? Explain why.
4
Since 25 is positive, f (x) is increasing at x = 5.

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 √
4. Let f (x) = x−5

(a) Find the equation of the secant line that goes through the graph
when x = 9 and x = 14.
First, we find the slope of the secant line:
√ √
f (14) − f (9) 14 − 5 − 9 − 5 3−2 1
= = = .
14 − 9 5 5 5
Then, we use point-slope formula for a line using the point (9, f (9)) =
(9, 2):
1
y − 2 = (x − 9).
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(b) Find the equation of the tangent line to the graph of f (x) when
f (9 + h) − f (9)
x = 9.(Hint: Calculate lim to find the slope of
h→0 h
the tangent line at x = 9)
Finding the tangent line, we need the tangent slope:
p
f (9 + h) − f (9) (9 + h) − 5 − 2
lim = lim
h→0 h h→0 h
√ √
4+h−2 4+h+2
= lim √
h→0 h 4+h+2
4+h−4
= lim √
h→0 h( 4 + h + 2)
h
= lim √
h→0 h( 4 + h + 2)
1
= lim √
h→0 4+h+2
1
= .
4
Using point-slope formula using the point (9, f (9)) = (9, 2):
1
y − 2 = (x − 9).
4

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5. Match the 3 functions below to their derivatives. Do this by consid-
ering when a function is increasing its derivative is positive, when a
function is decreasing its derivative is negative, and when a function
has a min/max its derivative is 0.

Functions

Possible Derivatives

Function 1—Derivate 2; Function 2—Derivate 1; Function 3—Derivate 3.

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6. Consider the graph below to be the graph of f 0 (x), the DERIVATIVE
of some unknown function f (x). Use this graph to answer the follow-
ing questions.

(a) What is the slope of the tangent line to the graph of f (x) when
x = 1?
f 0 (1) = 1.
(b) Knowing that the function f (x) can only have a min/max at the
point x = a if f 0 (a) = 0, what are the possible mins/maxes of
f (x)?
x = 1.6, 3.2, 4.7.
(c) Knowing the the function f (x) can only be increasing at the point
x = a if f 0 (a) is positive, on what intervals is f (x) increasing?
[−1, 1.6] ∪ [3.2, 4.7]. Note: we don’t know if it extends below −1.
(d) Knowing that the function f (x) can only be decreasing at the
point x = a if f 0 (a) is negative, on what intervals is f (x) decreas-
ing?
[1.6, 3.2] ∪ [4.7, 5]. Note: we don’t know if it extends past 5
(e) Find all points x = a where the tangent line to f (x) is horizontal.
These are the same as part (b): x = 1.6, 3.2, 4.7.
(f) Sketch a graph of f (x).