Application Of Derivatives

Application Of Derivatives
Summary

1. Equation. of tangent and normal

Tangent at (x1, y1) is given by (y-y1) = f ' ( x1 )( x − x1 ) ; when, f ' ( x1 ) is real

1
And normal at (x1,y1) is ( y −=
y1 ) ( x − x1 ) , when f ' ( x1 ) is nonzero real.
f ' ( x1 )
2. Tangent from an external point

Given a point P(a,b) which does not lie on the curve y =f(x), then the equation of possible
tangents to the curve y =f(x), passing through (a,b) can be found by solving for the point of
contact Q.
f (h) − b
f '(h) =
h−a

3. Length of tangent, normal, subtangent, subnormal

1
(i) PT = k 1 + = length of tangent
m2
(ii) PN = k 1 + m 2 = Length of Normal
k
(iii) TM
= = Length of subtangent
m
(iv) MN = Length of subnormal
= km

4. Angle between the curves

Angle between two intersecting curves is defined as the acute angle between their tangents (or
normals ) at the point of intersection of two curves (as shown in figure).

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m1 − m2
tan θ =
1 + m1 m2

where m1 & m2 are the slopes of tangents at the intersection point (x1.y1)
Notes: (i) The angle is defined between two curves if the curves are intersecting. This can be
ensured by finding their point of intersection or graphically.
(ii) lf the curves intersect at more than one point then angle between curves is found out with
respect to the point of intersection.
(iii) Two curves are said to be orthogonal if angle between them at each point of intersection is
right angle. i.e. m1 m2 = - 1.

5. Shortest distance between two curves

Shortest distance between two non-intersecting differentiable curves is always along their
common normal.(Wherever defined)

6. Rolle's Theorem :
If a function f defined on [a, b] is
(i) continuous on [a, b] (ii) derivable on (a, b) and
(iii) f(a) = f(b),
then there exists at least one real number c between a and b (a< c < b) such that f'(c) = 0

7. Lagrange's Mean Value Theorem (LMVT) :

If a function f defined on [a, b] is
(i) continuous on [a, b] and (ii) derivable on (a, b)

then there exists at least one real numbers between a and b (a< c < b) such that =
f (b) − f ( a )
= f '(c)
b−a
B. Monotonicity of a function :

Let f be a real valued function having domain D(D ⊂ R) and s be a subset of D. f is said to be

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monotonically increasing (non-decreasing) (increasing) in S if for every x1, x2 ϵ S, x1 < x2 ⇒

f ( x1 ) ≤ f ( x2 ) .f is said to be monotonically decreasing (non increasing) (decreasing) in S if for
every
x1 < x2 ⇒ f(x1) ≥ f(x2).
f is said to be strictly increasing in S if for x1 x2 ∈ S. x1 < x2 ⇒ f(x1) < f(x2). Similarly, f is said to
be strictly decreasing in S if for x1, x2 ∈ S, x1 < x2 ⇒ f(x1) > f(x2) .

1. Application of differentiation for detecting monotonicity:

Let I be an interval (open or closed or semi open and semi closed)
(i) If f ' ( x ) > 0∀x ∈ I , then f is strictly increasing in I
(ii) If f ' ( x ) < 0 ∀ x ∈ I , then f is strictly decreasing in I
Note: Let I be an interval (or ray) which is a subset of domain off. If f ' ( x ) > 0, ∀ x ∈ I , , except
for countably many points where f '(x) = 0, then f(x) is strictly increasing in I.
{f '(x) = 0 at countably many points ⇒ f '(x) = 0 does not occur on an interval which is a subset
of I}

2. Monotonicity of function about a point :

(i) A function f(x) is called as a strictly increasing function about a point (or at a point) a
∈ D1 if it is strictly increasing in an open interval containing a (as shown in figure).

(ii) A function f(x) is called a strictly decreasing function about a point x = a, if it is

strictly decreasing in an open interval containing a (as shown in figure).

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Note: If x = a is a boundary point then use the appropriate one sided inequality to test
monotonicity of f(x).

3. Test for increasing and decreasing functions about a point

Let f (x) be differentiable.
(i) If f’'(a) > 0 then f(x) is increasing at x = a.
(ii) If f ‘(a) < 0 then f(x) is decreasing at x = a .
(iii) If f'(a) = 0 then examine the sign of f'(x) on the left neighbourhood and the right
neighbourhood of a
(a) If f'(x) is positive on both the neighbourhoods, then f is increasing at x = a.
(b) If f'(x) is negative on both the neighbourhoods, then f is decreasing at x = a.
(c) If f'(x) have opposite signs on these neighbourhoods, then f is non-monotonic at x = a

Results: 1. If f ' ( x ) > 0∀x ∈ ( a, b ) , then the curve y = f(x) is concave in (a, b)

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2. If f '' ( x ) < 0∀x ∈ ( a, b ) then the curve y = f(x) is convex in (a, b)

3. If f is continuous at x = c and f"(x) has opposite signs on either sides of c, then the
point (c, f(c)) is a point of inflection of the curve.

4.If f '' ( 0 ) and f '''' ( c ) ≠ 0, then the point (c, f(c)) is a point of inflection

4. Proving Inequalities using curvature :

Generally, these inequalities involve comparison between values of two functions at some
particular points.

C. Maxima and Minima

1. (i) Global Maximum :

A function f(x) is said to have global maximum on a set E if there exists at least one c ∈ E such
that f ( x ) ≤ f ( c ) for all x ∈ E .
We say global maximum occurs at x = c and global maximum (or global maximum value) is f(c).

1. (ii) Local Maxima :

A function f(x) is said to have a local maximum at x = c if f(c) is the greatest value of the
function in a small neighbourhood (c - h, c + h), h > 0 of c.
i.e. for all x ∈ (c - h, c + h), x ≠c, we have f(x) ≤ f(c).
i.e. f (c − δ ) ≤ f (c) ≥ f (c − δ ) , 0 < δ < h
Note: If x = c is a boundary point then consider (c-h, c) or (c, c + h) (h > 0) appropriately.

1. (iii) Global Minimum :

A function f(x) is said to have a global minimum on a set E if there exists at least one c ∈ E such
that f ( x ) ≥ f ( c ) for all x ∈ E

1. (iv) Local Minima:

A function f(x) is said to have a local maximum at x = c if f(c) is the Least value of the function
in a small neighbourhood (c - h, c + h), h > 0 of c.

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i.e. for all x ∈ (c - h, c + h), x ≠c, we have f(x) ≥ f(c).

i.e. f (c − δ ) ≥ f (c) ≤ f (c − δ ) , 0 < δ < h

2. Extrema:
A maxima or a minima is called an extrema.

3. Maxima, Minima for differentiable functions :

A necessary condition for f(c) to be an extremum of f(x) is that f'(c) = 0.
i.e. f(c) is extremum ⇒ f’(c) = 0

4. Sufficient condition for an extrema :

A sufficient condition for f(c) to be an extremum of f(x) is that f ' ( x ) changes sign as x passes
through c.
i.e f(c) is an extrema (see figure) ⇔ f'(x) changes sign as x passes through c.

x = c is a point of maxima. f'(x) changes sign from positive to negative .

X=c is a point of local minima (see figure), f’(x) changes sign from negative to positive.

5. Stationary points :

The point on graph of function f(x) where f ' ( x ) = 0 are called stationary points.
Rate of change of f(x) is zero at a stationary point.

6. First Derivative Test :

Let f(x) be continuous and differentiable function.

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Step- I Find f'(x) .

Step-II. Solve f'(x) = 0, let x = c be a solution. (i.e. Find stationary points)
Step - III. Observe change of sign
(i) If f'(x) changes sign from negative to positive as x crosses c from left to right then x =
c is a Point of local minima.
(ii) If f'(x) changes sign from positive to negative as x crosses c from left to right then x
= c is a Point of local maxima.
(iii) If f'(x) does not changes sign as x crosses c then x = c is neither a point of maxima
nor minirna
Note : In case of continuous functions points of maxima and minima are alternate.

7. Critical points:

The points where f'(x) = 0 or f(x) is not differentiable are called critical points.
Stationary points ⊆ Critical points

Important Note:

For f(x) defined on a subset of R, points of extrema (if exists) occur at critical points

Note : Critical points are always interior points of an interval.

8. Global extrema for continuous functions :

(i) Function defined on closed interval

Let f(x), x ϵ [a, b] be a continuous function
Step - I: Find critical points. Let it be c1 , c2 ……….cn
Step - II : Find f(a), f(c1) …..f(cn), f(b)
Let M = max· { f(a), f(c1) , ........... , f(cn), f(b)}
m = min · {f(a), f(c1), .... ... .f(cn), f(b)}
Step - III: M is global maximum.
m is global minimum

(ii) Function defined on closed interval

Let f(x), x ϵ [a, b] be a continuous function
Step - I: Find critical points. Let it be c1 , c2 ……….cn
Step - II : Find f(c1), f(c2) …..f(cn)
Let M = max· { f(c1) , ........... , f(cn)}
m = min ·{f(c1), ........f(cn)}
= lim f ( x ) l1=( say ) , xlim f ( x ) l2 ( say )
Step-III x→a+ →b −

= Let l min = .{l1.l2 }, L max .{l1 , l2 }

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Step-IV

(i) If m ≤ l then m is global minimum

(ii) If m > I. then f(x) has no gobal minimum
(iii) If M ≥ L then M is global maximum
(iv) If M < L , then f(x) has no global maximum

9. Maxima, Minima by higher order derivatives :

Second derivative test :

Let f(x) have derivatives up to second order

Step - I. Find f'(x) l
Step - II. Solve f'(x) = 0 . Let x = c be a solution
Step- III. Find f '' ( c )
Step - IV.
(i) If f"(c) = 0 then further investigation is required
(ii) If f"(c) > 0 then x = c is a point of minima.
(ii) If f"(c) < 0 then x = c is a point of maxima.

For maxima f ' ( x ) changes from positive to negative (as shown in figure).
⇒ f ' ( x ) is decreasing hence f '' ( c ) < 0

10. nth Derivative test:

Let f(x) have derivatives up to nth order

f ' ( c ) f=
If = '' ( c ) ............
= f n= −1
( c ) 0 and
then we have following possibilities
(i) n is even, f(n)(c) < 0 ⇒ x = c is point of maxima
(ii) n is even, f((n)>(c) > 0 ⇒ x = c is point of minima.
(iii) n is odd, f(n)(c) < 0 ⇒ f(x) is decreasing about x = c

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(iv) n is odd, f(n) > 0 ⇒ f(x) is increasing about x = c.

11. Application of Maxima, Minima:

Useful Formulae of Mensuration to Remember:

1. Volume of a cuboid= lbh.

2. Surface area of cuboid = 2(eb + bh + he).
3. Volume of cube = a3
4. Surface area of cube = 6a2
1
5. Volume of a cone = π r 2 h
3
6. Curved surface area of cone= π rl (l = slant height)
7. Curved surface area of a cylinder = 2πrh.
8. Total surface area of a cylinder= 2πrh + 2πr2
4
9. Volume of a sphere = π r 3
3
10. Surface area of a sphere = 4πr2
1
11. Area of a circular sector = r 2θ , when θ is in radians.
2
12. Volume of a prism= (area of the base) x (height).
13. Lateral surface area of a prism= (perimeter of the base) x (height).
14. Total surface area of a prism= (lateral surface area)+ 2(area of the base)
(Note that lateral surfaces of a prism are all rectangle).
1
15. Volume of a pyramid = ( area of the base ) × ( height )
3
1
16. Curved surface area of a pyramid = (perimeter of the base) x (slant height).
2
(Note that slant surfaces of a pyramid are triangles) .

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Practice Questions
1. If the curve y2 = 6x, 9x2 + by2 = 16 intersect each other at right angles, then the value of b is:
9
(a)
2
(b) 6
7
(c)
2
(d) 4
1 1 f ( x)
2. Let f ( x=
) x2 + and g ( x ) = x − , x ∈ R − {−1, 0,1} . If h ( x ) = , then the local
x 2
x g ( x)
minimum value of h(x) is:
(a) 2 2
(b) 3
(c) – 3
(d) −2 2

3. If a right circular cone, having maximum volume, is inscribed in a sphere of radius 3 cm, then
the curved surface area (in cm2) of this cone is:
(a) 8√2𝜋𝜋
(b) 6√2𝜋𝜋
(c) 6√2𝜋𝜋
(d) 8√3𝜋𝜋

4. If a right circular cone, having maximum volume, is inscribed in a sphere of radius 3 cm, then
the curved surface area (in cm2) of this cone is:
(a) 8√2𝜋𝜋
(b) 6√2𝜋𝜋
(c) 8√3𝜋𝜋
(d) 6√3𝜋𝜋

5. A boat is to be driven 300 km at a constant speed of x kmph. Speed rules required 25 ≤ x ≤ 60.
x2
The fuel cost Rs. 10 per litre and is consumed at the rate of 2 + liters/hours the wages of the
600
driver is Rs. 200/hour. The most economical speed to drive the boat in kmph, is
(a) 50
(b) 50√3
(c) 20√3
(d) 60

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6. Let M and m be respectively the absolute maximum and the absolute minimum values of the
function, f (x) = 2x3 – 9x2 + 12x + 5 in the interval [0, 3]. Then M – m is equal to.
(a) 1
(b) 5
(c) 4
(d) 9

7. Twenty meters of wire is available for fencing off a flower-bed in the form of a circular sector.
Then the maximum area (in sq. m) of the flower-bed, is
(a) 12.5
(b) 10
(c) 25
(d) 30

8. The normal to the curve y (x – 2) (x – 3) = x – 6 at the point where the curve intersects the y-
axis passes through the point
 1 1
(a)  − , − 
 2 2
1 1
(b)  , 
2 2
1 1
(c)  , − 
 2 3
1 1
(d)  , 
 2 3

( x ) α log | x | + β x 2 + x then
9. If x = - 1 and x = 2 are extreme points of f =
1
(a) α = 2, β = −
2
1
(b)=α 2,=
β
2
1
(c) α =
−6, β =
2
1
(d) α =
−6, β =−
2

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10. The tangent at the point (2, −2) to the curve, x2y2 − 2x = 4(1 − y) does not pass through the
point:
 1
(a)  4, 
 3
(b) (8, 5)
(c) (- 4, -5)
(d) (-2, -7)

11. The function f defined by f(x) = x3 − 3x2 + 5x + 7, is:

(a) increasing in R.
(b) decreasing in R.
(c) decreasing in (0, ∞) and increasing in (−∞, 0).
(d) increasing in (0, ∞) and decreasing in (−∞, 0).

12. In a geometric progression, if the ratio of the sum of first 5 terms to the sum of their reciprocals
is 49, and the sum of the first and the third term is 35. Then the first term of this geometric
progression is
(a) 42
(b) 28
(c) 21
(d) 7

 1 + sin x   π
13.
= Consider f ( x ) tan −1   , x ∈  0,  .
 1 − sin x   2
 
π
A normal to y = f(x) at x = also passes through the point:
6
(a) (0, 0)
 2π 
(b)  0, 
 3 
π 
(c)  , 0 
6 
π 
(d)  , 0 
4 

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14. A wire of length 2 units is cut into two parts which are bent respectively to form a square of
side = x units and a circle of radius = r units. If the sum of the areas of the square and the circle so
formed is minimum, then:
(a) 2x = (𝜋𝜋 + 4) r
(b) (4 – 𝜋𝜋) x = 𝜋𝜋r
(c) x = 2r
(d) 2x = r

15. If the tangent at a point P, with parameter t, on the curve x = 4t2 + 3, y = 8t3 − 1, t 𝜖𝜖 R, meets
the curve again at a point Q, then the coordinates of Q are:
(a) (t2 + 3, − t3 − 1)
(b) (4t2 + 3, − 8t3 − 1)
(c) (t2 + 3, t3 − 1)
(d) (16t2 + 3, − 64t3 − 1)

16. The minimum distance of a point on the curve y = x2 − 4 from the origin is:
19
(a)
2
15
(b)
2
15
(c)
2
19
(d)
2

17. The normal to the curve, x2 + 2xy – 3y2 = 0 at (1,1)

(a) Does not meet the curve again
(b) Meets the curve again in the second quadrant
(c) Meets the curve again in the third quadrant
(d) Meets the curve again in the fourth quadrant

18. Let f (x) be a polynomial of degree four having extreme values at x = 1 and x = 2. If
 f ( x) 
lim 1 + 2  = 3 , then f(b) is equal to
x →0
 x 
(a) – 8
(b) – 4
(c) 0
(d) 4

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19. The distance, from the origin, of the normal to the curve, x = 2 cos t + 2t sin t, y = 2 sin t – 2t
π
cos t at t = , is:
4
(a) 4
(b) 2√2
(c) 2
(d) √2

20. Let M and m be respectively the absolute maximum and the absolute minimum values of the
function, f (x) = 2x3 − 9x2 +12x + 5 in the interval [0, 3]. Then M − m is equal to:
(a) 5
(b) 9
(c) 4
(d) 1

21. Let the tangents drawn to the circle, x2 + y2 = 16 from the point P (0, h) meet the x-axis at
points A and B. If the area of ∆APB is minimum, then h is equal to:
(a) 4 3
(b) 3 3
(c) 3 2
(d) 4 2

π 
22. The equation of a normal to the curve,
= sin y x sin  + y  at x = 0, is:
3 
(a) 2 x + 3 y =
0
(b) 2 y − 3 x =
0
(c) 2 y + 3 x =
0
(d) 2 x − 3 y =
0

(1 + x )
0.6

23. Let k and K be the minimum and the maximum values of the function f ( x ) = in [0,
1 + x 0.6
1] respectively, then the ordered pair (k, K) is equal to:
(a) (1, 20.6)
(b) (2–0.4, 20.6)
(c) (2–0.6, 1)
(d) (2–0.4, 1)

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1
24. If Rolle’s theorem holds for the function f (x) = 2x3 + bx2 + cx, x 𝜖𝜖 [-1, 1], at the point x = ,
2
then 2b + c equals:
(a) 1
(b) – 1
(c) 2
(d) – 3

25. If f and g are differentiable functions in [0, 1] satisfying f (0) = 2 = g (a), g (0) = 0 and f (a) =
6, then for some c ∈ [0, 1].
(a) f ' ( c ) = g ' ( c )
(b) f ' ( c ) = 2 g ' ( c )
(c) 2 f ' ( c ) = g ' ( c )
(d) 2 f ' ( c ) = 3 g ' ( c )

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Answers
1. (a) 2. (a) 3. (d) 4. (c) 5. (d) 6. (a) 7. (c) 8. (b) 9. (a) 10. (a) 11. (a) 12. (b) 13. (b)
14. (c) 15. (a) 16. (c) 17. (d) 18. (c) 19. (c) 20. (d) 21. (b) 22. (d) 23. (c) 24. (b) 25. (b)

“Detail solutions are mentioned in the content library”

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