DIFFERENTIATION & FUNCTIONS (Q 6, 7 & 8, PAPER 1)

2002
6 (a) Let f ( x) = 13 ( x − 8) for x ∈ R.
Evaluate f (5).

dy
(b) (i) Find where y = ( x − 1)7 and evaluate your answer at x = 2.
dx
dy
(ii) Find where y = ( x3 − 3)( x 2 − 4) and simplify your answer.
dx

(c) Let f ( x) = x3 − ax + 7 for all x ∈ R and for a ∈ R.

(i) The slope of the tangent to the curve y = f (x) at x = 1 is −9.
Find the value of a.
(ii) Hence, find the co-ordinates of the local maximum point and the local minimum
point on the curve y = f (x).
SOLUTION
6 (a)
f ( x) = 13 ( x − 8)
⇒ f (5) = 13 (5 − 8) = 13 (−3) = −1

6 (b) (i) REMEMBER IT AS:

dy du
y = (u ) n ⇒ = n(u ) n −1 × ... 1 Push the power down in front of
dx dx the bracket and subtract one from
the power. Multiply by the differen-
tiation of the inside of the bracket.
y = ( x − 1)7
dy du
⇒ = 7( x − 1)6 (1) = 7( x − 1)6 u = ( x − 1) ⇒ =1
dx dx

6 (b) (ii) THE PRODUCT RULE: If y = u × v then:

dy dv du
=u +v ....... 2
dx dx dx
du
y = ( x3 − 3)( x 2 − 4) u = ( x3 − 3) ⇒ = 3x 2
dx
dy dv du
⇒ =u +v = ( x3 − 3)(2 x) + ( x 2 − 4)(3 x 2 ) v = ( x 2 − 4) ⇒
dv
= 2x
dx dx dx dx
dy
⇒ = 2 x 4 − 6 x + 3 x 4 − 12 x 2 = 5 x 4 − 12 x 2 − 6 x
dx
6 (c) (i)
dy ⎛ dy ⎞
Find the slope of the curve at x = 1, ⎜ ⎟ , and put it equal to −9.
dx ⎝ dx ⎠ x =1
y = f ( x) = x3 − ax + 7
dy
∴ = 3x 2 − a
dx
⎛ dy ⎞
⇒ ⎜ ⎟ = 3(1) 2 − a = −9
⎝ dx ⎠ x =1
⇒ 3 − a = −9
∴ a = 12

6 (c) (ii) STEPS FOR FINDING THE LOCAL MAXIMUM AND LOCAL MINIMUM OF A FUNCTION:
STEPS
dy d2y
1. Differentiate the function to find . Differentiate again to find .
dx dx 2
dy
2. Set = 0 and solve for x to find the turning points.
dx

d2y
3. Substitute the turning points into to decide if they are a local
dx 2
maximum or a local minimum.
4. Find the y coordinates of the turning points by substituting the x values
back into the equation of the original function.

1. y = f ( x) = x3 − 12 x + 7
dy
= 3 x 2 − 12
dx
d2y
= 6x
dx 2
dy
2. = 0 ⇒ 3 x 2 − 12 = 0
dx
⇒ 3( x 2 − 4) = 0
⇒ 3( x + 2)( x − 2) = 0
∴ x = −2, 2
⎛ d2y ⎞
⎛ d2y ⎞ Local Maximum: ⎜ 2 ⎟ < 0
3. ⎜ 2 ⎟ = 6(−2) = −12 ⎝ dx ⎠ TP
⎝ dx ⎠ x =−2 ....... 7
⎛ d2y ⎞
⎛ d2y ⎞ Local Minimum: ⎜ 2 ⎟ > 0
⎜ 2 ⎟ = 6(2) = 12 ⎝ dx ⎠ TP
⎝ dx ⎠ x = 2
4. x = −2 : y = f (−2) = (−2)3 − 12(−2) + 7 = −8 + 24 + 7 = 23 ⇒ (−2, 23) is a local maximum.
x = 2 : y = f (2) = (2)3 − 12(2) + 7 = 8 − 24 + 7 = 23 ⇒ (2, − 9) is a local minimum.
7 (a) Differentiate 7 x3 − 3 x 2 + 9 x with respect to x.

1
(b) (i) Differentiate x5 − 17 + with respect to x.
x5
2x
(ii) Differentiate with respect to x and simplify your answer.
x −1

(c) A marble rolls along the top of a table. It starts to move at t = 0 seconds.
The distance that it has travelled at t seconds is given by
s = 14t − t 2
where s is in centimetres.
(i) What distance has the marble travelled when t = 2 seconds?
(ii) What is the speed of the marble when t = 5 seconds?
(iii) When is the speed of the marble equal to zero?
(iv) What is the acceleration of the marble?
SOLUTION
REMEMBER IT AS:
7 (a) (i)
dy Multiply down by the power and
y = xn ⇒ = nx n −1 ....... 1
dx subtract one from the power.

dy
CONSTANT RULE: If y = Constant ⇒ =0
dx
dy du
MULTIPLY BY A CONSTANT RULE: If y = cu, where c is a constant and u is a function of x, = c× .
dx dx
y = 7 x3 − 3x 2 + 9 x
dy
⇒ = 7 × 3 x 2 − 3 × 2 x + 9 = 21x 2 − 6 x + 9
dx
7 (b) (i)
1
y = x5 − 17 + 5
= x5 − 17 + x −5 POWER RULES
x 1
4. a − n = n Ex. x −3 =
1
dy a x3
⇒ = 5 x 4 − 0 − 5 x −6
dx
dy 5
⇒ = 5x4 − 6
dx x
u
7 (b) (ii) THE QUOTIENT RULE: If y = then:
v
du dv du dv
v−u v −u
2x dy ( x − 1)2 − 2 x(1) dy dx dx
y= ⇒ = dx 2 dx = =
v2
....... 3
x − 1 dx v ( x − 1) 2 dx

dy 2 x − 2 − 2 x 2
⇒ = =− u = 2x ⇒
du
=2
dx ( x − 1) 2
( x − 1) 2 dx
dv
v = ( x − 1) ⇒ =1
dx
7 (c) (i)
Draw up a s, v, a table as shown on the right. ds
v= ...... 8
you are asked to find the distance s travelled after a time dt
t = 2 seconds.
dv
s = 14t − t 2 ⇒ s = 14(2) − (2) 2 = 28 − 4 a= ...... 9
dt
∴ s = 24 cm
7 (c) (ii) s = 14t − t 2
You are asked to find the speed v when ds
t = 5 seconds. v= = 14 − 2t
dt
v = 14 − 2t ⇒ v = 14 − 2(5) = 14 − 10 dv
a= = −2
∴ v = 4 cm/s dt

7 (c) (iii)
You are asked to find the time t when the speed v is zero.
v = 14 − 2t ⇒ 0 = 14 − 2t
⇒ 2t = 14
∴t = 7 s

7 (c) (iv)
a = −2 cm/s 2

1
8 Let f ( x) = .
x+2
(i) Find f (−6), f (−3), f (−1), f (0) and f (2).

(ii) For what real value of x is f (x) not defined?

1
(iii) Draw the graph of f ( x) = for −6 ≤ x ≤ 2.
x+2

(iv) Find f ′( x), the derivative of f (x).

(v) Find the two values of x at which the slope of the tangent to the graph is − 19 .

(vi) Show that there is no tangent to the graph of f that is parallel to the x-axis.
SOLUTION
DRAWING RECIPROCAL GRAPHS
STEPS
1. Find the gap first by putting the bottom of the function equal to
zero and solving for x.
2. Find other values of f (x) by putting in values of x as given in the
domain.
3. Plot these points by joining up smoothly and continuing towards
the vertical line but never touching it.
8 (i)
1
f ( x) =
x+2
1 1
f (−6) = = − = −0.25
−6 + 2 4
1 1
f (−3) = = − = −1
−3 + 2 1
1 1
f (−1) = = =1
−1 + 2 1
1 1
f ( 0) = = = 0.5
0+2 2
1 1
f ( 2) = = = 0.25
2+2 4
8 (ii)
Put the bottom equal to zero. This will give the equation of the gap or the asymptote in
the graph. It is also the value of x for which f (x) is not defined.
x + 2 = 0 ⇒ x = −2

8 (iii)
Use the values from part (i) and the asymptote equation in part (ii) to draw the graph.
Points: (−6, 0.25), (−3, − 1), (−1, 1), (0, 0.5), (2, 0.25)
f (x)
1.5

0.5

-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 x

-0.5

x = -2 -1

8 (iv)
1
f ( x) = = ( x + 2) −1
( x + 2)
1
⇒ f ′( x) = −1( x + 2) −2 (1) = −
( x + 2) 2
8 (v)
STEPS
dy
1. Differentiate the equation of the curve: .
dx
dy
2. Put equal to the slope, m, and solve the resulting equation for x to get
dx
the x coordinates of the points.
3. Substitute these values of x back into the equation of the curve to get the
y coordinates of the points.

dy 1
1. f ′( x) = =−
dx ( x + 2) 2
1 1
2. − = − ⇒ 9 = ( x + 2) 2 [Multiply across by 9(x + 2)2.]
( x + 2) 2
9
⇒ ±3 = x + 2
∴ x = −5, 1
Step 3 is not required as you need to find the x values only.

8 (vi)
Any line parallel to the x-axis has a slope of zero.
dy
Put equal to zero and show it has no solutions.
dx
dy 1
=0⇒− = 0 [Multiply across by (x + 2)2.]
dx ( x + 2) 2
⇒ −1 = 0
This equation is nonsense. Therefore, there are no tangents to the graph that are parallel to
the x-axis.