Engineering Peer Led Session Differentials Reference: Section 2.

8 Pre-Assignment: Do questions a-d below, read the "Why" section and do questions 1-4 of the activity . dy In a-d, find the derivative and use Leibniz notation, e.g., . dx (a) y = 2 x 50.08 x 320

(b)

B=

1 10 w 15

(c) C = 2 r

(d)

12 t 31 P= 4 t 9

Why? Differential calculus can be used to approximate a complicated function by a simple linear function to a degree of accuracy that is acceptable for specific applications. These approximating linear functions are called linearizations, and are based on tangent lines and the differential variables dx and dy. As an example, suppose you are working with a complicated function f at a particular value x. We know that the tangent line to f at x is a linear function that passes through the point (x, f (x)). So for a certain, possibly very small, distance around this point, the tangent line closely resembles the function f. Thus we can use the simple linear function, given by the tangent line, to estimate the values of f at values close to x, up to our acceptable range of error. This lab will introduce the idea of linearization using differentials.

Activity Model 1: The graph below represents the price p(x) in dollars of a certain stock x days after purchase.

(1) What is the value of the stock on day 6? (2) Draw a tangent line on the curve at the point (6, p(6)) that extends beyond x = 8. (3) What is the y-value on the tangent line at the point x = 7 ? (4) What is the y-value on the tangent line at the point x = 8 ? (5) Which of the y-values that you found in questions 3 and 4 would be a better projected estimate of the value of the stock? Explain your reasoning.

(6) Choose a value of x whose y-value on the tangent line would be an even better estimate of the value of the stock than previously stated in question 5. Explain why you chose this point.

Model 2:

L x= f ' c xc f c , the tangent line of f at c dx = "run" of L(x) between c and c + x dy = "rise" of L(x) between L(c) and L(c + x) x = "run" of f(x) between c and c + x y = "rise" of f(x) between f(c) and f(c + x) (7) In the graph above what does the line L(x) represent? (8) What is the slope of L(x)? (9) What does the quantity y represent? (10) What does the quantity dy represent? (11) What relationship exists between dx and x? (12) Estimate the difference between dy and y. What is the relationship between dy and y?

(13) Find the point on Model 2 whose y-value is f(c) + dy. Label it P on the graph. (14) Find the point on Model 2 whose y-value is f(c) + y. Label it Q on the graph. (15) What can you say about the points P and Q?

(16) Suppose you only knew the value f(c) and the value dy. How could you estimate the value of f(c + x) using f(c) and dy?

(17) The differential dy of f at c is defined as dy = f '(c)dx. Explain why this equation makes sense.

(18) If f '(c) = 4 and x = .25 what is dy? (19) Consider the function f x = x . Find a numerical estimate of calculator. Hint: let c = 4 and x = 0.5.

4.05

without using a

Problem: (The following problem is taken from page 212 of Calculus 4th ed. by James Stewart Brooks/Cole 1999.) When blood flows along a blood vessel, the flux F (the volume of blood per unit time that flows past a given point) is proportional to the fourth power of the radius R of the blood vessel: F = k R 4 , where k > 0 is a constant. (This is known as Poiseuille's Law.) A partially clogged artery can be expanded by an operation called angioplasty, in which a balloon-tipped catheter is inflated inside the artery in order to widen it and restore the normal blood flow. Show that the relative change in F is about four times the relative change in R. Use differentials to estimate how a 5% increase in the radius affect the flow of blood. Analyze: A relative change is the ratio of the differential of a function to the function itself. How can you write this ratio using mathematical notation? Data List: Write down all relevant equations and known and unknown quantities.

Solve:

Discuss: Is your answer to the second part of the problem an overestimate or an underestimate? Explain your reasoning.

Engineering Peer Led Session Differentials Activity Report We verify that we all understand and agree with the solutions to these questions. Group #: Manager: Recorder: Spokesperson: Strategy Analyst:

Critical Thinkingto be completed by the recorder. Your peer leader will give you instructions on how to fill out this section.

For Instructors Use Only All questions filled out Names and U numbers printed on activity report Critical Thinking fully justified and written in complete sentences Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory

Reflection on Learning --- to be completed by the Strategy Analyst

Group #:______

In some ways, learning mathematics is similar to learning a foreign language. Mathematics uses its own type of notation to communicate ideas. The reason why this notation is used is because mathematical ideas are very precise. Sometimes when we interpret mathematics into English we lose some of this precision. So learning mathematics requires also learning how to read, interpret, and write with this notation. What was the most difficult mathematical notation in today's peer led session? Explain.