MA1102R CALCULUS

Lesson 13
Wang Fei

matwf@nus.edu.sg

Department of Mathematics
Office: S14-02-09
Tel: 6516-2937

Chapter 4: Application of Differentiation 2

Optimization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
l’Hôpital’s Rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Appendix 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Appendix 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

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Chapter 4: Application of Differentiation 2 / 21

Optimization Problems
• What is optimization problem?
◦ Finding extreme values in practical application.
• Maximize areas, volumes, profits, . . . ,
• Minimize distances, costs, times, . . . .
• How to optimize?
◦ Understand the problem.
◦ Draw a diagram.
◦ Introduce notations.
◦ Find relations among the variables.
◦ Express the problem as finding the absolute maximum
or minimum of a function f (x) on a specified domain.
◦ Find the absolute maximum and minimum.
• Closed Interval Method (on finite closed interval),
• Increasing/Decreasing Test (works for all cases).

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Example 1
• Example. A farmer has 2400 ft of fencing and wants to fence off a rectangular field that borders a
straight river. He needs no fence along the river. What are the dimensions of the field that has the
largest area?

x A = Area x

◦ Aim: Maximize A = xy , where

• 2x + y = 2400, x, y ≥ 0.

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Example 1
• Maximize A = xy , where 2x + y = 2400, x, y ≥ 0.
◦ 2x + y = 2400 ⇒ y = 2400 − 2x.
• y ≥ 0 ⇒ x ≤ 1200.
• It is equivalent to
Finding maximum of A(x) = x(2400 − 2x) on [0, 1200].
◦ Critical number:
• A′ (x) = 2400 − 4x.
• A′ (x) = 0 ⇒ x = 600. A(600) = 720 000.
◦ Endpoints: x = 0, 1200. A(0) = A(1200) = 0.
◦ A(x) has maximum value 720 000 when x = 600.
• Conclusion: the field has the largest area 720 000 ft2 ,
when it has width 600 ft, and length 1200 ft.

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Example 2
• A cylindrical can is to be made to hold 1 liter of oil. Find the dimensions that will minimize the cost
of the metal to manufacture the can.

◦ Minimize S = 2πrh + 2πr 2 , where

• V = πr 2 h = 1, r, h > 0.

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Example 2
• Minimize S = 2πr 2 + 2πrh, V = πr 2 h = 1, r, h > 0.
1 2πr 2
◦ h= 2
⇒ S = 2πr 2 + 2 = 2πr 2 + .
πr πr r
2
Find the minimum of S(r) = 2πr 2 + for r > 0.
r
2 2
◦ S ′ (r) = 4πr − 2 = 2 (2πr 3 − 1).
r r
1
◦ S (r) = 0 ⇒ r = √
′
3
= r0 .
2π
0 < r < r0 ⇒ S ′ (r) < 0; r > r0 ⇒ S ′ (r) > 0.
S(r) is decreasing on (0, r0 ], is increasing on [r0 , ∞).
∴ S(r) has the absolute minimum at r = r0 .
• The cost is minimized when we choose r
1 3 4
radius r = r0 = √ , and height h = .
3
2π π
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Example 3
• Find the point on the parabola y 2 = 2x that is closest to the point (1, 4).
y (1, 4)
b

b
b (x, y)
b y 2 = 2x
b
b
b
b
O b x
b
b
b
b
b

p
◦ Minimize d = (x − 1)2 + (y − 4)2 ,
• where y 2 = 2x.

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4
Example 3
p
• Minimize d = (x − 1)2 + (y − 4)2 , with y 2 = 2x.
r
y2 2 y2
◦ d(y) = − 1 + (y − 4)2 , (x = ).
2 2
It is equivalent to minimizing
 y2 2
◦ f (y) = (d(y))2 = −1 + (y − 4)2 on R.
2
• f ′ (y) = y 3 − 8. Then f ′ (y) = 0 ⇒ y = 2.
• If y < 2, f ′ (y) < 0; f is decreasing on (−∞, 2].
• If y > 2, f ′ (y) > 0; f is increasing on [2, ∞).
◦ So f (y) attains the absolute minimum at y = 2.
∴ d(y) attains the absolute minimum at y = 2. (x = 2)
◦ Therefore, the point on y 2 = 2x which is closest to (4, 1) is (2, 2). Moreover, the distance is
p √
d = (2 − 4)2 + (2 − 1)2 = 5.

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Example 4
• A man launches his boat from point A on a bank of a straight river, 3km wide, and wants to reach
point B , 8km downstream on the opposite bank, as quick as possible. If he can row 6km/h and
run 8km/h, where should he land?

A
b
√
9 + x2 km
3km

b b

C D 8km B

xkm (8 − x)km

√
9 + x2 8 − x
◦ Minimize T (x) = + , 0 ≤ x ≤ 8.
6 8
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5
Example 4
√
9 + x2 8 − x
• Minimize T (x) = + on [0, 8].
6 8
x 1
◦ T ′ (x) = √ − .
6 9 + x2 √8
T (x) = 0 ⇒ 8x = 6 9 + x2 ⇒ 16x2 = 81 + 9x2
′

9
⇒ 7x2 = 81 ⇒ x = √ (x > 0).
7
9
◦ Compare the values T (0), T (8) and T ( √ ):
7
73
• T (0) = 1.5, T (8) = ≈ 1.42, and
√ 6
9 7
T (√ ) = 1 + ≈ 1.33.
7 8
√
◦ Therefore, he should land at 9/ 7 km away downstream from the starting point.

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Example 5: Fermat’s Principle and Snell’s Law

• Fermat’s Principle. The light travels along a path for which the time is minimized.
• Snell’s Law. Let v1 and v2 be the velocity of light in air and in water respectively. Use Fermat’s
Principle to show that
sin θ1 v1
= .
sin θ2 v2
A b

θ1
a
θ1
B′
bC
A′ x d−x
θ2
b
θ2

bB

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Example 5: Fermat’s Principle and Snell’s Law
A b d−x

a θ1 θ1
B′
bC
A′ x
θ2 b
θ2
bB

√ p
a2 + x2 b2 + (d − x)2
• Minimize T (x) = + on [0, d].
v1 v2
x d−x sin θ1 sin θ2
T ′ (x) = √ − p = − .
v1 2
a +x2 2
v2 b + (d − x) 2 v1 v2

◦ As x moves from 0 to d smoothly,

• θ1 ր and θ2 ց ⇒ T ′ (x) ր.
• T ′ (0) < 0, T ′ (d) > 0, T ′ is continuous on [0, d].
⇒ there is a unique x0 ∈ (0, d) with T ′ (x0 ) = 0.
T ′ (x) increases smoothly from negative to positive.
• T ′ (x) < 0 on (0, x0 ) ⇒ T (x) ց on [0, x0 ],
• T (x) > 0 on (x0 , d) ⇒ T (x) ր on [x0 , d].
′

sin θ1 sin θ2
∴ T (x) attains the min if x = x0 , at which = .
v1 v2
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Example 5: Fermat’s Principle and Snell’s Law

• Recall Example 4:

A
b
√
9 + x2 km
θ
3km
θ
b b

C D 8km B

xkm (8 − x)km

sin θ sin π2
• By Snell’s Law, the time is minimized when = .
v1 v2
√
x/ 9 + x2 1 9
◦ = ⇒x= √ .
6 8 7
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Limits of Indeterminate Forms
• How do we compute the following limits?
√
1 − cos x x − sin x 1 − x − 1 + x2
◦ lim , lim , lim .
x→0 x + x2 x→0 x3 x→0 x2
Both the numerator and denominator tend to 0 as x → 0.
They have the 0/0 Indeterminate Form.
• How to compute the following?
sec x x2 + 3x
◦ limπ , lim .
x→ 2 1 + tan x x→∞ 3x2 + 1
π
Both the numerator and denominator tend to ±∞ as x → 2
or x → ∞.
They have the ∞/∞ Indeterminate Form.
• Question. Can we evaluate the limits without using ǫ, δ -definition?
◦ We may use differentiation.

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Example
1 − cos x
• lim .
x→0 x + x2

◦ Let f (x) = 1 − cos x and g(x) = x + x2 .

f (0) = g(0) = 0.
•
• f (x) = sin x, and g (x) = 1 + 2x.
′ ′

f (x) f (x) − f (0)

lim = lim
x→0 g(x) x→0 g(x) − g(0)

[f (x) − f (0)]/(x − 0)
= lim
x→0 [g(x) − g(0)]/(x − 0)

limx→0 [f (x) − f (0)]/(x − 0)

=
limx→0 [g(x) − g(0)](x − 0)
f ′ (0) 0
= ′ = = 0.
g (0) 1+2·0
• However, this method does not work if g ′ (0) = 0.

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l’Hôpital’s Rule
• l’Hôpital’s Rule. Let f and g be functions such that
◦ lim f (x) = lim g(x) = 0, and
x→a x→a
◦ f and g are differentiable near a (except at a), and
◦ g ′ (x) 6= 0 near a (except at a).
f (x) f ′ (x)
Then lim = lim ′ , provided that the limit on the right hand side exists or equals ±∞.
x→a g(x) x→a g (x)

• Guillaume Françis Antoine, Marquis de l’Hôpital (1661–1704) French Mathematician.

◦ l’Hôpital’s rule is published in his “ Analysis of the infinitely small to understand curves”,
the first book on differential calculus.
◦ The rule is discovered by Johann Bernoulli (1667–1748), a Swiss Mathematician.

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Examples
√
1 − x − 1 + x2
• Find lim .
x→0 x2
√ √
′
1 − x − 1 + x2 1 − x − 1 + x2
lim = lim
x→0 x2 x→0 (x2 )′
 ′
−1 1 −1 1
√ + √ +
2 1−x 2 2 1−x 2
= lim = lim
x→0 2x x→0 (2x)′
−1 1
· p
2 2 (1 − x)3
= lim
x→0 2
1
=− .
8
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Examples
x − sin x
• Find lim .
x→0 x3
x − sin x (x − sin x)′
lim = lim
x→0 x3 x→0 (x3 )′
1 − cos x
= lim
x→0 3x2
(1 − cos x)′
= lim
x→0 (3x2 )′
sin x
= lim
x→0 6x
(sin x)′
= lim
x→0 (6x)′
cos x 1
= lim = .
x→0 6 6
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Sum Law of Limits for Infinite Sum

x2
• Let fn (x) = , n = 1, 2, . . . .
(1 + x2 )n
◦ lim fn (x) = 0 for all n.
x→0

lim f1 (x) + lim f1 (x) + · · · + lim f1 (x) + · · · = 0.

x→0 x→0 x→0

◦ f1 (x) + f2 (x) + · · · + fn (x) + · · ·

x2 x2 x2
= + + · · · + +···
1 + x2 (1 + x2 )2 (1 + x2 )n
= geometric series of common ratio 1/(1 + x2 )
x2 /(1 + x2 )
= = 1.
1 − 1/(1 + x2 )
lim (f1 (x) + f2 (x) · · · + fn (x) + · · · ) = 1.
x→0
• The Sum Law of Limits does NOT hold for infinite sum.

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The Four Tests
• Increasing Test: f is continuous on [a, b].
◦ f ′ (x) > 0 on (a, b) ⇒ f is increasing on [a, b],
◦ f ′ (x) < 0 on (a, b) ⇒ f is decreasing on [a, b],
◦ f ′ (x) = 0 on (a, b) ⇔ f is constant on [a, b].
• Concavity Test: f is twice differentiable on an interval I .
◦ f ′′ (x) > 0 on I ⇒ f is concave up on I ,
◦ f ′′ (x) < 0 on I ⇒ f is concave down on I .
• 1st Derivative Test: f is differentiable near critical number c, (except possibly at c).
◦ f ′ changes from “+” to “−” at c ⇒ local max at c,
◦ f ′ changes from “−” to “+” at c ⇒ local min at c,
◦ f ′ does not change sign at c ⇒ no local max/min at c.
• 2nd Derivative Test:
◦ f ′ (c) = 0 and f ′′ (c) < 0 ⇒ local max at c,
◦ f ′ (c) = 0 and f ′′ (c) > 0 ⇒ local min at c.

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