1

Interpreting the derivative

1. Find the domain and range of the function f in each of the following cases:
(a) f (x) = tan x
Domain : (, +)\{. . . , 3
, 2 , 2 , 3
, . . .}.
2
2
Range : (, +).
(b) f (x) = ln(2x 5)
Domain : ( 52 , +).
Range : (, +).
(c) f (x) = ln(e2x )
Domain : (, +).
Range : (, +).
2. Determine whether or not f is continuous at c. Then evaluate lim f (x) or explain why
xc
the limit does not exist.

(a) f (x) = tan(x2 ) at c =

The function x 7 x2 is continuous on all (, +). The function x 7 tan(x) is
continuous on ( 2 , 3
). In particular it is continous
2
at . Composition of functions
preserves continuity, hence f is continuous at . We then get :

lim
f (x) = f ( ) = tan() = 0.
x

(
x + 1 if x > 1,
(b) f (x) = cos(3x + 2g(x)) at c = 1, where g(x) =
x
if x 6 1.
The function g is not continuous at 1 as lim g(x) = 1 and lim+ g(x) = 2.
x1

x1

Nethertheless, we get :
lim f (x) = cos(3 2) = cos(3),

x1

lim f (x) = cos(3 + 4) = cos(3).

x1+

Hence the limit exists : lim f (x) = cos(3) and f is continuous at 1.

x1

arctan( x12 )

(c) f (x) =
at c = 0
The function f is not defined at 0, hence it is not continuous at 0. Recall that we
1

have lim 2 = +, hence we get lim f (x) = lim arctan(x) = .

x0 x
x0
x+
2
3. Does the equation x + ex = 0 have a solution on the interval x (1, 0)? Why or why
not?
Let f (x) = x + ex . Since x 7 x and x 7 ex are both continuous functions over
1

(, +), we get f is continuous over (, +). In particular f is continuous on

the closed interval [1, 0]. If we evaluate, we get :
f (1) = 1 +
because : 0 < 1 e0 < e1 1 =

1
e0

>

1
e1

1
< 0,
e

0 > 1 + 1e . Moreover :

f (0) = 1 > 0.
Thus, by the Intermediate Value Theorem, there is c (1, 0) such that f (c) = 0, i.e.,
the equation x + ex = 0 has at least one solution on the inverval (1, 0).
4. A manufacturer produces rolls of fabric with a fixed width. The quantity q, in yards,
of fabric sold is a function of the selling price p, in dollars per yard, so we may write
q = f (p). Give a sentence in English explaining the following equations.
(a) f (20) = 10, 000
When the selling price is 20 dollars per yards, the manufacturer sells 10, 000 yards
of fabric.
(b) f 0 (20) = 350?
When the selling price is 20 dollars per yards, the quantity of fabric sold decreases
of 350 yards per additional dollars.
5. (a) Write down the limit definition of the derivative of a function f at the point x.
f (x + h) f (x)
.
For any x, we have : f 0 (x) = lim
h0
h
(b) Using the definition you gave above, compute f 0 (x) in each of the following cases.
i. f (x) = 3x + 5
3(x + h) + 5 (3x + 5)
3h
= lim
= lim 3 = 3.
h0
h0 h
h0
h
ii. f (x) = x2 + 1
We have :
f 0 (x) = lim

(x + h)2 + 1 x2 1
x2 + 2xh + h2 x2
= lim
= lim 2x + h.
h0
h0
h0
h
h

f 0 (x) = lim

So f 0 (x) = 2x.
iii. f (x) = x2
We have :
0

f (x) = lim

h0

2
x+h

2
x

= lim

2x2(x+h)
x(x+h)

h0

So f 0 (x) = x22 .
2

2x 2x 2h 1
2

.
=
lim
h0
x2 + xh
h h0 x2 + xh

= lim

6. Consider the function f (x) =

2
x

from the exercise above.

(a) Use your answer from above to evaluate f 0 (2).

1
2
2
We get : f 0 (2) = (2)
2 = 4 = 2.
(b) Complete the following table of difference quotients.
h

1.5

f (2 + h) f (2)
h

-1

0.5

0.1

' 0.66 ' 0.52

Do the quotients get closer to f 0 (2) as h gets smaller?

Thankfully yes!
(c) For each value of h in the table above, draw a line through (2, f (2)) and
(2 + h, f (2 + h)) on the figure below.
4 3.5 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5

x
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5

y
The slopes of these lines should correspond to the values of the difference quotients
in the table.
(d) Draw the line tangent to the graph at x = 2 and estimate the slope. How does
this estimate compare to your computed value of f 0 (2) above?
It should correspond exactly.