Faculty of Engineering - Preparatory Year

Module Title: Calculus1

Sheet No.: 5
Sheet Title: Applications of the Derivative

Problem 1: (Critical Numbers, Extrema of f on a closed interval)

- Find the critical numbers of the following functions:

1) f ( x) = ( x + 5) 2 3
x−4

2) f ( x) = 6 x 5 + 33 x 4 + 132 x 3 − 90 x 2

3) f ( x) = 3 x 2 (2 x + 1)

x2 +1
4) f ( x) = 2
x − x−6

5) f ( x) = 6 x − 4 cos(3 x)

- Find the extrema of f on the given closed interval:

1) f ( x) = x 3 − 12 x ; [−3,5]

2) f ( x) = ( x − 1) 2 / 3 + 2 ; [0,9]

3) f ( x) = 5 − 6 x 2 - 2 x 3 ; [−3,1]

Problem 2: (Rolle's Theorem, Mean Value Theorem)

- Show that f satisfies the hypotheses of Rolle's theorem on [a,b], and find all numbers c
in (a,b) such that f '(c)=0

1) f ( x) = 4 x 2 - 20 x + 29 ; [1,4]

2) f ( x) = sin(2 x) ; [0, π ]

- Determine whether f satisfies the hypotheses of the mean value theorem on [a,b], and,
if so, find all numbers in c in (a,b) that satisfies the conclusions of the theorem

1) f ( x) = x 3 - 8 x - 5 ; [1,4]
 1
2) f ( x) = ; [0,2]
( x − 1) 2

3) f ( x) = x 2 / 3 ; [−8,8]

Problem 3: (Local Extrema, 1st & 2nd derivative tests, inflection points)

- Find the local extrema of f and the intervals on which f is increasing or is decreasing,
and sketch the graph of f.

1) f ( x) = x 3 + x 2 - 5 x − 5

3
2) f ( x) = x 2 x2 − 4

3) f ( x) = x1 / 3 (8 − x)

- Find the local extrema of f, using the second derivative test whenever applicable. Find
the intervals on which the graph of f is concave upward or is concave downward, and
find the points of inflection. Sketch the graph of f.

1) f ( x) = x 3 − 2 x 2 + x + 1

2) f ( x) = 3 x 2 (3 x + 10)

3) f ( x) = 8 x1 / 3 + x 4/3

4) f ( x) = ( x 2 - 1) 2

Problem 4: (Graphing functions)

Using the guidelines for sketching the graph of f, sketch the graph of the following
functions:

2x 2 1 2x 2
1) f ( x) = 2) f ( x) = 3) f ( x) =
x2 +1 x + x 2 − 6x
3
9 − x2

2x 2 x4 − 4 x2 − 9
4) f ( x) = 5) f ( x) = 6) f ( x) =
x2 − x − 2 x3 −1 2x − 4
Problem 5: (Optimization Problems)

1) An open box with rectangular base is to be constructed from a rectangular sheet of

cardboard 16 inches wide and 21 inches long by cutting a square from each corner
and then bending up the resulting sides. Find the size of the corner square that will
produce a box having the largest possible volume.

2) A circular cylindrical metal container, open at the top, is to have a capacity of

24 π in3. The cost of the material used for the bottom of the container is 15 cents per
in2, and that of the material used for the curved part is 5 cents per in2. If there is no
waste of material, find the dimensions that will minimize the cost of the material.

3) Find out the dimensions of a right circular cylinder which provide the maximum
volume that can be inscribed in a cone of altitude 30 cm and base radius 10 cm if the
axes of the cylinder and cone coincide (as shown in the figure).