Applications of Derivatives
I. TANGENT AND NORMAL LINES
To find Tangent Line
1. Find (x,y)
2. Find derivative of the function f’(x) where x
is given 😊 Use long method. (Katung nay h)
3. The derivative of the function is the slope.
(Note: It is not exactly the slope, it just
measures the slope)
4. The slope of the normal line is the negative
reciprocal of the slope of the tangent line.
II. RECTILINEAR MOTION
Rectilinear Motion – movement along a straight
line
S(t) = distance = -gt2+Vot+So
Average velocity = S(t) – S(t1)/t-t1
Average Acceleration = V(t) – V(t1)/t-t1
Instantaneous Velocity (limit of the average
velocity) / Derivative of S(t)
Instantaneous Acceleration (limit of average
acceleration) / Derivative of V(t)
 V(t)>0, positive direction
 V(t)<0, negative direction
 V(t) and a(t) are different signs, slowing down
 V(t) and a(t) have the same sign, speeding up
 Maximum Height = V(t) is equal to 0
 Time to hit the ground = S(t) = 0
 Speed when it hits the ground (use time to hit
the ground and substitute sa V(t) na formula)
III. RELATED RATES
1. Find initial equation (usually volume, area)
2. Differentiate equation
3. Substitute sa given values
 Usually, sa cones and circles, or two
triangles, you have to find the ratio first
 Shadow Problem: find ratio of shadow and
man, and lamp and x+s; or shadow and mad,
and lamp and length
 Conical: find ratio of height of initial, and
height of water (or depth or sumthng)
Volume & Surface Area
IV. RELATIVE EXTREME
 f has a relative maximum at x = c if there exists
an open interval I c dom f containing c such that
f(c) < f(x) for all x element of I
 f has a relative maximum at x = c if there exists
an open interval I c dom f containing c such that
f(c) > f(x) for all x element of I
 Rel. Max = negative to positive (concave down)
 Rel. Min = positive to negative (concave up)
V. ABSOLUTE EXTREMA
 Let S < dom f and c element of S
 F has an absolute minimum in S at x=c if f(c) <
f(x) for all x element of S
 F has an absolute maximum in S at x=c if f(c) >
f(x) for all x element of S
VI. EXTREME VALUE THEOREM
 Suppose f is continuous in [a,b] the f has both an
absolute minimum and maximum at [a,b]
 Recall that f has a rel. min at x=c element dom f
if there exists an open interval I c dom f
containing c such that f(c) < f(x) for all x element
of I
 Recall that f has a rel. max at x=c element dom f
if there exists an open interval I c dom f
containing c such that f(c) > f(x) for all x element
of I
VII. ROLLE’S THEOREM AND MEAN VALUE THEOREM
1. Rolle’s
 f must be continuous at [a,b]
 f must be differentiable at (a,b)
 f(a)=f(b)
 then, f’(c) = 0
2. Mean Value
 f must be continuous at [a,b]
 f must be differentiable at (a,b)
 f’(c) = f(b)-f(a)/b-a
VIII. OPTIMIZATION
1. Find equation (Ex: given is the surface area)
then isolate one variable (isolate y)
2. Find related equation (Ex: gipangita kay
minimized volume) then substitute value of y
3. Differentiate the function and equate to Zero
IX. CURVE TRACING
1. Find x and y intercepts
2. Find CNs using derivative of the function
3. Find POIs using second derivative
4. Table of signs
5. First derivative is (-) it is decreasing, (+) it is
increasing
6. Second derivative is (-) it is concave down, (+)
it is concave up
Derivative of Trig Function