DIFFERENTIATION & FUNCTIONS (Q 6, 7 & 8, PAPER 1)

2003
2x
6 (a) Let g ( x) = − 1.
3
Find the value of x for which g(x) = 5.

(b) Differentiate x 2 − 2 x with respect to x from first principles.

(c) Let f ( x) = 3 − 5 x − 2 x 2 , x ∈ R.
(i) Find f ′( x), the derivative of f (x), and hence find the co-ordinates of the
local maximum point of the curve y = f (x).
(ii) Solve the equation f (x) = 0.
(iii) Use your answers from parts (i) and (ii) to sketch the graph of
f : x → 3 − 5 x − 2 x 2, showing scaled and labelled axes.
SOLUTION
6 (a)
g ( x) = 5
2x
⇒ −1 = 5
3
2x
⇒ = 6 [Multiply across by 3.]
3
⇒ 2 x = 18
⇒ x=9
6 (b)
The Δx approach: The h approach:
1. y = x 2 − 2 x 1. f ( x) = x 2 − 2 x

2. y + Δy = ( x + Δx) 2 − 2( x + Δx) 2. f ( x + h) = ( x + h) 2 − 2( x + h)
⇒ y + Δy = x 2 + 2 x(Δx) + (Δx) 2 − 2 x − 2(Δx) ⇒ f ( x + h) = x 2 + 2 xh + h 2 − 2 x − 2h

3. y + Δy = x 2 + 2 x(Δx) + (Δx) 2 − 2 x − 2(Δx) 3. f ( x + h) − f ( x)

y =x 2
− 2x = x 2 + 2 xh + h 2 − 2 x − 2h − x 2 + 2 x
∴Δy = 2 x ( Δx ) + ( Δ x ) 2 − 2(Δx) = 2 xh + h 2 − 2h

Δy 2 x(Δx) + (Δx) 2 − 2(Δx) f ( x + h) − f ( x) 2 xh + h 2 − 2h

4. = 4. =
Δx Δx h h

Δy f ( x + h) − f ( x )
5. = 2 x + Δx − 2 5. = 2x + h − 2
Δx h

Δy ⎛ f ( x + h) − f ( x ) ⎞
6. lim = 2 x + (0) − 2 = 2 x − 2 6. lim ⎜ ⎟ = 2 x + (0) − 2
x → 0 Δx x →0
⎝ h ⎠
= 2x − 2
dy
7. = 2x − 2
dx dy
7. = 2x − 2
dx

6 (c) (i)
STEPS FOR FINDING THE LOCAL MAXIMUM AND LOCAL MINIMUM OF A FUNCTION:
STEPS
dy d2y
1. Differentiate the function to find . Differentiate again to find .
dx dx 2
dy
2. Set = 0 and solve for x to find the turning points.
dx

d2y
3. Substitute the turning points into to decide if they are a local
dx 2
maximum or a local minimum.
4. Find the y coordinates of the turning points by substituting the x values
back into the equation of the original function.
1. y = f ( x) = 3 − 5 x − 2 x 2
dy
= f ′( x) = −5 − 4 x
dx
d2y
= f ′′( x) = −4
dx 2
dy
2. = 0 ⇒ −5 − 4 x = 0
dx
⇒ −5 = 4 x
∴ x = − 54
3. You are told that this point is a maximum.
4. y = f (− 54 ) = 3 − 5(− 54 ) − 2(− 54 ) 2
= 3 + 254 − 2( 16
25
) = 3 + 254 − 258 = 49
8 ⇒ (− 54 , 49
8 ) is the local maximum.

6 (c) (ii)
f ( x) = 0 ⇒ 3 − 5 x − 2 x 2 = 0
⇒ 2 x2 + 5x − 3 = 0
Graph cuts x-axis: Put f (x) = 0.
⇒ (2 x − 1)( x + 3) = 0
⇒ x = −3, 1
2

6 (c) (iii)
From part (i) you have found out the coordinates of the local maximum: (− 54 , 49
8 )
From part (ii) you have found out where the graph cuts the x-axis: (−3, 0), ( 12 , 0)
Draw the quadratic graph using these points.

f (x)
6
5
4
3
2
1
x
-3 -2 -1 1
7 (a) Differentiate with respect to x:
(i) x 3
x2 − x4
(ii) .
2

(b) (i) Differentiate (3 x3 − 2 x 2 + 2) 4 with respect to x.

dy
(ii) Given that y = (5 x 2 + 3)(4 − x 2 ), find when x = 1.
dx

(c) A train is travelling along a track. Suddenly, the brakes are applied. From the time
the brakes are applied (t = 0 seconds), the distance travelled by the train, in metres,
is given by
s = 30t − 14 t 2.

(i) What is speed of the train at the moment the brakes are applied?
(ii) How many seconds does it take for the train to come to rest?
(iii) How far does the train travel in that time?
SOLUTION
REMEMBER IT AS:
7 (a) (i)
dy Multiply down by the power and
y = xn ⇒ = nx n −1 ....... 1
dx subtract one from the power.

dy
CONSTANT RULE: If y = Constant ⇒ =0
dx
dy du
MULTIPLY BY A CONSTANT RULE: If y = cu, where c is a constant and u is a function of x, = c× .
dx dx
dy
y = x3 ⇒ = 3x 2
dx
7 (a) (ii)
x2 − x4 1 2 1 4
y= =2x −2x
2
dy 1
⇒ = 2 × 2 x − 12 × 4 x3 = x − 2 x3
dx
7 (b) (i) REMEMBER IT AS:
dy du
y = (u ) n ⇒ = n(u ) n −1 × ... 1 Push the power down in front of
dx dx the bracket and subtract one from
the power. Multiply by the differen-
tiation of the inside of the bracket.

du
u = (3 x3 − 2 x 2 + 2) ⇒ = 9x2 − 4 x
dx
dy
y = (3 x3 − 2 x 2 + 2) 4 ⇒ = 4(3 x3 − 2 x 2 + 2)3 (9 x 2 − 4 x) = (36 x 2 − 16 x)(3 x3 − 2 x 2 + 2)3
dx
7 (b) (ii) THE PRODUCT RULE: If y = u × v then:
dy dv du
=u +v ....... 2
dx dx dx

y = (5 x 2 + 3)(4 − x 2 ) du
dy dv du u = (5 x 2 + 3) ⇒ = 10 x
⇒ =u +v = (5 x 2 + 3)(−2 x) + (4 − x 2 )(10 x) dx
dx dx dx dv
dy v = (4 − x 2 ) ⇒ = −2 x
⇒ = −10 x3 − 6 x + 40 x − 10 x3 dx
dx
dy
⇒ = −20 x3 + 34 x
dx
⎛ dy ⎞
∴ ⎜ ⎟ = −20(1)3 + 34(1) = −20 + 34 = 14
⎝ dx ⎠ x =1

7 (c) (i)
Draw up an s, v, a table as shown on the right.
s = 30t − 14 t 2
You are asked to find the speed v at time t = 0. ds
v= ...... 8 ds
v = 30 − 12 t ⇒ v = 30 − 12 (0) = 30 m/s dt v= = 30 − 12 t
dt
dv dv
7 (c) (ii) a= ...... 9 a= = − 12
You are asked to find the time t it takes for dt
dt
the train to stop, i.e. v = 0 m/s.
v = 30 − 12 t ⇒ 0 = 30 − 12 t
⇒ 12 t = 30 ⇒ t = 60 s
7 (c) (iii)
You are asked to find the distance s travelled after 60 s.
s = 30t − 14 t 2 ⇒ s = 30(60) − 14 (60) 2
= 1800 − 14 (3600) = 1800 − 900 = 900 m/s
8 (a) Part of the graph of a periodic function
is shown. 4
Write down the period and range of
the function.

-2 2 4 6 8 10

(b) (i) The function g is defined for natural numbers by the rule:
g(x) = {
0 if is even.
1 if is odd
Find g(13) + g(14) + g(15).

(ii) Given that h( x) = x 2, write down h(x + 3).

Hence, find the value of x for which h(x) = h(x + 3).

(c) Let f ( x) = x3 + 2 x 2 − 1.
(i) Find f ′( x), the derivative of f (x).
(ii) L is the tangent to the curve y = f (x) at x = − 23 .
Find the slope of L.
(iii) Find the two values of x at which the tangents to the curve y = f (x) are
perpendicular to L.
SOLUTION
8 (a)
Every periodic function has two important features:
1. PERIOD:
The length of the wave along the x-axis before it repeats itself.
2. RANGE:
This is the interval between the lowest y value and the highest y value.

Period = 4
Range = [0, 3]
8 (b) (i)
g(13) = 1 (because 13 is an odd number)
g(14) = 0 (because 14 is an even number)
g(15) = 1 (because 15 is an odd number)
∴ g (13) + g (14) + g (15) = 0 + 1 + 0 = 1

8 (b) (ii)
h( x ) = x 2
∴ h( x + 3) = ( x + 3) 2 = x 2 + 6 x + 9

h( x) = h( x + 3)
∴ x2 = x2 + 6 x + 9 ⇒ 0 = 6 x + 9
⇒ −9 = 6 x ⇒ − 96 = x
∴ x = − 32
8 (c) (i)
REMEMBER IT AS:
dy Multiply down by the power and
y = xn ⇒ = nx n −1 ....... 1
dx subtract one from the power.

dy
CONSTANT RULE: If y = Constant ⇒ =0
dx
dy du
MULTIPLY BY A CONSTANT RULE: If y = cu, where c is a constant and u is a function of x, = c× .
dx dx
f ( x) = x3 + 2 x 2 − 1
∴ f ′( x) = 3 x 2 + 2 × 2 x − 0 = 3 x 2 + 4 x

8 (c) (ii)
dy
You are being asked to find the slope at x = − 23 .
dx
⎛ dy ⎞
⎜ ⎟ = 3(− 23 ) 2 + 4(− 23 ) = 3( 94 ) − 83 = 43 − 83 = − 43
⎝ dx ⎠ x =− 23

8 (c) (iii) Finding the equation of the tangent given its slope:
STEPS
dy
1. Differentiate the equation of the curve: .
dx
dy
2. Put equal to the slope, m, and solve the resulting equation for x to get
dx
the x coordinates of the points.
3. Substitute these values of x back into the equation of the curve to get the
y coordinates of the points.

L has a slope of − 43 . The perpendicular slope is 34 . FINDING THE PERPENDICULAR SLOPE:

Invert the slope and change its sign.
dy
1. = 3x 2 + 4 x
dx
dy 3
2. = 4 ⇒ 3x 2 + 4 x = 3
4 [Multiply across by 4.]
dx
⇒ 12 x 2 + 16 x = 3
⇒ 12 x 2 + 16 x − 3 = 0
⇒ (6 x − 1)(2 x + 3) = 0
∴ x = − 32 , 1
6

Step 3 is not needed as you are asked to find the y values only.