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VCE Units 3/4 Mathematical Methods (CAS) Maxima and minima problems Question 1.

The cross-section of a water channel is parabolic. It is 3 metres wide at the top and 2 metres deep. a) Assume that the bottom of the channel is located at the origin. Determine the equation of the function that represents the cross-section of the channel.

b) Let be the depth of the water when the channel is filled to half its volume. Determine, in terms of the area of the cross-section when the channel is filled to half its volume.

c)

Find the depth of water, to the nearest centimetre, when the channel is filled to half its volume.

Question 2. A miniature roller coaster model has been built to simulate real conditions for a proposed roller coaster to be built in a theme park. Part of the path for the ride is shown below where the height after any time after the ride has started is shown. Key points for the ride are ( ) ( ) ( ) and ( )

a) Show that the function to calculate the height ride has started is given by: ( ) ( ) (

(metres) at any time )

(seconds) after the

b) Find the average rate of change for the first 2 seconds of the ride. What does this measure?

c) Find

( )

d) Evaluate

( )

e) Show that

( ) gives a local maximum of 8 metres.

f)

Sketch the function for

( ) showing key features.

The tangent at is shown. g) Find the equation of this tangent.

h) Find the equation of another tangent that is parallel to the one found in g), giving the coordinates where this new tangent touches the path of the ride.

i)

The two tangents to the curve have the same gradient. A translation of units in the positive direction of the -axis takes the first tangent to the tangent found in h). Find the exact value of .

j)

To improve the ride, an extension will be made to the ride at so that it will finish at the height of 2 metres after 10 seconds. The extension will be modelled by a function of type: ( ) Find the equation of the function seconds. ( ) that will smoothly connect to the ride after 8

k) Correct to two decimal places, how far below ground level will this part of the ride drop to? When does this occur?

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