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Solutions to Worksheet for Sections 2.6 and 2.

7
Tangents, Velocity, and the Derivative
Math 1a
October 12, 2007

1. Let f (x) = x3 . Use the definition of the derivative to find f 0 (2).


Solution. We have
(2 + h)3 − 23
f 0 (2) = lim
h→0 h3
(8 + 12h + 6h2 + h3 ) − 23
= lim
h→0 h3
12h + 6h + h3
2
= lim
h→0 h3
= lim 12 + 6h2 + h3 = 12.

h→0


2. Let f (x) = x.
(a) Use the definition of the derivative to find f 0 (4).

Solution. We have
√ √ √
f (x) − f (4) x−2 x−2 x+2
= = ·√
x−4 x−4 x−4 x+2
(x − 4)
= √
(x − 4) ( x + 2)
1
= √
( x + 2)

as x → 4, this expression goes to f 0 (4) = 1/4.

(b) Find f 0 (x) and give its domain.

1
Solution. Do the same algebra with 4 above replaced by a, and you get f 0 (a) = √ . In other
2 a
0 1
words, f (x) = √ for all x. This assumes that x > 0 otherwise the limit does not exist.
2 x
(c) Is f differentiable at zero? Use a graph to illustrate why or why not.

Solution. Graphically, we can see that the tangent line to f at zero is vertical. Analytically, we
can see that the difference quotient at zero is

f (h) − f (0) h 1
= =√
h h h

which, as h → 0+ has no limit (the limit is ∞). This doesn’t even get into the fact that f is
not defined for x < 0, and we usually require a limit from both sides before a function can be
differentiable.

Here’s a useful fact: for any numbers A and B:

A3 − B 3 = (A − B)(A2 + AB + B 2 )

3. Let f (x) = 3
x = x1/3 . Use the definition of the derivative to find f 0 (x) and give its domain.
Solution. The difference quotient for f 0 (a) is

x1/3 − a1/3 x1/3 + x1/3 a1/3 + a2/3 x−


 a
· 1/3 1/3 1/3 2/3
= 
x−a x +x a +a x − a) x + x a1/3 + a2/3
(  2/3 1/3

1 1
as x → a this tends to f 0 (a) = . So f 0 (x) = x−1/3 for all x > 0.
3a1/3 3
4. Repeat with f (x) = x2/3 .

Solution. The difference quotient for f 0 (a) is


 
x2/3 − a2/3 x1/3 − a1/3 x1/3 + a1/3 x1/3 + a1/3 2a1/3
= = 2/3 1/3 1/3 2/3
→ 2/3
x−a x−a x +x a +a 3a
2 −1/3 2
as x → a. So f 0 (a) = a , or f 0 (x) = x−1/3 for all x > 0.
3 3

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