Solution

For the first problem, we are given the task about the price of steel. We had carried
out an analysis on the rate of change of the price of steel for August until November.
The graph below shows the monthly steel price from August until November. We
investigated the price of steel per meter.

Month Price Rate of Change per meter (RM)

August 33.00

September 34.50

October 35.00

November 35.00

Table 1. The price of steel.

Series 1
35.5

35

34.5

34

33.5

33

32.5

32
August September October November

Series 1

Figure 1. The graph of steel.

We had determined the rate of change of steel by calculating the gradient of tangent
of points in the graph above. Each of the month indicates the instantaneous rate of
change of cement price monthly. Hence, we can conclude that the gradient of tangent
of the graph is equal to the rate of change of steel price. The general equation is at the
below:

Rate of change of cement price = the gradient of the tangent

dy y n+1 − y n
=
dx x n+1 −x n

For the rate of change of cement price in August:

dy 34 .5−33
=
dx 1

1.5
=
1

=RM 1 .5 /month

For the rate of change of cement price in September:

dy 35−34 . 5
=
dx 1

0.5
=
1

=RM 0 . 5/month

For the rate of change of cement price in October:

dy 35−35
=
dx 1

=RM 0 /month
According to the calculations above, we can conclude that:

Month Price per meter (RM) Price rate of change (RM/month)

August 33 1.5
September 34.5 0.5
October 35 0
November 35 N/A

Table 2. Rate of change for steel.