Math 1210 Signature Assignment: Derivatives

Lewain Franquelin
MATH 1210-404
Suppose that a particle moves according to the law of motion 𝑠(𝑡)= 𝑡4−6𝑡3+4𝑡2+3 with t ≥ 0,
where s is in meters and t is in seconds. Use your knowledge of the relationship between
position, velocity, and acceleration to answer the following questions. Use exact values (not
approximations) throughout.

Graph of 𝑠(𝑡) = 𝑡 4 − 6𝑡 3 + 4𝑡 2 + 3 with 𝑡 ≥ 0

a) Find the velocity of the particle at time t. What is the velocity at t = 0?

Graph of 𝑣(𝑡) = 4𝑡 3 − 18𝑡 2 + 8𝑡

Velocity is represented by taking the derivative of our original equation:

𝑠 ′ (𝑡) = 𝑣(𝑡) = 4𝑡 3 − 18𝑡 2 + 8𝑡
The velocity at t=0:
𝑣(0) = 4(0)3 − 18(0)2 + 8(0)
𝑣(0) = 0
b) Determine, using algebraic analysis, when the particle is moving in a positive direction, a
negative direction, and when it is at rest.
First step to finding any directional movement of the particle starts with finding the zeros of
the function v(t), and to make it easier let’s factor the equation to help us out.
𝑣(𝑡) = 4𝑡 3 − 18𝑡 2 + 8𝑡
Factored: 𝑣(𝑡) = 2𝑡(2𝑡 − 1)(𝑡 − 4)
Set equation equal to 0… 0 = 2𝑡(2𝑡 − 1)(𝑡 − 4)
Since anything multiplied by 0 is 0, one of our ‘zeros’ is 0. But that’s not all!
Next step take 2𝑡 − 1 = 0 and 𝑡 − 4 = 0 to get our next ‘zeros’ making the next two 0.5 and
4.
From here we can get our x-intercepts which are 0,0.5,4. We can verify by looking at the
graph of 𝑣(𝑡) from the step A. As well as, finding where the graph is positive. It is positive on
the interval (0,0.5)𝑈(4, ∞) (note: we start at ‘0’ because we are looking at when t is greater
or equal to ‘0’.
Using the same method, we can also determine when the particle is moving in a negative
direction. The interval is (0.5,4).
Verifying that at t=0,0.5,4 that is where the particle is not moving. Or at rest.
c) Find the total distance traveled by the particle in the first 6 seconds.
Finding the total distance traveled by the particle we are going to start by using the zeros we
found from the velocity from the previous step B. Which were 0,0.5,4. We use those number and
plug them back into our original equation 𝑠(𝑡) = 𝑡 4 − 6𝑡 3 + 4𝑡 2 + 3. We can discover the
distance traveled whether that be in the positive direction or negative direction. Note we are
looking at the TOTAL distance traveled. Just because the particle may travel in the “negative”
direction, we still need to note how far the particle will travel altogether.
An easy way of calculating this is by first taking the interval start and stop time, so 0 and 6. As
well as including the zeros we found from 𝑣(𝑡) 0 0.5 4 and plugging them into 𝑠(𝑡).
Its best using a table:
𝑡 𝑠(𝑡) Since we have found our values, we can take them and plug them into a
simple formula we generate by first taking the absolute value of the
0 3 longest timed increment (for this example 6) and subtracting the next
0.5 3.3125 interval preceding it. And then adding the absolute value of the next
increment with is preceding number subtracted from it and so forth until
4 -61 we hit our last increment (being 0).
|𝑠(6) − 𝑠(4)| + |𝑠(4) − 𝑠(0.5)| + |𝑠(0.5) − 𝑠(0)| = 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
6 147
|147 − (−61)| + |(−61) − 3.3125| + |3.3125 − 3| = 272.4375
Therefor our total distance traveled is 272.4375 meters.
d) Find the acceleration of the particle at time t. What is the acceleration at t = 0?
Graph of 𝑎(𝑡) = 12𝑡 2 − 36𝑡 + 8

To find the acceleration of the particle with respect to time we take the derivative of our velocity
equation 𝑣(𝑡) = 4𝑡 3 − 18𝑡 2 + 8𝑡, or another way of looking at it is taking the SECOND
derivative of our original function 𝑠(𝑡) = 𝑡 4 − 6𝑡 3 + 4𝑡 2 + 3.
𝑠 ′′ (𝑡) = 𝑣 ′ (𝑡) = 𝑎(𝑡) = 12𝑡 2 − 36𝑡 + 8
Next we will plug in ‘0’ into our equation:
𝑎(0) = 12(0)2 − 36(0) + 8
𝑎(0) = 8

e) When is the particle speeding up and slowing down? Explain how you found your answers.
Using the graph from section D. We can look at the acceleration of our particle, in particular,
we can see if the particle is slowing down or speeding up. First, we must find the roots or the
‘zeros’ of 𝑎(𝑡). We will take 𝑎(𝑡) and set it ‘0’ and solve.
set to 0 12𝑡 2 − 36𝑡 + 8 = 0
factor 4(3𝑡 2 − 9𝑡 + 2) = 0
simplify ÷ 4 3𝑡 2 − 9𝑡 + 2 = 0
(−𝑏±√𝑏 2 −4(𝑎𝑐))
use quadratic formula a=3 b=9 c=2
2𝑎

(−(−9) ± √(−9)2 − 4(3 ∗ 2))

2(3)
 9±√57
Simply 6
9−√57 9+√57
Finally give our roots of t= and
6 6

Since we have our roots, let’s look at them over the interval (0, ∞)
9−√57
On the interval (0, ), 𝑎(𝑡) is positive, so it is speeding up.
6
9−√57 9+√57
On the interval ( , ), 𝑎(𝑡) is negative, so it is slowing down.
6 6
9+√57
On the interval ( , ∞), 𝑎(𝑡) is positive, so it is speeding up.
6