Homework Fall 2020

MATA21
Assignment 3

Centre for Mathematical Sciences

Mathematics, Faculty of Science

Part 1: Below, I list a selection of (modified) problems from previous exams. Each
student in the mentor group should choose one of these, and solve it using the theory
covered up to and including page 304 of the lecture notes (please note that Corollary 8.3
is central to most solutions – and that while what remains of Chapter 8 is not required
to solve these, it may be of help).

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1. (1980) Let f (x) = ex ln(1 + x) + cos(πx2 ) .

(a) Determine f 0 (x).

(b) Determine the equation line tangent to y = f (x) at x = 1.
(c) Determine where this tangent line intersects the x-axis.
(d) Verify your answer by making an appropriate plot in Python.

2. (1980) Let f (x) = e−x + 2x.

(a) Determine f 0 (x).

(b) Use the information from (a) to make a crude sketch of the graph of f .
(c) Determine if the equation f (x) = 0 has any solutions.
(d) Verify your answer by making an appropriate plot in Python.

3. (1980) Let f (x) = tan x + 2 ln(cos x) with Df = (0,π/2).

(a) Determine f 0 (x).

(b) Use the information from (a) to make a crude sketch of the graph of f .
(c) Show that f (x) > 0 for all x ∈ Df .
(d) Verify your answer by making an appropriate plot in Python.

4. (1980) Let f (x) = 1 − 1/x − arctan x.

(a) Determine f 0 (x).

(b) Determine any asymptotes of f .
(c) Use the information from (a) and (b) to make a crude sketch of the graph of
f.
 (d) Determine the range of f .
(e) Verify your answer by making an appropriate plot in Python.

5. (1980) Let f (x) = x − 2/x − 3 ln x with Df = (0,∞).

(a) Determine f 0 (x).

(b) Determine any asymptotes of f .
(c) Use the information from (a) and (b) to make a crude sketch of the graph of
f.
(d) Determine the range of f .
(e) Verify your answer by making an appropriate plot in Python.

6. (1994) Let f (x) = ex /(x2 − 3).

(a) Determine f 0 (x).

(b) Determine any asymptotes of f .
(c) Use the information from (a) and (b) to make a crude sketch of the graph of
f.
(d) Determine the range of f .
(e) Verify your answer by making an appropriate plot in Python.

7. (1981) Let f (x) = x + x2 /2 + x3 /3 − (x + 1) ln(1 + x) with Df = [0,∞).

(a) Determine f 0 (x).

(b) Use the information from (a) to make a crude sketch of the graph of f .
(c) Show that f (x) ≥ 0 for all x.
(d) Verify your answer by making an appropriate plot in Python.

8. (1994) Let f (x) = arctan(x/(x − 1)) − arctan(1/(2x − 1)).

(a) Determine f 0 (x).

(b) Determine limx→1+ f (x) and limx→1− f (x).
(c) Use the information from (a) and (b) to make a crude sketch of the graph of
f.
(d) What can you say about f when x < 1/2, 1/2 < x < 1 and x > 1, respec-
tively?
(e) Verify your answer by making an appropriate plot in Python.

9. (1980) For a > 0, let f (x) = 3x + 4/x − ln(ax4 ).

(a) Determine f 0 (x).

(b) Use the information from (a) to make a crude sketch of the graph of f .

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 (c) For every a, determine the number of solutions for f (x) = 0.
(d) Verify your answer by making appropriate plots in Python.

10. (1980) For a ∈ R, let f (x) = (x − a)(a + 2 − x)(x2 + 5) with Df = [a,a + 2].

(a) Without computing f 0 (x), use results from the lecture note to prove that f
has to have a largest value on its domain.
(b) Show that this value is larger than or equal to 5.
(c) Verify your answer by making appropriate plots in Python.
√
11. (1980 – Challenge) Let f (x) = cos(arccot x) − x/ 1 + x2 .

(a) Use Google to figure out how the function arccot is defined. Use this definition
to find a formula for its derivative (use Section 7.4 as insipiration).
(b) Determine f 0 (x).
(c) Use the information from (b) to make a crude sketch of the graph of f .
(d) What does this say about the function y = cos(arccot x)?
(e) Verify your answer by making an appropriate plot in Python.

Part 2: Each mentor group chooses a computational rule for the limit of functions.
Mainly, this should be one of the computational rules on page 259, but we will allow a
bit of freedom (for instance, it is completely reasonable to choose a version of Proposition
5.52 or the rule contained in Exercise 5.57). The group is then to do the following:

• Formulate a version of this rule that involves some limit going to infinity (either
x → +∞ or x → −∞ and/or that one or more of the involved functions tend to
infinity).
• Formulate the definitions of the required limits.
• Briefly explain how your computational rule is connected (if at all) to the concept
of asymptotes.
• Briefly explain how your computational rule is connected (if at all) to the concept
of indeterminate forms.
• Prove your computational rule using the appropriate definitions of limits.