EM 111 – CALCULUS 1 (DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS)

MODULE - 4

MODULE TITLE: APPLICATIONS OF DERIVATIVES

Reference: Calculus 1: A simplified Textbook for Differential Calculus by HJR Terano

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

After finishing this module, you are expected to:

1. Determine some applications of derivatives including slopes, tangents and

normals to a given curves, critical points and inflection points of given curves.
2. Sketch polynomial curves.
3. Define maxima and minima.
4. Solve practical applications of maxima and minima.
5. Solve time related problems.

TOPICS:

1. Tangents and Normals to the Plane Curves

2. Maxima and Minima
3. Inflection Points
4. Sketching of Polynomial Curves
5. Optimization Problems: Applications of Maxima and Minima
6. Time Rates
7. Differentials, Approximations and Newton’s Method

INTRODUCTION:

The previous chapters discussed the idea of derivatives and how to find for the
derivative of a certain function. This chapter will now introduce the ideas of derivatives in
putting these into some applications.
In chapter 2, slope and rate of change had already been introduced using the ideas of
limits. But in this chapter, these applications will be introduced again in much easier way
using the formulas of the derivatives of algebraic functions.
This chapter will introduce applications on determining the tangents and normals to
the plane curves, critical and inflection points and its applications on curve sketching, the
concepts of maxima and minima and its applications, time rates, differentials,
approximations and Newton’s method for finding the roots of a function.

Instructor: Engr. Vincent E. Malapo

 EM 111 – CALCULUS 1 (DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS)

LESSON PROPER:

4.1 Tangents and Normals to Plane Curves

 The equation of the line tangent to the curve at point P( x1, y1) can be obtained using
the point-slope form given by:

 The normal line is the line perpendicular to the tangent line passing through point
P(x1, y1). The relationship between the slope of the tangent and normal line is given
by:
𝟏 𝟏
𝒎𝑻 = − or 𝒎𝑵 = −
𝒎𝑵 𝒎𝑻

Examples:

(a) Find the equation of the tangent and normal lines to the curve y = x2 − 5 at point
(2,−1).
Solution:

Normal line

Tangent line

Instructor: Engr. Vincent E. Malapo

EM 111 – CALCULUS 1 (DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS)

(b) Find the equation of the tangent and normal lines to the circle x2 + y2 = 25 at
point (3,4).
Solution:

Instructor: Engr. Vincent E. Malapo

EM 111 – CALCULUS 1 (DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS)

(c) Find the equation of the tangent and normal lines to the curve y = x2 + 2x−5 at
y=3.

Solution:

Instructor: Engr. Vincent E. Malapo

EM 111 – CALCULUS 1 (DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS)

(d) Find the tangent and normal lines to the curve y = x3 + 3x2 + 3x – 1 parallel to
the line y = 3x + 2.

Solution:

Instructor: Engr. Vincent E. Malapo

 EM 111 – CALCULUS 1 (DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS)

(e) Find the tangent and normal lines to the curve y = x3 + 2x2 + 2x − 2 with a slope
of 1.
Solution:

Assessment Task 4.1

I. Find the equations of the tangent and normal lines to the curves at the points indicated.

Instructor: Engr. Vincent E. Malapo

 EM 111 – CALCULUS 1 (DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS)

II. Answer the following problems.

1. Find the equation of the tangent and normal lines to the curve y = x3 – 6x + 2 parallel
to the line 6x = y − 5.
2. Find the equation of the tangent and normal lines to the curve y = x3 + x – 2 parallel
to the line x = y.
3. Find the equation of the tangent line to the curve x2 + y = 2x + 5 perpendicular to the
line 2y = x + 2.
4. Find the equation of the tangent and normal lines to the curve y = x2 + 3x – 1 with a
slope of 1.
5. Find the equation of the tangent and normal lines to the curve y = x2 + 6x + 9 at its
point of intersection with the line y = 0.

4.2 Maxima and Minima

Instructor: Engr. Vincent E. Malapo

 EM 111 – CALCULUS 1 (DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS)

Test for Maxima and Minima

Steps:

1. Obtain the first derivative of the function.

2. Equate the first derivative to zero and solve for the critical values and critical points.
3. Solve for the second derivative of the function and substitute the critical values.
4. Determine the maximum and minimum points, and concavity using the following
conditions:
 If y’ = 0 and y’’ < 0 , the point is maximum and concaves downward.
 If y’ = 0 and y’’ > 0 , the point is minimum and concaves upward.
 If y’ = 0 and y’’ = 0 , the test fails

Examples

(a) Locate the critical points and determine the maxima and minima of the curve
y = x3 + 4x2 + 4x + 7.

Solution:

Instructor: Engr. Vincent E. Malapo

EM 111 – CALCULUS 1 (DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS)

(b) Locate the critical points and determine the maxima and minima of the curve
3y = x3 + 3x2 – 9x – 7.
Solution:

(c) Locate the critical points and determine the maxima and minima of the curve
y = x3 – 4x2 + 4x – 1.

Solution:

Instructor: Engr. Vincent E. Malapo

 EM 111 – CALCULUS 1 (DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS)

Assessment Task 4.2

Find the critical points and determine the maxima and minima.

4.3 Inflection points

Inflection points are the points at which the curve changes from concave downward
to concave upward or vice – versa. At inflection points, the second derivative of the slope is
zero (y’’ = 0).
To get the inflection points of a curve, find the second derivative of y and set y’’ = 0,
then get the values.

Instructor: Engr. Vincent E. Malapo

EM 111 – CALCULUS 1 (DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS)

Examples:

(a) Find the inflection points of the curve y = x4 – 2x2 + 1.

Solution:

(b) Find the inflection points of the curve y = x4 (5 – x).

Solution:

Assessment Task 4.3

Determine the inflection points of the given functions.

Instructor: Engr. Vincent E. Malapo

 EM 111 – CALCULUS 1 (DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS)

4.4 Sketching of Polynomial Curves

The following are the steps in sketching polynomial curves.

1. Find y’ to locate the critical points and determine the maxima and minima of the
function.
2. Find y’’ to locate and determine the inflection points and draw a tangent at each of
these points.
3. Plot additional points for more accurate sketching.

Examples:
(a) Sketch the curve y = 2x3 + 3x2 – 12x +7.
Solution:

(b) Sketch the curve y = x(x+1)2.

Solution:

Instructor: Engr. Vincent E. Malapo

 EM 111 – CALCULUS 1 (DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS)

Assessment Task 4.4

Sketch the graph of the given functions.

4.5 Optimization Problems: Applications of Maxima and Minima

Steps in solving optimization problems:
1. Analyze the problem and determine what is to be maximized or minimized, say
area A.
2. Draw the diagram, if appropriate.
3. Formulate a function from their common relationships.
4. Locate the critical points.
5. Test the critical points.

Examples:
(a) What are the dimensions of the largest rectangle that can be inscribed in right
triangle?
1. The area of a rectangle is to be maximized under the condition that it is to be
inscribed in a right triangle.
2. Draw a figure/diagram.

Instructor: Engr. Vincent E. Malapo

EM 111 – CALCULUS 1 (DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS)

3.

4.

5.

(b) The sum of two numbers is 10. Find the minimum values of the sum of their
square.
Solution:

Instructor: Engr. Vincent E. Malapo

EM 111 – CALCULUS 1 (DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS)

(c) A cylinder has a volume of 100ft3. The cost of the metal sheets to make a cylinder
should be minimized. What should be its diameter?
Solution:

Instructor: Engr. Vincent E. Malapo

EM 111 – CALCULUS 1 (DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS)

(d) What is the dimension of a rectangle of maximum area that can be inscribed in a
circle?
Solution:

(e) A rectangular field has an area of 2500 m2. What is the least amount of fencing
that will enclosed the field?
Solution:

Instructor: Engr. Vincent E. Malapo

EM 111 – CALCULUS 1 (DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS)

(f) Find the minimum length of the perimeter of a right triangle if the hypotenuse is
10 meters long.
Solution:

Instructor: Engr. Vincent E. Malapo

EM 111 – CALCULUS 1 (DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS)

(g) A box with a square base and open at the top is to have a capacity of 300 m 3. Find
the height of the box that requires the minimum amount of material needed.
Solution:

Instructor: Engr. Vincent E. Malapo

 EM 111 – CALCULUS 1 (DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS)

Assessment Tasks 4.5

Solve the following problems

1. The sum of two numbers is 32. Find the minimum value of the sum of their
squares.
2. The sum of two numbers is 18. Find the numbers if the product of one by the
square of the other is to be maximum.
3. A cylindrical tank has a capacity of 350.53 m3.Find the minimum total surface
area of the tank.
4. A right circular cone has a slant height of 7cm. Find the radius of the cone in
order to have maximum volume.
5. A rectangular lot bounded by an already fenced side on its back is to be fenced. If
the area of the lot is 10,000 m2, what is the least amount of fencing that will
enclose the lot?

4.6 Time Rates

Consider the equation for the volume of a cylinder given by

𝑽 = 𝝅𝒓𝟐 𝒉

Considering h to be constant, the rate of change of the volume V with respect or to it

radius r is given by the equation

𝒅𝑽 = 𝟐𝝅𝒓𝒉𝒅𝒓

𝒅𝑽
= 𝟐𝝅𝒓𝒉
𝒅𝒓

Supposing that the radius r is a function of the variable time t, the rate of change of V
with respect to t is related to the rate of change of r with respect to t by

𝒅𝑽 𝒅𝒓
= 𝟐𝝅𝒓𝒉
𝒅𝒕 𝒅𝒕
Examples

(a) A point moves on the parabola y2 = 16x in such way that the rate of change of
the abscissa is always 3 units/sec. How fast is the ordinate changing when the
abscissa is 1?

Instructor: Engr. Vincent E. Malapo

EM 111 – CALCULUS 1 (DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS)

Solution:

(b) The radius of a sphere is changing at a rate of 3 cm/sec. Find the rate of change
of the surface area when the radius is 8 cm.
Solution:

(c) Water is pouring into a conical cistern at a rate of 20 cm 3/min. The cistern is 25
cm deep and 10 cm in diameter at the top. At the time the water is 15 cm deep,
the water level is observed to be rising at ¼ cm/min, but the water is leaking.
How fast is the water leaking away?
Solution:

Instructor: Engr. Vincent E. Malapo

EM 111 – CALCULUS 1 (DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS)

(d) A man whose height is 5.5 ft is walking away from a 12 ft lamp post at a constant
rate of 3 ft/sec. Find the rate at which his shadow is lengthening.
Solution:

Instructor: Engr. Vincent E. Malapo

EM 111 – CALCULUS 1 (DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS)

(e) A car starting at 9:00 AM, travels north at a rate of 45 kph. Another car starting
from the same point at 10:30 AM, travels at 50 kph. Find how fast the two cars
are separating at 12:00 noon.
Solution:

(f) A balloon is leaving the ground 45 ft from an observer and rises vertically at a
rate of 4ft/sec. When the balloon is 55 ft from the ground, at what rate is its
distance from the observer changing?
Solution:

Instructor: Engr. Vincent E. Malapo

 EM 111 – CALCULUS 1 (DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS)

(g) The distance traveled by a car is given by the equation x = 2t2 + 6t −1 where x
is the distance in miles and t is the time in hours. Determine the velocity of the
car after traveling 100 kilometers.
Solution:

Assessment Task 4.6

1. The radius of a right circular cylinder is changing at a rate of 5 cm/sec. Find the rate
of change of its volume when the radius is 10 cm and its altitude is 12 cm.
2. A boat is pulled into a dock by means of a rope attached to a pulley on the dock. The
rope is attached to the bow of the boat at a point 15 ft below the pulley. If the rope is
pulled through the pulley at a rate of 25 ft/min, at what rate will the boat be
approaching the dock when 130 ft of the rope is out?
3. Water is flowing into a conical vessel 15 cm deep and having a radius of 4 cm across
the top. If the rate at which water is rising is 1.5 cm/sec, how fast is the water
flowing into the conical vessel when the depth of water is 5 cm?
4. Oil spilled from a ruptured tanker spreads in a circle whose area increases at a
constant rate of 3 km2/hr. How fast is the radius of the spill increasing when the
area is 5 km2?
5. A man 5.8 ft tall walks away from a 16 ft high lamp post at a rate of 3 ft/sec. How
fast does the end of his shadow moves?

Instructor: Engr. Vincent E. Malapo