1.

Problem 1

A. The limit definition for the slope to a function f ( x) at a point x=a is written as:

m=f ' ( a )=lim

x →a
( f ( xx−a
)−f ( a )
)
Given f ( x )=2 x and the point ( a , f ( a ) )=(0 , 1) , we obtain:

( )
x
' 2 −1
m=f ( 0 )=lim
x→ 0 x−0

Which can be simplified to:

( )
x
' 2 −1
m=f ( 0 )=lim
x→ 0 x

B. Estimate the slope at x=0 . This can be done by taking two points around x=0 and
calculating the slopes of the secant lines, m , until we reach the accuracy of 3 decimal places:

x f ( x )=2 x m
−1 0.5 2−0.5
m=
1 2 1−(−1)
m=0.75
−0.1 0.93303 1.07177−0.93303
m=
0.1 1.07177 0.1− (−0.1 )
m=0.6937
−0.01 0.99309 1.00696−0.99309
m=
0.01 1.00696 0.01− (−0.01 )
m=0.6932
 −0.001 0.99931 1.00069−0.99931
m=
0.001 1.00069 0.001−(−0.001 )
m=0.6931
Thus, we notice that the slope stabilizes to the required accuracy at about:

m ≈ 0.693

Hence, the value of the slope at x=0 accurate to 3 decimal places is m=0.693 .

C. The limit definition for the slope to a function f ( x) at a point x=a is written as:

m=f ' ( a )=lim

x →a
( f ( xx−a
)−f ( a )
)
Given f ( x )=2 x and the point ( a , f ( a ) )=(1 ,2), we obtain:

( )
x
' 2 −2
m=f ( 1 ) =lim
x→ 1 x−1

So that:

( )
x
2 −2
m=f ' ( 1 ) =lim
x→ 1 x−1
D. Estimate the slope at x=1. This can be done by taking two points around x=1 and
calculating the slopes of the secant lines, m , until we reach the accuracy of 3 decimal places:

x f ( x )=2
x
m
0 1 4−1
m=
2 4 2−0
m=1.5
0.9 1.86607 2.14355−1.86607
m=
1 .1 2.14355 1.1−0.9
m=1.3874
0.99 1.98619 2.01391−1.98619
m=
1.01 2.01391 1.01−0.99
m=1.3863
0.999 1.99861 2.00139−1.99861
m=
1.001 2.00139 1.001−0.999
m=1.3863

Thus, we notice that the slope stabilizes to the required accuracy at about:

m ≈1.386

Hence, the value of the slope at x=1 accurate to 3 decimal places is m=1.386 .
E. Sketch a reasonable graph using all the points we used in parts (B) and (D). The graph of:

d x
y= (2 )
dx

Should look like this:

Since we are plotting the derivative of an exponential function, it is going to be an

exponential function as well. In other words, the rate of change of an exponential function is
also exponential, and it is increasing throughout the whole domain, also always positive,
since the parent function y=2x is always increasing, so that its derivative can only be
 d x
positive, ( 2 ) > 0. It is also always concave up, since, as discussed, it resembles an
dx
increasing exponential function. To summarize:

d x
 y= ( 2 ) is always positive, since y=2x is a monotonically increasing function.
dx
d x
 y= ( 2 ) is always increasing, since the rate of change of y=2x is increasing when x
dx
gets larger.
d x
 y= ( 2 ) is concave up in all of its domain, since if it is exponentially increasing, just as
dx
x x
y=2 , then it must be concave up and must have a similar shape to y=2 .

2. Problem 2

A. The two graphs, f (t) and g(t ), are the distance vs. time graphs. As a result, taking the first
derivative of each would yield the velocity graph for each car vs. time, i. e. f ' (t) and g ' (t )
would be velocity graphs. Because each tangent line drawn to any point in the given time
interval would be positive, we can think of velocity being equivalent to speed in this case.

 For the car f , at t=0 we have the steepest tangent line which with an increase in time
flattens out. Hence, the slope of tangent lines from t=0 onward is decreasing. As a
result, f starts at a maximum speed in the given domain which over time keeps
decreasing.
 On the other hand, car g starts at a nearly 0 speed, since at t=0 , the tangent line is
almost horizontal. With an increase in t , the slope is increasing, so that its speed is
increasing towards some maximum value.
 To summarize, f starts at its maximum speed, and its speed keeps decreasing, whereas
g starts at its minimum speed, and its speed keeps increasing in the given time interval.
B. At t=1, we have an intersection point for the two graphs, meaning their y -coordinate is the
same. As a result, they both have travelled the same distance at t=1.

C. Since we can calculate the average velocity as:

Δy
v avg=
Δt

The change in time for each car is the same:

Δ t=t 2−t 1=1−0=1 min

And the change in distance is also the same, since at t=1 min, they have the same position,
and they both start at 0 feet initially, meaning:

Δ f = Δ g= Δ y

As a result, their average velocities in 0 ≤ t ≤ 1 are the same.

D. Both cars are moving at the same instantaneous velocity as long as the slopes of the tangent
lines are equal at that point of time. Our goal is to find whether or not two parallel tangent
lines exist, and they do, as shown below, at a point t=a min:
 This time is roughly 4/5 of the length of the time interval between 0 and 1/2, or:

4 1 2
a≈ × min= min
5 2 5

Thus, their instantaneous velocities are equal at approximately 0.4 min.

E. At t=1, g is moving faster than f , since the its instantaneous velocity at t=1 is greater
(because the tangent line to the graph of g has a steeper slope than that of f ).

ft
F. The derivatives will represent velocity graphs in units of against time. One of them is
min
exponentially increasing, and the other one is exponentially decreasing, they must have an
intersection point at around 0.4 min, as previously calculated:
 The red curve represents g ' (t ), while the blue one indicates f ' (t).
G. Given:

f ( 0.5 )=4
f ( 1 ) =5

Calculate the average speed in the given time interval:

f ( 1 )−f ( 0.5 ) 5 ft−4 ft ft

v avg= = =2
1−0.5 1 min−0.5 min min

ft
Thus, the average speed of f in the given time interval is 2 .
min

3. Problem 3
A. Let’s systemize the information given

 The domain is t ≥ 0, so P(t) defined for non-negative values of the independent

variable.
 P(t) is differentiable in its domain, meaning it has no discontinuity points.
 P ( t ) >0 always, in other words, it’s only defined in quadrant I, as t ≥ 0 and P ( t ) >0 .
'
 P ( t ) >0 for 0<t <2. This means that the function is increasing in the given domain.
 P' ( 2 ) =0, this is a point of a maximum, since the function was increasing, and now the
slope is 0 .
 P' ( t ) <0 for 2<t <5, the function is decreasing here.
'
 P ( t )=0 for t ≥ 5, the function has a minimum for any value of t ≥ 5, or a horizontal
tangent line everywhere.

Hence, a possible graph could be this:

B. Let’s systemize the given information:

 The domain of M (x) is all real numbers except from x=4, or x ∈ (−∞ , 4 ) ∪ ( 4 , ∞ ).
Thus, it’s undefined at x=4.
 It is not differentiable at x=4, meaning we have a discontinuity point, could be a jump,
for instance.
 M ( x ) <0 for x ←2, that is, the function has negative values for x ←2.
 M ( x ) >0 for x >−2, the function becomes positive for x >−2.
''
 M ( x )< 0 for x <0, it’s concave down for negative x values.
 M ' ' ( x )> 0 for all x >0 except x=4, meaning it becomes concave up.

This is a possible graph: