SMA 1117: CALCULUS 1

LEC 8
APPLICATIONS
Equations of Tangents and Normals
• A tangent line is a line that just touches a curve at a point
A normal is a line that is perpendicular to the tangent line at the point
of contact with the curve.

Normal
Tangent
General equation of line given by y  mxc

Where m is the gradient of the line and c is the y-intercept

dy dy
 gradient function  m
dx dx

For tangent line we shall call it m1 and normal m2

To find equation of a tangent
1. Find gradient function then using given point get m1
2. find the y-intercept using point given c
3. write out the equation y  m1 x  c
Example 1
• Find the equation of tangent line to the curve y  x 4  2 x3  6 at 1,5 
dy
 4 x3  6 x 2
dx
dy
at x  1  4 1  6 1  2 so m1  2
3 2

dx
equation of tan gent
y  m1 x  c
y  2 x  c
at 1,5
5  2 1  c  c7
 y  2 x  7
Example 2
• Find the equation of tangent line to the curve y  e3 x  3x at  0, 2 
dy 3 x
 3e  3
dx
dy
at x  0  3e0  3  6 so m1  6
dx
equation of tan gent
y  m1 x  c
y  6 x  c
at  0, 2 
 2  6  0  c  c  2
 y  6 x  2
Exercise
• Find the equation of tangent line to the curve

1. y  x 5
 x 2
 1 at  1, 1

2. y  4 ln x  x  8 At 1, 7 

3. y  sin 2 x  4 at  , 4 
Solutions

1. y  3x  2

2. y  5 x  12

3. y  2 x  4  2
To find equation of normal
Recall
The product of gradients of perpendicular lines is 1

Tangent line is perpendicular to normal line  m1  m2  1

1. Find gradient m1 then using the relation m1  m2  1 find m2

2. find the y-intercept using point given c
3. write out the equation y  m2 x  c
Example 1
• Find the equation of normal line to the curve y  5  x 2  x3 at  2,1
dy
 2 x  3x 2
dx
dy 1 1 1
at x  2  2  2  3  2   8 m2   
2

dx m1 8 8 m1  m2  1
equation of normal
y  m2 x  c
1
y  xc
8
at  2,1
1 3
1 2 c  c
8 4
1 3
 y  x
8 4
Example 2
• Find the equation of normal line to the curve y  e3 x  e 4 x  3 at  0,3
dy
 3e3 x  4e 4 x
dx
dy 1 1 1
at x  0  3e0  4e0  7 m2   
dx m1 7 7 m1  m2  1
equation of normal
y  m2 x  c
1
y   xc
7
at  0,3
1
3   0  c  c3
7
1
 y   x3
7
Example 3
• Find the equation of normal line to the curve y  cos 2 x  x at  0,1

dy
 2sin 2 x  1
dx
dy 1 1 m1  m2  1
at x  0  2sin 0  1  1 m2    1
dx m1 1
equation of normal
y  m2 x  c
y  x  c
at  0,1
1  1  0  c  c 1
 y  x 1
Exercise
• Find the equation of normal line to the curve

1. y  1  2 x  x5 at  1, 0 

2. y  5 x  4e  x at  0, 4 

3. y  3sin 4 x  5 x  2 at
2
 0, 2 
Solution

1 1
1. y  x
3 3

2. y  x  4

1
3. y   x2
12
 Application to Kinematics
Displacement and velocity
When an object is moving in a straight line we consider its position at
anytime t in seconds by giving its displacement s metres from a given
point usually the origin.

Consider displacement-time graph and two neighbouring points

P  t , s  and Q  t  t , s  s  s
change in displacement s Q
Average Vel  
Change in time t
P
t
 s ds
At an instant i.e. t  0 lim 
t  0 t dt
ds
 v
dt
NB
“at the origin”  s  0
“instantaneously or momentarily at rest”  v  0
This is also the point where s is a maximum or a minimum
s

t
Example 1
An object moving in a straight line has its displacement s metres from
an origin 0 at time t seconds given by
s  t  t  3
2

Determine
1. The time when the object is at the origin

2. The time when the object is instantaneously at rest.

• . Object at origin when s  0
s  t  t  3  0
2

t  0 and t  3

• object instantaneously at rest when v  0

s  t  t  3
2

ds
v   t  3 1  t  2  t  3   t  3 t  3  2t 
2

dt
 v   t  3 3t  3
 t  3 3t  3  0
 t  3 and t  1
Example 2
A ball is thrown vertically upwards. Its height in metres after t seconds
is s  15t  5t 2
Calculate the maximum height reached by the ball and the time taken
to reach that maximum height.
s  15t  5t 2
ds
 15  10t  v  15  10t
dt
object at max when v  0
15 3
 15  10t  0  t 
10 2
time taken 1.5sec
height  15t  5t  15 1.5   5 1.5   11.25 m
2 2
velocity and acceleration
Consider vel - time graph and two neighbouring points P and Q
v
Q

P
t
P  t , v  and Q  t  t , v  v 

change in velocity v
Acc  
Change in time t
 v dv
At an instant i.e t  0 lim 
t  0 t dt
dv
 a
dt

Example 1
An object moving in a straight line has its displacement s metres at time t
seconds given that s  t 2  t  6 
Determine;
• Displacement
• Acceleration
at the times when the object is instantaneously at rest.
• . object instantaneously at rest when v  0
s  t 2  6  t   6t 2  t 3
ds
 12t  3t 2  v  12t  3t 2
dt

v0
12t  3t  0
2
3t  4  t   0
 t  0 and t  4

at t  0 s  0 m
at t  4 s  6  4    4   32 m
2 3
• For acceleration

v  12t  3t 2
dv
a  12  6t
dt

at t  0 a  12  6  0  12 m / s 2

at t  4 a  12  6  4  12 m / s 2
Example 2
A particle moves along a straight line so that after t seconds its distance
from 0 a fixedpoint on the line is s metres when s  t 3
 3t 2
 2t

1. When is the particle at 0

2. What is the velocity at these times
3. What is the acceleration at these times
•.
s  t 3  3t 2  2t
when at O s0
t 3  3t 2  2t  0 t  t 2  3t  2   0
t  t  1 t  2   0 t  0,1, 2
ds
v  3t 2  6t  2
dt
t 0 v  2m/ s
t 1 v  3 1  6 1  2  1 m / s
2

t2 v  3 2  6  2  2  2 m / s
2
•.
v  3t  6t  2
2

dv
a  6t  6
dt

t 0 a  6 m / s 2

t 1 v  6 1  6  0 m / s 2

t2 v  62  6  6m / s 2
Example 3

A particle moves along a straight line so that after t seconds it’s distance
from O a fixed point on the line is s m where s  t 4  3t 2
Find:
(a) It’s velocity
(b) Acceleration when t = 1; t = 2; t = 3

s  t 4  3t 2 v  4t 3  6t
ds dv
v  4t 3  6t a  12t  6
2

dt dt
t  1 v  4  6  10 m / s t  1 a  12 1  6  18 m / s 2

t2 v  4  8  6  2  44 m / s t2 a  12  4  6  54 m / s 2
t 3 v  4  27  6  3  126 m / s t 3 a  12  9  6  114 m / s 2
Exercise
• A ball is thrown vertically upwards and it’s height after t seconds is s
metres where s  7t  t 2
Find
(a) It’s height and velocity after 3 seconds

(b) When it is momentarily at rest

(c) The greatest height reached

(d) The acceleration

Solution

(a) s  12 m
v  1m / s
(b) t  3.5 s  v  0
(c) s  12.25 m

(d) a  2 m / s 2