1.

[5 marks] Let
ax2
f (x) = ,
bx + cx3
where a, b and c are nonzero constants. Find the simple functions s(x) and l(x) such that
s(x) best approximates f (x) for small values of x, and l(x) best approximates f (x) for
large values of x.
For small x the term bx + cx3 is well approximated by bx and so f (x) ≈ ab x. For large x
a
the term bx + cx3 is well approximated by cx3 and so we have f (x) ≈ cx . This is a good
approximation, and full marks were given for it. The other accepted answer is f (x) ≈ 0,
being the best approximation of f (x).
2. [5 marks] Find all the values of c such that
 2
x + 2 if x ≤ c
f (x) =
4x − 1 if x > c
is continuous.
Both branches are polynomials and continuous functions. The only possible point of
discontinuity is at x = c. We therefore require c2 + 2 = 4c − 1. Solving gives c = 1 and
c = 3.
3. [5 marks] Let f (x) = 2x2 + 3x − 1. Use a definition of the derivative to find f 0 (0). No
credit will be given for solutions using differentiation rules, but you can use those to check
your answer.
We compute
2(x + h)2 + 3(x + h) − 1 − 2x2 − 3x + 1
f 0 (x) = lim
h→0 h
2
4xh + 2h + 3h
= lim
h→0 h
= lim 4x + 2h + 3
h→0
= 4x + 3
and so f 0 (0) = 3.
4. [5 marks] Find the slope of the tangent line to the curve
√
x−7
y=√
x+7
at x = 9.
First we compute the derivative using quotient rule to see
1 √ √
0
√
2 x
( x + 7) − 2√1 x ( x − 7)
y = √ 2 .
( x + 7)
 At x = 9 we have that the slope of the tangent line is
1
6
(10+ 4) 7
= .
100 300

5. [5 marks] Find the slope of the tangent line to the curve y = xx at x = e2 .

First, we rewrite y = ex log (x) . (Alternatively, take the logarithm

x logof(x)both sides and differ-
0 x
entiate implicitly.) Next differentiate to get y = log x + x e = (log x + 1)xx . So
2
the slope of the tangent line at x = e2 is 3e2e .

6. [5 marks] Find the equation of the tangent line to the curve

2
x2 + y 2 = 2x2 + 2y 2 − x


at the point 0, − 12 . Your answer should be in the form y = mx + b.
Let’s differentiate implicitly in y:
d
d 
2 
x2 + y 2 = 2x2 + 2y 2 − x
dy dy
2x + 2yy = 2(2x2 + 2y 2 − x)(4x + 4yy 0 − 1).
0

We substitute x = 0 and y = − 12 and solve for y 0 :

1
−y 0 = 2 (−2y 0 − 1)
2
y = 2y 0 + 1
0

y 0 = −1.

So, our tangent line equation will take the form y = −x − b. It remains to find b by
substituting our point: − 12 = b. All together we have y = −x − 12 .

7. [5 marks] Use the
degree 2 Taylor approximation to f (x) = cos(x) about x = 0 to

approximate cos 15 .
2
We use a second order Taylor approximation about x = 0: T2 (x) = f (0)+f 0 (0)x+f 00 (0) x2! .
First we compute f (0) = cos(0) = 1 and f 0 (0) = − sin 0 = 0 and f 00 (0) = −
cos490 = −1 so
x2 1
that cos x ≈ T2 (x) = 1 − 2 . We therefore make the approximation cos 5 ≈ 50 .
2
8. [5 marks] Let f (x) = e−x +2x . Find all local extrema, and indicate clearly if each is a
local maximum or a local minimum.
2
We first find the derivative, f 0 (x) = e−x +2x (2 − 2x), to look for critical points. This
function exists everywhere so we solve f 0 (x) = 0 which yields only x = 1 since ex 6= 0 for
any x. Our critical point x = 1 is a local maximum. There are several ways to see that
it is, in fact, a maximum:

2
 • the first derivative test
• the second derivative test
• noting that ex is an increasing function and that −x2 + 2x is a parabola that is
always concave down
• observing that the limits lim x→±∞ f (x) = 0.

9. [5 marks] Let f (x) = x2 − 12x + 11 on the interval [0, 10]. Find the values a and b such
that f (x) attains its minimum at x = a and its maximum at x = b.
We compute the derivative to see f 0 (x) = 2x − 12. There are no singular points and
exactly one critical point at x = 6. We compute our function at the critical point and
at the endpoints to see f (0) = 11, f (6) = 6 ∙ 6 − 12 ∙ 6 + 11 = −6 ∙ 6 + 11 = −25, and
f (10) = 10 ∙ 10 − 12 ∙ 10 + 11 = −9. Together we have a min at a = 6 and a max at b = 0.

10. [5 marks] Find the x-value of the point on the curve y = 9 − 6x closest to the point
(2, 2).
p
We’d like to minimize the distance function f (x) = (x − 2)2 + (9 − 6x − 2)2 . It is
2 2
sufficient to minimize instead g(x) = (x − 2) + (7 − 6x) since the square root function
is strictly increasing. We need the derivative, g 0 (x) = 2(x − 2) − 12(7 − 6x), and set
0 = 2(x − 2) − 12(7 − 6x). There follows

0 = x − 2 − 6 ∙ 7 + 6 ∙ 6x
2 + 42 = 37x
44
x= .
37
We can convince ourselves that this is, in fact, a minimum either by plotting the function,
taking limits as x → ±∞, or using the first or second derivative test.

3
11. Consider the function  x 
e2 log(1+e ) − 1
f (x) = x .
e2 log(1+ex ) + 1

(a) [2 marks] Find the intercepts of f (x).

If x = 0 we have that y = 0 and so there is the intercept (0, 0). We consider f (x) = 0
to see if there are further intercepts. However, note that since log( x) 6= 0 for any x,
x
e2 log(1+e ) 6= 1 and so there are no further intercepts.
(b) [3 marks] What polynomial best approximates f (x) for large negative values of x?
x
After making the simplification

e2 log(1+e ) = (1 + ex )2 , we note that for
large negative
x
2 log(1+e ) x 2x 2 log(1+ex )
x we have x e − 1 = x (2e + e ) ≈ 0 and e + 1 ≈ 1. Together
we have f (x) ≈ 0.
(c) [3 marks] What polynomial best approximates f (x) for large positive values of x?
For large positive x we have that both ex and log x are also large. In this way
x
e2 log(1+e ) is the dominant term in both the denominator and the numerator. Hence
 2 log(1+ex ) 
e
f (x) ≈ x 2 log(1+ex ) ≈ x.
e

(d) [3 marks] The degree 4 Taylor polynomial of f (x) at x = 0 is

3 8 2 3 86 4
x + x2 − x − x.
5 25 125 1875
What is f 00 (0)?
The general form of a degree 4 Taylor polynomial centred at x = 0 is

x2 x3 x4
f (0) + f (0)x + f 00 (0) + f 000 (0) + f 0000 (0)
2! 3! 4!
f 00 (0) 2 8 2 16
and so we can read off 2!
x = 25
x. Hence f 00 (0) = 25
.

4
12. Fechner’s law describes the relationship between“ stimulus intensity” x, such as the
brightness of a light in lumens, and “perceived intensity” p(x), such as the perceived
brightness of a light by a viewer. It is given by
x
p(x) = k log ,
m
where k and m are positive constants. The domain is restricted to x ≥ m.

(a) [3 marks] Find p0 (x), and state all intervals in the domain where p(x) is increasing.
(Answers should be written in the box. Justification should be outside the box.)
We find p0 (x) = xk which is positive for all x in our domain (note that x ≥ m > 0).
Hence, p is increasing everywhere it is defined.
(b) [3 marks] Find p00 (x), and state all intervals in the domain where p(x) is concave
up. (Answers should be written in the box. Justification should be outside the box.)
The second derivative is p00 (x) = − xk2 which is negative for all x in the domain.
Therefore, p is concave down on its domain.
(c) [3 marks] Draw a large sketch of the graph of p(x) on the axes below, clearly
labelling any intercepts, asymptotes, extrema and inflection points.
A graph of p(x) is in blue below.

5
(d) [3 marks] At a given stimulus intensity x, the discrimination threshold is the mini-
mum increase in stimulus intensity such that the corresponding increase in perceived
intensity is equal to or greater than a constant Δp. According to this model, are
discrimination thresholds at high stimulus intensities greater than discrimination
thresholds at low stimulus intensities? Give your answer and justify it in a few
sentences.
The derivative p0 (x) is larger for smaller x and smaller for larger x. In this way, for
small x, we require only a slight increase in x in order to perceive an increase in
p. On the other hand, for large x, we require a large increase in x to perceive an
increase in p. That is, the discrimination thresholds at high stimulus intensities are
greater than discrimination thresholds at low stimulus intensities.
(e) [2 marks] Stevens’ power law is sometimes taken by psychophysicists (who study
stimuli and perceptions) to supersede Fechner’s law. It proposes that perceived
intensity ψ(x) is related to stimulus intensity x according to

ψ(x) = kxa ,

where a is a parameter that depends on the type of stimulus, and k is the same
positive constant as in Fechner’s law. If p(x) and ψ(x) are meant to describe the
same relationship, in which of the following intervals is the parameter a? Remember
to justify your answer.
A. (−∞, −1)
B. (−1, 0)
C. (0, 1)
D. (1, ∞)
We require both ψ 0 (x) > 0 and ψ 00 (x) < 0 so the correct answer is C.

6
13. Suppose you have 10 m of wire that must be used to form a rectangle and an isosceles
triangle, both of which already have bases of length 2 m, as shown below. The wire must
be used to add three sides to the rectangle and two sides to the triangle.

(a) [4 marks] Find the algebraic expression for A(x), the area enclosed by both shapes,
as a function of the leg length x of the triangle.
√
2
√ the height of the triangle is x − 1 so the total area is given by
We note that
A = 2y + x2 − 1. We have the constraint 2 + 2y + 2x = 10 or√rather 2y = 8 − 2x.
Rewriting our area as a function of x we find A(x) = 8 − 2x + x2 − 1.
(b) [2 marks] What is the domain of A(x)? You may state your answer without explicit
justification.
The domain is [1, 4].
(c) [5 marks] Find the leg length x that maximizes the area A(x) enclosed by both
shapes.
We find solutions to A0 (x) = 0. Differentiating we find A0 (x) = −2 + √xx2 −1 . Setting
the derivative equal to zero yields
x
2= √
x2−1
√ x
x2 − 1 =
2
2
x
x2 − 1 =
4
3 2
x =1
4
2
x= √ .
3
We note that 1 ≤ x ≤ 4 so we take only the positive root.

7
14. Hyperbolic functions are analogues to trigonometric functions, defined with respect to
the unit hyperbola instead of the unit circle. They are particularly useful in the study of
differential equations. They can also be defined in terms of exponential functions. One
example is the hyperbolic cotangent function

ex + e−x
coth(x) = ,
ex − e−x
defined on the restricted domain x 6= 0.

(a) [3 marks] Find all horizontal asymptotes of coth(x).

As
ex + e−x
lim x = 1,
x→∞ e − e−x

therefore, y = 1 is a horizontal asymptote. Similarly, y = −1 is also a horizontal

asymptote because
ex + e−x
lim x = −1.
x→−∞ e − e−x

(b) [3 marks] Find all vertical asymptotes of coth(x).

The function explode when the denominator is zero. The denominator is zero for
x = 0. Hence x = 0 is a vertical asymptote. Also note that lim x→0+ coth(x) = +∞
and limx→0− coth(x) = −∞.
(c) [4 marks] Determine where coth(x) is increasing and where it is decreasing.
The derivative of coth(x) is given by
2 2  2
d (ex − e−x ) − (ex + e−x ) ex + e−x
coth(x) = =1− .
dx (ex − e−x )2 ex − e−x

The derivative is negative for x < 0 as well as x > 0. This implies that the function
is decreasing on the intervals x < 0 and x > 0. That is function is decreasing on its
domain.
(d) [4 marks] Draw a large sketch of the graph of coth(x) on the axes below, using the
information determined in the previous parts of this question.

8
4 marks for a curve like the one below.