APPLICATION OF DERIVATIVES

Single Type
1. If g  x  is a curve which is obtained by the reflection of
ex  e x
f x  about the line yx then:
2
(A) g  x  has more than one tangent parallel to x – axis
(B) g  x  has more than one tangent parallel to y – axis
(C) y  x is a tangent to f  x  at  0, 0 
(D) g  x  has no extremum
Ans: (D)
As g  x  is a curve which is obtained by the reflection of
e x  e x
f x  on y  x
2
 g x is inverse of f  x  .
 
 g  x   log x  1  x 2  f 1  x 

1  2x  1
 g'  x   . 1     0, x  R
x  1 x  2 1 x 
2 2
1 x2

 g x has no tangent parallel to x-axis also g'  x  is always

defined, x  R
 g  x  has no tangent parallel to y- axis since , g'  x   0  g  x 

has not any extremum.

2. The curve y = ax3 + bx2 + cx + 5 touches the x-axis at A(-2,

0) and cuts the y-axis at a point B where its slope is 3.
Then,
 1 3 1 3
(A) a  ,b ,c3 (B) a  ,b ,c3
2 4 2 4
1 3
(C) a ,b ,c3 (D) all the above
2 4
Ans: (B)
Given that y  ax 3  bx 2  cx  5 …(i)
dy
 3ax 2  2bx  c …(ii)
dx
Since the curve (i) touches x-axis at A(-2, 0), therefore,
 dy 
point A lies on Eq. (i) and  0.
 dx 

 -8a + 4b – 2c + 5 = 0 …(iii)
and 12a – 4b + c = 0 …(iv)
The curve (i) cuts y-axis at B(0,5). It is given that
 dy 
   3 c  3
 dx B

On putting c = 3 in Eqs. (iii) and (iv) and solving them, we

get
1 3
a and b  
2 4

3. Coffee is draining from a conical filter, height and diameter

both 15 cm into a cylindrical coffee pot diameter 15 cm.
The rate at which coffee drains from the filter into the pot is
100 cu cm/min. The rate in cms/min at which the level in
the pot is rising at the instant when the coffee in the pot is
10 cm, is
9 25
(A) (B)
16 9
 5 16
(C) (D)
3 9
Ans: (D)
For cylindrical pot, V   r 2h
dV  2 dh dr   dr 
  r dt  h  2r dt   r  constant, dt  0 
dt

dh
100   r 2
dt
225 dh  15 
 100     r  m
4 dt  2 
dh 400 16
   cm / min .
dt 225 9

4. The tangent to the curve y = ex drawn at the point  c, e  c

intersects the line joining the points  c 1, e  and  c  1, e c 1 c 1

(A) on the left of x = c (B) on the right of x = c

(C) at no point (D) at all points
Ans: (A)
ec 1  ec 1
Slope of AB =
2
Slope of tangent is ec
ec1  ec1  1 
 ec  e   2
2  e 
 B(c+1, ec+1)

A(c-1,ec-1) P(c, ec)

y-coordinate of straight line AB at x = c will be more than

y-coordinate of the tangent at x = c for this graph.
Also rate of increasing of AB is more than tangent. So
already these two lines had interested before x = c.

5. If f  x   xe   , then f(x) is:

x 1 x

(A) increasing in [–1/2, 1] (B) decreasing in R

(C) increasing in R (D) decreasing in [–1/2, 1]
Ans: (A)
Given f  x   xe   x 1 x

 f   x   e    xe   1  2x   ex1x  1  x 1  2x 

x 1 x x 1 x

e
x 1 x 
1  x  2x  2

 e
x 1 x 
 2x  x 1
2
 e
x 1 x 
 x  1 2x  1
 1 
Which is positive in   ,1
 2 
 1 
Therefore, f(x) is increasing in   2 ,1 .

 x  x 2  ...  x n  f  x1   f  x 2   ...  f  x n 
6. Let f 1  , where all xi  R are
 n  n
independent to each other and n  N . If f(x) is differentiable
and f   0  a , f(0) = b then f   x  is equal to
 (A) a (B) 0
(C) b (D) ab
Ans: (A)
Differentiating the given equation w.r.t. x1, we get
1  x1  x 2  ..  x n  f   x1 
f  
n  n  n

[Since all x i s are independent to each other,  dx i

0
dx j
dx i
If i j and 1 if (i = j)]
dx j

On putting x1 = x2 = … = xn-1 = 0 and xn = x, we get

x
f     f   0   a.
n
x
On integrating, we get nf    ax  c
n

Since f(0) = b, we have c = nb.

x
 nf    ax  nb  nf  x   nax  nb  f  x   ax  b .
n

7. Let 0    45 , t   tan 
0 0
1
tan 
, t 2   tan 
cot 
, t3   cot 
tan 
, t 4  cot  
cot 

then
(A) t  t  t  t
1 2 3 4 (B) t  t  t  t
4 3 1 2

(C) t  t  t  t
4 1 2 3 (D) None of these
Ans: (B)
0  tan   1  cot 
Since, cot   tan 
 cot    tan 
tan  tan 

 t 3  t1
 Again cot   1
So, cot   cot 
cot  tan 
 t 4  t3

But 0  tan   1
So;  tan    tan 
tan  cot 
 t1  t 2

So, t 4  t 3  t1  t 2

8. Let g  x   1 f  2x 2  1  1 f 1  x 2  x  R, where f " x   0x  R , g(x) is

4 2
necessarily increasing in the interval
 2 2  2   2 
(A)  ,  (B)   ,0    , 
 3 3  3   3 

(C)  1,1 (D) None of these

Ans: (B)
 x   0  f ' is inc. fn
"
f

To find : where g is nec. Inc

g is inc  g '  0
1
4
2
 1

  
 .f ' 2x  1  4x   P 1  x  2x   0  x f ' 2x  1  f ' 1  x
2
2 2 2
    0
Case 1 : x  0  1 f ' 2x 1  f ' 1  x 2 2

2 2
 2x  1  1  x
 2  2 
 x   ,  ,     2
 3  3 

 2 
1   2   x   ,   ……….(3)
 3 

Case II :   
x  0   3 f ' 2x  1  f ' 1  x
2 2

2 2
 2x  1  1  x
  2 2
 x   ,    4
 3 3 
 2 
 3   4     ,0    6 
 3 

 g is inc in x   5   6 

 2   2 
 x    ,0    , 
 3   3 

9. f ( x)   sin 2 x  e 2sin x ; max f ( x)  min f ( x) 

2

1 1 1
(A) (B) 
e2 2e e 2
(C) 1 (D) None of these
Ans: (D)
Let t  sin 2
x; t  [0,1]

f ( x)  g (t )  te 2t
 1
 0 if
2 t 
t  [0, )
2
g '(t )  (1  2t ) e 
 0 if 1
t  ( ,1]
 2
1 1
max f  max g  g   
 2  2e
min f  min g  min  g (0), g (1)  0
1
max f  min f  .
2e

i3 3
10. If f(x) =   x  a i    a i  3x , where ai < ai + 1, then f(x) = 0 has
i 1 i 1

(A) only one real root

(B) three real roots of which two of them are equal
 (C) three distinct real roots
(D) three equal roots
Ans: (C)
f(x) =  x  a1  x  a 2   x  a3    a1  x    a 2  x    a 3  x 
Now f(x)  –  as x  –  and f(x)   are x  .
Again f(a1) = (a2 – a1) + (a3 – a1) > 0  a a a  1 2 3

 One root belongs to  , a1 

Also, f  a3    a1  a3    a 2  a3   0
 One root belongs to  a1, a3 
So f(x) = 0 has three distinct real roots.

Multiple Correct Type

11. Equation of tangents to the curve y = cos (x + y), 2  x  2,

that are parallel to x + 2y = 0.

(A) 2x  4y  3  0 (B) 2x  4y  3  0
(C) 2x  4y    0 (D) 2x  4y    0
Ans: (A, C)
dy sin (x y) 1
dx 1 sin (x y) 2

sin (x y) 1 cos (x y) 0 y 0
3
and x
2
,
2
(from y = cos (x + y))
3
Equation of tangent at 2
,0 and
2
,0 are
 1 1 3
(y 0) (x ) and (y 0) (x )
2 2 2 2

12. Tangent at a point P1 [other than (0, 0)] or the curve y = x3

meets the curve again at P2. The tangent at P2 meets the
curve at P3 and so on. Then
(A) abscissae of P1, P2, P3, ……Pn are in A. P.
(B) abscissae of P1, P2, P3, …. Pn form a G. P.
(C) area  P P P   16 area  P P P 
2 3 4 1 2 3

(D) area  P P P  = 16 area  P P P 

1 2 3 2 3 4

Ans: (B, C)
Let P  x , y  i = 1, 2, 3, ….n
i i i

y = x3 (1)  dy
 3x 2
dx
Equation of tangent at P1(x1, y1)
y  x  3x  x  x  (2)
3
1
2
1 1

Solving (1) and (2), x  2x1

 x2 = 2x1 and y2 = 8x13

P   2x ,  8x 
2 1
3
1

and like wise P3   2  2x1  ,  64x13 

Abscissa of P1, P2, …., Pn are given by

x ,  2x , 4x ,  8x ,..... which is G. P. with common ratio 2.
1 1 1 1

x1 x13 1 1 1 1
1 x14
Area of  P1P2 P3   2x1 8x 3
1 1 2 8 1
2 3 2
4x1 64x 1 1 4 64 1
 2x1 8x13 1 1 1 1
1
Area of  P2 P3P4   4x1 64x 3
1 1  8x 2 8 1
4
1
2
8x1 512x13 1 4 64 1
1
So area of  P P P  = 1 2 3 area of  P2 P3P4 
16

13. Which of the following are true for x   0,  

2
(A) ln 1  x   x  x (B) ln 1  x   x
2 x 1
(C) 4cos x  x  0 (D) 2 tan 1 x  x  1

Ans: (A, B, C)
x2
 a  f  x   ln 1  x   x 
2
1 x2
f 1  x  1 x 
1 x 1 x
f  0   0, f  x   0x   0,    f  x   0
1

y = Cos x

-1 x
y
4

x
 b  f  x   ln 1  x  
1 x
1 1 x
f 1  x   
1  x  x  1 2
1  x 
2

f  0   0, f 1  x   0x   0,    f  x   0
x
 c  y  cos x, y  
4
by graph it is clear that
x
cos x  is not true x   0,  
4
  d  f  x   x  1  2 tan 1 x
f  0  1
x 2  1  x  1 x  1
f 1  x  
1 x 2
x 1 2

at x 1 f  x  min ma
 
f 1  2 1    0  f  x   0x   0,  
 4

14. If f(x) is monotonically increasing function x  R , f ''  x   0

and f  x  exist, then

1

(A)  x  x2  x3  f
1
1
 x1   f 1  x 2   f 1  x 3 
f  1 
 3  3
f 1  x1   f 1  x 2   x  x2 
(B)  f 1  1 
2  2 

(C) f 1  x  is an increasing function

(D) graph of f 1  x  is concave up
Ans: (B, C)
f is increasing  f-1 is also increasing.
f ''  x   0  f is concave up.

f-1 will be concave down

 x  x 2 1  x1  x 2    x  x 2  x 3 f 1  x1   f 1  x 2  | f 1  x 3  
Q 1 ,f   ; R  1 , 
 2  2   3 3 
 x  x 2 f 1  x1   f 1  x 2    x  x 2  x 3 1  x1  x 2  x 3  
P 1 ,  ; S 1 ,f  
 2 2   3  3 
-1
Graph of f (x) will also increase and concavity will be
opposite.
 S is above R. S
C (x3, f(x3))
(x2, f(x2)) B
So R
Q
 x  x2  x3  f
f 1  1
1
 x1   f  x 2   f  x 3  A(x , f(x ))
1 1

 1 1 P
 x1  x 2 f  x1   f  x 2  
 3  3
 , 
 2 2 

( y-coordinate of above
point will be greater).
Q is above P
So  x  x2  f
1
1
 x1   f 1  x 2 
f  1 
 2  2

15. Let h(x) = f(x) – (f(x))2 + (f(x))3 for every real number x.
Then
(A) h is increasing whenever f is increasing
(B) h is increasing whenever f is decreasing
(C) h is decreasing whenever f is decreasing
(D) nothing can be said in general
Ans: (A, C)
Given h  x   f  x    f  x     f  x   2 3

On differentiating w.r.t. x, we get

h  x   f   x   2f  x  .f   x   3f 2  x  .f   x 

 f   x  1  2f  x   3f 2  x 

 1
 3f   x   f  x    f  x   
2 2
 3 3
 1  1 1
2

 3f   x   f  x      
 3  3 9 
  1  3  1
2
 1  2
2

 3f   x   f  x       3f   x   f  x     
 3 9   3  9 

Note that h  x   0 if f   x   0 and h  x   0 if f   x   0 . Therefore

,h(x) is increasing function if f(x) is increasing function,
and h(x) is decreasing function if f(x) is decreasing
function.

2 x  4 x2

16. Let f  x   k 3  k  1
2
. f  x attains local maximum
  x 2
  4, x  2
 k2  k  2
at x = 2 if k lies in
(A)  0,1 (B)  3,  
(C)  , 1 (D) 1, 2 
Ans: (A, C, D)
When f  x  is continuous at x = 2 f ' x  DNE at x  2

and f ' x  changes sign from + to –

k 3  k  1
2

 f  x attains max. At x = 2 if  0  k  0,1

k2  k  2
When f  x  is discontinuous at x = 2, f '  x  changes its sign
from + to  . f  x  will attain maximum if xLt2 f  x   f  2 as 

Lt f  x   f  2  i.e if k   , 1   0,1  1, 2 

x 2

 k   ,  1  [0, 2)

17. Let f(x) be a twice differentiable function in  ,   such

1
that f ''  x   0 x  R , g  x   f  x   f 1  x  and g '   0 then
4
  1
(A) g(x) is increasing in  ,  (B) g(x) attains local
 4
1
minima at x
2

(C) minimum number of zeroes of g ''  x  is 2 in [0, 1]

1 
(D) g '  x   0 in  ,
2 

Ans: (A, C, D)
g(x) = f(x) + f(1 – x)
Replacing x with 1 – x
g(1 – x) = g(x) , replacing x with x + 1
2
 1 1 
gx    g  x
 2 2 
1
Graph of g(x) is symmetric about x
2
1 3 1
so g '   0  g '   0 also g '   0
4 4 2

 g ' x  0 3 times in the interval [0, 1]

 g ''  x   0 2 times in [0, 1] (Rolle’s theorem)
g '  x   f '  x   f ' 1  x 

f ''  x   0 f ' x  is decreasing.

So, if x > 1 – x  x
1
2

 f '  x   f ' 1  x   g ' x   0

1 
gx is decreasing in  ,
2 

18. Let f  x   x .e 2  x2
then
 (A) f  x  has local maxima at x  1 and x 1

(B) f  x  has local minima at x  0 (C) f  x  is strictly

decreasing on x  R
 1
(D) Range of f  x  is 0, e 
 

Ans: (A, B, D)
f  x   x2.e x
2

f '  x   2x.e x  x2.e x  2x   2xe x 1  x 2 

2 2 2

+ - + - sign of f'(x)
x
-1 0 1
f x has local maxima at x = -1 and 1
f x has local minima at x = 0
Now ; f  0   0
1
f 1  and as x  ,f  x   0
e
 1
So, Range of f  x  is 0, e 
 

5 5
19. Consider the function f x sin x cos x 1, x 0, . Which of
2

the following is/ are correct ?

(A) f is monotonic increasing in 0,
4

(B) f is monotonic decreasing in ,

4 2

(C)  some c 0, for which f '  c   0

2

(D) The equation f(x) = 0 has two roots in 0,

2
Ans: (C, D)

We have
f '  x   5sin 4 x cos x  5cos 4 x sin x  5sin x cos x sin x  cos x 1  sin x cos x 
  
 f '  x   0 at x  . Also f '0  f '   0
4 2

 (C) is correct.
    
Also in  0,  f is decreasing and in  ,  f is increasing 
 4 4 2

minimum at x
4

As f  0   f     0  2roots  (D) is correct.]

 2 

 
20. Let f :  0,    0,1 be a differentiable function such that
 2
 
f  0   0, f    1 , then
2

(A) f '    1   f   
2
for all    0,  
 2

(B) f '    2 for all    0,  

 2  

(C) f   f '    1 for at least one    0,  

 2  

(D) f '    82 for at least one  

   0, 
  2 

Ans: (C, D)
 
Let :  0, 2   [0,1] be a ……….
(A) Consider g  x   sin 1 f  x   x
 Since g  0   0, g     0
2  
 
 There is at least one value of    0,  such that
2 
f '  
g '    1  0
1   f   
2

i. e. f '    1   f   
2
for atleast one value of  but may not
 
be for all    0, 
2 

 false
(B) Consider g  x   f  x   2x


Since g  0   0, g     0
2  
 
 there is at least one value of    0,  such that
2 

g '    f '    0
2

i. e f '    2 for atleast one value of  but may not be for



all    0,  
 2

 false
(C) Consider g  x    f  x  2  2x


Since g  0   0, g     0
2  
 
there is at least one value of    0,  such that
 2 

g '    2f   f '    0
2
1
 f   f '   

  True
2
(D) Consider g  x   f  x   4x2


Since g  0   0, g     0
2  
 
 there is at least one value of    0,  such that
 2
8
g '    f '     0
2
8
 f '   
2
 True

Numeric Type
21. Three normals are drawn from the point (c, 0) to the curve
y2 = x, c > 1 . One normal is always the x-axis. Then the
2
value of 4c for which other two normals are perpendicular
to each other is
Ans: (3)
Equation of normal is y = mx – 2am – am3 to the curve y2 =
4ax.
1
a=
4
 m2 1 
 m m3
y  mx   passes through (c, 0) then m    c  0
2 4  4 2 

 Remaining normals are perpendicular.

 Product of the roots of equation m2 1
 c  0 will be 1 .
4 2
 1
c
 2
1
1 1 3
 1  c    . So 4c = 3
2 4 4
4

22. If  is the angle of intersection of curves y = | sinx |  | cos x |

and x2 + y2 = 5. Then the value of | tan  | is
Ans: (2)
1 | sin x |  | cos x | 2

so y  | sin x |  | cos x |  1

Now intersection points are (4, 1) and (2, 1)

dy x
Differentiating the equation x2 + y2 = 5, 
dx y

  dy 
   2 and  dy 
  2
 dx  2,1  dx  2,1

Slope of y = 1 is zero, so tan  = 2

|tan | = 2

23. Let f  x   30  2x  x 3 , then find the number of positive integral

values of x which satisfies f  f  f  x     f  f  x  
Ans: (2)
f  x   30  2x  x
3

f  x   2  3x  0  f  x 
2
is decreasing function
Hence f  f  f  x     f  f  x    f  f  x    f  x 
 f  x   x
3 3

 30  2x  x   x  x  x  30  0   x  3 x  3x  10  0
2

 x 3

24. The function f  x    2  t  1 t  2  

x
 3  t  1  t  2  dt attains its
3 2 2

maximum at x is equal to
Ans: (1)
f   x   2  x  1 x  2   3  x 1  x  2 
3 2 2

  x  1 x  2  2  x  2   3  x  1   x  1 x  2   5x  7 

2 2

+ + +
1–7
/
52
sign change of f   x  from +ve to –ve at x = 1
 maximum at x = 1.

1 1
25. Let P  x3  , Qx and a is the minimum value of P/Q2.
x3 x
Then the value of [a] is where [x] = the greatest integer x.

Ans: (3)
Q3 = P – 3Q  P
2
 Q
3
Q Q
3
f Q  Q 
Q
3
f 'Q  1  Q 3
Q2

f(Q)f will be minimum at Q = 3

So minimum value of f(Q) is 2 3 i.e. minimum of

 P  
 Q 2    2 3   3
 
26. If f  x   x 3
 x 2f ' 1  xf ''  2   f '''  3 x  R . Then the value of
f ' 1  f ''  2   f '''  3 is
Ans: (3)
Let f ' 1  a, f ''  2  b, f ''' 3  c
so f ' x   3x2 + 2ax + b, f ''  x   6x  2a

a = 3 + 2a + b
b = 12 + 2a and c = 6.
 a = 5, b = 2 and c = 6. so a + b + c = 3

27. Ifx + my = 1 touches the curve (ax)n + (by)n = 1. If

n n
   n 1  m  n 1
    = p, then value of p is ..........
a b

Ans: (1)
Tangent at P(x1, y1) is
a .x .x  b .y .y =1
n n 1
1 .... (i)
n n 1
1

but as gives x + my = 1 ....(ii)

Hence eq. (i) & (ii) represent coincident lines, so
 m
a x n
= n 1
b y
=1 n n 1
1 1

 m
so x1n 1 = a n
; y1n 1 = bn

(ax1)n–1 = a ; by1 = m
b

as (x1, y1) lies on the curve so

(ax1)n + (by1)n = 1
n n
   n 1  m  n 1
    = 1.
a b
28. f(x) = x5 – 5x4 + 5x3 – 10 has local maxima and minima at
x =  and x = m respectively then 2 + m is equal to
Ans: (5)
f (x) = 5x4 – 20x3 + 15x2 = 5x2 (x – 1) (x – 3)
for maximum & minimum
f (x) = 0  x = 0, 1, 3
f (x) = 20x3 – 60x2 + 30x = 10x (2x2 – 6x + 3)
f (0) = 0 Neither point of minimum n or maximum
f (1) = – 10 point of maximum
f (3) = 90 point of minimum
 = 1 & m = 3
2 + m = 5

12   5  1
29. The minimum value of 
 cosec –1 3x 2    sec 1 3x 2   
 4  4
is equal to
(where [] denotes the greatest integer function)
Ans: (2)
Let A = cosec–1 3x  1  14  + sec–1 3x  14 
2 2
   

= cosec–1 1  3x 2 1

 

 + sec–1 3x 2 1
 
4
where 3x2 + 1
  4  4

1
 2 1
Now A will be minimum when 3x  4 
 
is minimum
  2 1
3x  4 
 
=1
  Amin = cosec–1 2 + sec–1 1 = 
6
12
Hence, 
A=2

30. From a given solid cone of height 'H', another inverted

cone is carved such that its volume is maximum. If the
height of inscribed cone is H/. Find .
Ans: (3)

r

R (H  h )
r= H

Volume = 1
 R 2 (H  h ) 2
.h
3 H2

 dh
dv
= 0 if h = H
3
H
and h = 3
is a point of maximum
 Volume is maximum when h = H
3
.