MCD1230

Applied Mathematics
Applications of Differentiation
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Applications of Differentiation

Learning Objectives
By completing this topic students should be able to
• find the equation of the tangent and the normal at a given point on a
curve
• solve rate of change problems
• find the stationary points and sketch the graphs
• solve maxima and minima problems
 Tangents to the curve
f
y  f  x The equation for the straight line, gradient m,
passing through the point  x1 , y1  is
y  y1  m  x  x1 
y  f '  x1  x  x1   y1 Therefore the equation for the tangent to the
curve y  f  x  at the point  x1 , y1  is
gradient of the tangent is f '  x1 
y  y1  f '  x1  x  x1 
 y  f '  x1  x  x1   y1
 x1 , y1 

O
Tangents to the curve - example
f  x   2 x2  x  3
Find the equation for the tangent
to the curve f  x   2 x 2  x  3
at the point x  0 y  x 3

When x  0 f  0   3 so  0, 3 is the point on the curve and the tangent

f ' x   4x  1  f ' 0  4 0  1  1
i.e. the gradient of the curve at x  0 is 1
Hence the gradient of the tangent is 1
The equation of the tangent is y  1 x  0   3  x  3
 Normals to the curve
f
1
gradient of the normal is 
f '  x1  The normal to the curve
y  f  x
at a given point is
perpendicular to the
gradient of the tangent is f '  x1  tangent. If the tangent
has gradient m, then the
gradient of the normal
 x1 , y1  1
is  . Hence the equation
m
1 of the normal is
y  x  x1   y1
f '  x1  1
x y  x  x1   y1
O
f '  x1 
 Normals to the curve - example f  x   2 x2  x  3

Find the equation for the normal

to the curve f  x   2 x 2  x  3
at the point x  1 1
y   x
1
5 5

When x  1 f 1  0 so 1,0  is the point on the curve and the normal
f '  x   4 x  1  f ' 1  4 1  1  5
i.e. the gradient of the curve at x  1 is 5
1
Hence the gradient of the normal is 
5
1 1 1
The equation of the normal is y    x  1  0   x 
5 5 5
Applications of differentiation of exponential
and logarithmic functions
Find the equations of the tangent and the normal to the graph
f  x   xe  x at the point where x  1.
f   x   e  x  x  e  x 
 1  x  e  x
f  1   1 e
  1
 e
f   1  2e1  2e
The tangent passes through  1,  e  with a gradient of 2e.
The equation of the tangent is y   e   2e  x   1 
y  2ex  e

The equation of the normal is y   e     x   1 

1
2e
1 3
y x
2e 2e
Applications of differentiation of circular
functions
Find the equations of the tangent and the normal to the graph

f  x   sin 2 x at the point where x  .
12
f   x   2 cos 2 x
  2  1
f    sin  sin 
 12  12 6 2
  2  3
f     2 cos  2 cos  2   3
 12  12 6 2
  1
The tangent passes through  ,  with a gradient of 3.
 12 2 
1   
The equation of the tangent is y   3x 
2  12 
3 1
y  3x  
12 2
Applications of differentiation of circular
functions

  1 1
The normal passes through  ,  with a gradient of 
 12 2  3
1 1   
The equation of the normal is y    x  
2 3 12 
1  1
y x 
3 12 3 2
3 3 1
y x 
3 36 2
Rates of change
The gradient of a curve measures the instantaneous rate
of change of the dependent (or y) variable with respect to
the independent (or x) variable.

Instantaneous rate of change:

dy
dx
bg
 y x

Examples may include questions on rates of change

problems involving:
 Volume and radius
 Temperature and time
 Motion
 Circuits
 Area and angle size
Rates of change
A spherical balloon, volume V cm3 , has a radius r cm.
Find the rate of increase of the volume with respect to
the radius when the radius is 6 cm.
Solution:

4 3
V  r
3
dV
 4r 2
dr
 4  62 for r  6
 144
 452  39
The rate of increase in volume of the balloon with respect
to its radius, when the radius is 6 cm, is 144 cm3 / cm.
 Rates of change
A particle moves in a straight line with its displacement
x cm from a fixed point O at time t s given by the rule

bg
x t  t 3  6t 2 + 9t - 8.
a. What is the displacement of the particle at t  1 ?
b. Find the speed of the particle at time 2 s.
c. When is the particle at rest?
d. How far does the particle travel in the first 5 s?
e. What is the acceleration of the particle at t  1 ?
Solution:
b. bg bg
v t  x t
a. bg
x 1  13  6  12  9  1  8  3t 2  12t  9
 1 6  9  8 bg
v 2  3  2 2  12  2  9
 4  12  24  9
The particle is 4 cm to the left of O at t  1.  3
The velocity is  3 cm / s after 2 s. The speed is
3 cm / s and the particle is moving to the left.
 Rates of change
c. The particle is at rest when vbt g  0 bg
d. x 0  8
3t  12t  9  0 xb1g  4
2

c h
3 t 2  4t  3  0 xb3g  3  6  3  9  3  8  27  54  27  8  8
3 2

bt  1gbt  3g  0 xb5g  5  6  5  9  5  8  125  150  45  8  12

3 2

t  1, 3 xb1g  xb0g  xb3g  xb1g  xb5g  xb3g

The particle is at rest at 1 s and 3 s.  b 4g  b 8g  b 8g  b 4g  12  b 8g
 4  8  8  4  12  8
e. bg bg
a t  v t
 4  4  20  4  4  20
 6t  12
 28
bg
a 1  6  1  12 The particle travels 28 cm in the first 5 s.
 6
The acceleration is  6 cm / s2 after 1 s.
The particle is decelerating.
Applications of differentiation of exponential
and logarithmic functions – rate of change
The number of organisms in a petrie dish, N , at time t hours
since there were N 0 organisms is given by the rule N  N 0 e kt
dN
where k is constant. Show that is proportional to N ,
dt
find k if the number of organisms doubles in eleven hours and
find the rate of increase when N is 5000.

N  N 0 e kt ln 2  11k
ln 2
dN k   0.063
 kN 0 e kt  kN 11
dt
dN
N  2 N 0 when t  11  0.063 N
dt
2 N 0  N 0 e k 11  0.063  5000 when N  5000
2  e k 11  315 organisms per hour
Rates of change
The temperature, T C, of a can of soft drink after being
put into a refrigerator is given by

T  4  9e2t , t  0
where t is the time elapsed in hours since the can was
placed in the refigerator. Find the rate at which the
temperature is changing after two hours.
Solution:
T  4  9 e 2 t , t  0
dT
 18e 2 t
dt
 18e 2  2 for t  2
 18e 4
 0  3297
The rate of decrease in temperature of the can with
respect to time, two hours after the can was put into
the refrigerator, is 0 33 C / hour.
Stationary points
A point  a, g  a   on a curve y  g  x  is a stationary point if g   a   0

 0 when x  a implies  a, g  a   is a stationary point.

dy
Equivalently for y  g  x  ,
dx
A, B and C are stationary points on the graph of y  g  x  .

y
A
C

O x

B
 Stationary points - example
The displacement, x metres, of a particle moving in a straight line is
given by x  4t 2  t 4 where t  0 and t seconds is the time taken.
Find the particle's maximum displacement.
dx x  2, 4 
 8t  4t 3  0 at the stationary points.
dt
4t  2  t 2   0

4t  2 t  
2 t  0
t  0, 2,  2 (rejected since t  0)
 0, 0  t
O
When t  0, x  0 2

 2  2
2 4
When t  2, x  4   4 2  4  4
The maximum displacement is 4 metres occurring after 1.414 seconds.
The stationary points occur when the rate of change of displacement with respect
to time, the velocity, is zero. The particle is stopped, or stationary, at these moments.
 Stationary points - example
Find the stationary point(s) for y  12 x 2  6 .
Consider the graph of y  12 x 2  6. The graph of y  12 x 2  6 is shown.

y y  0, 6 

O x O x

The coordinates of the

 0,  6 stationary point are  0, 6  .

dy
It has a stationary point where  0.
dx
The coordinates of the
stationary point are  0,  6  .
Stationary points - example
Find the stationary point(s) of the function f  x   x 3  4 x 2  3 x  6
f '  x   3x 2  8 x  3
A stationary point occurs when f '  x   0
i.e. 3 x 2  8 x  3  0
 3x  1 x  3  0
1
x or x  3
3
3 2
1 1 1 1 176
f       4    3   6 
3 3 3  3 27
f  3   3  4  3  3  3  6  12
3 2

 1 176 
hence stationary points are  ,  and  3,12 
 3 27 

Presentation title 28th February 2011 20

Stationary points - example
The curve with equation f  x   ax 3  bx 2  x  c passes through  1,  1
with stationary point 1, 3  . Find a, b and c.

f  1  a  b  1  c  1 Substitute 1 for a in (3)

a  b  c  0 (1) 3  2b  1
f 1  a  b  1  c  3 2b  4
abc  2 (2) b  2
f   x   3ax 2  2bx  1
Substitute 1 for a and  2 for b in (1)
1  2  c  0
f  1  3a  2b  1  0 (stationary point) c3
3a  2b  1 (3) a  1, b  2 and c  3
2a  2 (2)  (1)
a 1
Types of stationary points (using first
sign  
derivative)  0  0
A sign
C
gradient gradient

A is a local maximum turning point. C is a stationary point of inflection

(on an increasing graph).
sign  0 
sign  0 
D
gradient gradient

B
B is a local minimum turning point. D is a stationary point of inflection
(on a decreasing graph).
Sketching polynomial functions (parabolas)
bg
f x  ax 2  bx  c
• Let f’(x) = 0 and find x and f(x) to locate the turning point, TP(x, f(x)).
– The axis of symmetry is the vertical line passing through this
turning point.
• Determine the nature of the turning point by finding the sign of the
derivative in the neighbourhood of the turning point.*
• Let x = 0 and find f(0) to locate the y-intercept (0, f(0)).
• Let f(x) = 0 and solve the quadratic equation in x to locate the x-
intercept(s), if they exist.
• Orient the graph, upright or upside-down, according to the sign of a.*
* For a parabola, either one or other of these steps is essential, but not
both.
Sketching polynomial functions
(parabolas) - example
f  x   4 x 2  4 x  15 f   1  8   1  4  4
At TP f   x   0 f  x  0
8x  4  0 1
When x   , e.g. x  0
1 2
x
2 f   0  8  0  4  4
f  x  0
2
 1  1  1
f     4     4     15
 2  2  2  1 
The TP   ,  16  is a local minimum.
 1  2  15  2 
1
 16 x 
2
 1  f  x
TP   ,  16   0 
 2 
1 gradient
When x   , e.g. x  1
2
Sketching polynomial functions
2 f
(parabolas) - example 2
1
2
1
1
2
x
0
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2
-2
At Y -int x  0
f  0   15 -4

The y-intercept is 15 -6

At X  int f  x   0 -8

4 x 2  4 x  15  0 -10
 2 x  5  2 x  3  0 -12
5 3
x , -14
2 2
-16 15
1
The x-intercepts are  2 and 1
1 FG 1 IJ
2 2
H  ,  16
2 K
Sketching polynomial functions (cubics)
bg
f x  ax 3  bx 2  cx  d
• Let f’(x) = 0 and find x and f(x) to locate the stationary points, if
they exist.
• Determine the nature of the stationary points by finding the sign
of the derivative in the neighbourhood of the stationary points:
– Two stationary points = Two turning points.
– One stationary point = One horizontal point of inflection.
– No stationary points = One non-horizontal point of inflection.
• Let x = 0 and find f(0) to locate the Y-intercept (0, f(0)).
• Let f(x) = 0 and solve the cubic equation in x to locate the X-
intercept(s).
• Orient the graph, upright or upside-down, according to the sign
of a.
 Sketching polynomial functions (cubic)
f  x   4x3  9x2  12x  1
1
When x   , e.g. x  1
2
At SPs f   x   0
f   1  12  1  18  1  12  18
2

12 x 2  18 x  12  0 f  x  0
6  2 x 2  3x  2   0 1
When   x  2, e.g. x  0
 2 x  1 x  2   0 2
f   0   12  0 2  18  0  12  12
1
x   , 2 (i.e. 2 SPs = 2 TPs) f  x  0
2 When x  2, e.g. x  3
3 2
 1  1  1  1 f   3  12  32  18  3  12  42
f     4     9     12     1
 2  2  2  2 f  x  0
1
4
4 x 1 
1
2
0 2 3
 1 1
TP1   , 4 
f  x  0  0 
 2 4 gradient
f  2  4  23  9  22  12  2  1  27
TP2  2,  27 
 Sketching polynomial functions (cubic)
 1 1  x  1  4 x 2  13x  1  0
TP1   , 4  is a local maximum,
 2 4 x 1  0 or 4 x 2  13 x  1  0
TP2  2,  27  is a local minimum. x  1    13  4  4  1
2

The y-intercept is 1  153

At x-int f  x   0   13  153
x
4 x3  9 x 2  12 x  1  0 2 4
Using the factor theorem: 13  153 13  153
 ,
bg
f 1  4  9  12  1  0 8 8
 0  0788, 3  1712 (4dp's)
f b1g  4  9  12  1  0 At y -int x  0
Therefore x 1 is a factor of f x . bg f  0  1
13  153 13  153
4 x 2  13x  1 The x-intercepts are  1, , and
8 8
x  1 4 x 3  9 x 2  12 x  1 
4x3  4x2 4x3
 4x2 b g
4x2 x  1  4x3  4x2
13x 2  12 x  1  x
13x 2
13x 2  13x
x
b g
 13x 13x x  1  13x 2  13x
x 1
x 1
x
x
1 b g
1 x 1  x 1
Sketching polynomial functions (cubic)
FG  1 , 4 1 IJ f
H 2 4K 5
13  153
1 8
0 x
-2 -1 0 1 2 3
13  153
8
-5

-10

-15

-20

-25

-30 b2,  27g

Sketching polynomial functions (cubic)
y

Example: Sketch y  x3  x
y  x3  x x
O
 x  x 2  1

The graph of the function y  x 3  x has one x-intercept at O.

dy
 3x 2  1
dx
Note : There are no points of zero gradient on the graph.
The gradient is minimised at x  0
At O the gradient of this graph is 1.
 Sketching polynomial functions (quartic)
When x  1, e.g. x  2
f  x    x  1  2 x  1
3

f   2    2  1
2
8  2   1  17 f  x  0
At SPs f   x   0
1
When  1  x  , e.g. x  0
3  x  1  1   2 x  1   x  1  2  0
2 3
8
f   0    0  1  8  0  1  1 f  x  0
2

 x  1 3  2 x  1  2  x  1   0
2

1
When x  , e.g. x  1
 x  1 8 x  1  0
2
8
f  1  1  1  8  1  1  28 f  x  0
2
1
x  1, 1
8 x 2 1 0 1
f  1   1  1  2  1  1  0
3 8
f  x  0  0 
SP1  1, 0
3 3 gradient
1 1   1  9  3
f      1  2   1     
8 8   8  8  4
SP1  1, 0  is stationary point of
2187
  1.07 inflection on a decreasing graph.
2048
SP2  0.125,  1.07  SP2  0.125,  2.49  is a local minimum.
Sketching polynomial functions (quartic)
y

At y -int x  0
1
f  0    0  1  2  0  1  1
3

2
The y -intercept is -1
At x-int f  x   0 O x
 x  1  2 x  1  0
3
 1, 0
1
The x-intercepts are  1 and .
2

1

 0.125, 1.067
The Second Derivative Test

bg
f  x  lim
b g bg
f  xh  f  x d2y
 2 for y  f x bg
h 0 h dx

The second derivative can be regarded as a rate of change of the first derivative. If the first
derivative is passing continuously from positive through zero to negative, the derivative is
decreasing. Thus we have:

bg bg
f  a  0 and f  a  0 gives a local maximum at x  a
f ba g  0 and f ba g  0 gives a local minimum at x  a
The Second Derivative Test - example
f  x   4x3  9x2  12 x  1 f ''  x   24 x  18
At SPs f   x   0
 1  1
f ''     24     18  36
12 x  18 x  12  0
2
 2  2
6  2 x 2  3x  2   0  1 1
i.e. f ''  x   0    , 4  is a local maximum
 2 4
 2 x  1 x  2   0
f ''  2   24  2   18  30
1
x   , 2 (i.e. 2 SPs = 2 TPs) i.e. f ''  x   0   2, 27  is a local minimum
2
3 2
 1  1  1  1
f     4     9     12     1
 2  2  2  2
4
1 This is the same result as
4 before.
 1 1
TP1   , 4 
 2 4
f  2  4  23  9  22  12  2  1  27
TP2  2,  27 
Applications of differentiation of exponential and
logarithmic functions – sketching graphs
f b x g  xe At X - int f b x g  0
f b x g  xe
x

f b x g  xe
x x
x
bg
f  x  1 e x
 x  e x
x
xe x
0
1 0  36789 1 2  71828
e x
 xe x
Either x  0
5 0  03369 2 14  7781
b g
 1  x e x or e  x  0 no solution 10 0  00045 5 742  033
At SPs f b x g  0 X - intercept: 0
 0    
b1  xge  0x

FG1, 1IJ
Either 1  x  0 or e  x  0
f H eK
bg
f 1
x 1
 1  e 1
no solution
x 
bg
lim f x  lim xe  x
x 

0

1 -1 1 2 x
e
For x 1 Horizontal asymptote: y  0, x  R, the X - axis. -1 b0, 0g
x  1
1 x 0 b1,  eg -2
b1  x ge  0
x

f b x g  0 x 1
For x  1 -3
f  x  
b g
f  x 0
0
The SP is the local and global gradient
-4
1 FG IJ
maximum TP 1,
e H K
Applications of differentiation of exponential
and logarithmic functions – sketching graphs
FG 1IJ  1 lnce h1
f
H eK e
Sketch the graph of f  x   x ln x
  b 1g
1
e
bg
f x  x ln x , x  0 
1
e
f b x g  1  ln x  x 
1
1
x For x 
e
 ln x  1, x  0
c h
ln x  ln e 1
bg
At SPs f  x  0 ln x  1
ln x  1  0 ln x  1  0
ln x  1
x  e 1
bg
f x 0
1
1 For x 
 e
e
bg
f x 0
Applications of differentiation of exponential
and logarithmic functions – sketching graphs
The SP is the local and global
x bg
f x  x ln x
1 38629
FG 1 ,  1IJ 2
5  54518
minimum TP
H e eK 4
6 10  7506
bg
f 0 is undefined. 8 16  6355
There is no Y - intercept. x bg
f x  x ln x bg
f  x  ln x  1
bg
At X - int f x  0 e 2 0  27067 1
e 8 0  00268 7
x ln x  0.
e 14 0  00001 13
Since x  0 0 0  
ln x  0
As x  0
x  e0  1 bg
f x  0
f b x g  
Applications of differentiation of exponential
and logarithmic functions – sketching graphs

y  x ln x


Applications of differentiation of circular
functions
Find the local maximum and minimum values of
f  x   cos x  sin 2 x where 0  x   .
x 0


f  x   cos x  sin x
3
2
f  x  0  0  0 
f   x    sin x  2 sin x cos x gradient

 1  
 2 sin x  cos x   Local maximum:  , 1.25 
 2 3 
 0 at the SPs Local minimums:  0, 1 and  ,  1
sin x  0 where x  0 or 
f  0   1 and f    1 1.25
1
1 
cos x  where x 
2 3 O  
3
 
f    1.25 1
3
Absolute maxima and minima
Let f :  3,3  R, f  x    x 3  3 x  2.
Find the maximum and minimum values of the function.
f '  x   3 x 2  3
For stationary points f '  x   0
3 x 2  3  0
x  1
f  1  0 and f 1  4
 1, 0  is a local minimum and 1, 4  is a local maximum
f  3  20 and f  3  16
Hence  16 is the minimum and 20 is the maximum, over the interval  3,3

However, over the interval 0,3

16 is the minimum and 4 is the maximum
 Maxima and minima problems
An open rectangular box is constructed by cutting squares b g b gb g
V x  x 72  2 x 40  2 x
from the corners of a rectangular sheet of cardboard 40 cm  xc2880  224 x  4 x h 2

by 72 cm in size. Find the largest volume this box can have.

 4 x 3  224 x 2  2880 x
Solution:
bg
V  x  12 x 2  448 x  2880  0 at SPs
x cm b72  2 xg cm x cm
x cm b g
  112  4  3  720
2

 3904
b40  2 xg cm 40 cm
 64  61
  8 61

b g
x cm
 112  8 61
x
23
72 cm
Length: 72  2 x  0 Width: 40  2 x  0 
112  8 61 2 56  4 61

d i
72  2 x 40  2 x 6 23
36  x 20  x 56  4 61 56  4 61
 ,
3 3
x  36 x  20
 8  253, 29  080 rejected
 0  x  20
Maxima and minima problems
Select x  8  253 e.g. x  8
bg
V  x  12  82  448  8  2880
 64
Select x  8  253 e.g. x  9 Height:  8  253 cm
bg
V  x  12  9  448  9  2880
2
Length:  72  2  8  253  55  494 cm
 180 Width:  40  2  8  253  23  494 cm
F 56  4 61 I  0, Volume:  8  253  55  494  23  494
Since V  GH 3 JK  10760 cm3
56  4 61
bg
V  x  0 for x 
3
56  4 61
bg
and V  x  0 for x 
3
56  4 61
Vmax occurs at x 
3
Applications of Differentiation
Summary of Optimisation Procedure

• Draw a diagram, if suitable. Label the known and unknown values.

• Define the variables used and note any constraints.
• Write down an expression for the quantity to be maximised or
minimised (the objective function)
• If more than one variable, find an equation linking the variables,
eliminating all but one.
• Differentiate the objective and set the derivative to zero.
• Determine the nature of the stationary points
• Find the point that solves the problem
 Maxima and minima problems
A farmer has 200 m of fencing to enclose a rectangular area Ab x g  xb200  2 x g
adjacent to a river. No fencing is needed beside the river.
 200 x  2 x 2
a. What is the maximum area he can enclose?
b. What is the maximum area he can enclose if the region bg
A x  200  4 x  0 at SPs
cannot extend more than 40 m from the river? 4b50  x g  0
Solution: x  50

Select x  50 e.g. x  48
a.
b g
A 48  200  4  48
8
xm xm
Select x  50 e.g. x  52
b g
A 52  200  4  52

b200  2 xg m  8
Maxima and minima problems
b g
Since A 50  0, A
bg
A x  0 for x  50 5000

bg
and A x  0 for x  50
Amax occurs at x  50

b g
Amax  A 50
 50b200  2  50g
 50  100 0 x
0 100
 5000 m 2
Maxima and minima problems
A

b. Since x  40 4800

b g
Amax  A 40
 40b200  2  40g
 40  120
 4800 m2

x
0
0 40
Maxima and minima problems –discrete
solutions Rb x g  b40  x gb190  3x g
A hotel has 190 rooms. The rooms will all be occupied if the R b x g  1  b190  3x g  b40  x g  3
price is $40 per room. For each dollar increase in price per room,  190  3x  120  3x
three fewer rooms will be occupied. What price per room will
 70  6 x  0 at SPs
maximise total revenue?
6 x  70
Note: The price per room is to be in whole dollars.
70
Solution: x
Let $x be the increase in price per room.
6
2
Hence 3x will be the decrease in the number of occupied rooms.  11
3
The price per room is $  40  x  .
The number of occupied rooms is 190  3 x  . Since the graph of R is an inverted parabola,
The function for total revenue in dollars is:
the SP is a maximum TP.
 Maxima and minima problems –discrete
solutions Rb11g  b40  11gb190  3  11g
b
 51  190  33 g
b g
If the price per room $ 40  x is unrestricted:  51  157  8007

FG 2 IJ b g b gb
R 12  40  12 190  3  12 g
Rmax  R 11
H 3K b
 52  190  36 g
FG 2IJ FG 2 IJ  52  154  8008
H
 40  11
3 KH
190  3  11
3 K
The maximum total revenue is $8008.
2
b
 51  190  35
3
g The increase in price per room is $12.
2 1 The price per room is $52.
 51  155  8008
3 3 The number of occupied rooms is 154.