Alysha Lagaras

Calculus I MATH 1210: Fall 2017

1st Derivative - Velocity

Velocity is defined as the rate of change of position or the rate of displacement.

If a function gives the position of something as a function of time, the first derivative gives its velocity,
and the second derivative gives its acceleration. So, you differentiate position to get velocity, and you
differentiate velocity to get acceleration.

a) What is the velocity of the particle at = second?

Position of Particle

() = 4 2 2 + 2, 0

Velocity

() = 4 3 4
= 4( 2 1)

() = 4( 2 1)
= 4 (2 1)
=0

Position of Particle () = 4 2 2 + 2
Velocity () = () = 4( 2 1)
Acceleration () = () = 12 2 4
() = 4 2 2 + 2, 0

Signature Assignment - Derivatives

 Alysha Lagaras
Calculus I MATH 1210: Fall 2017

For the velocity function, upward motion is defined as a positive velocity and downward velocity is
defined as a negative velocity this is the standard way velocity treated in most calculus and physics
problems. When a function is increasing, its derivative (its "slope") is positive, and when the function is
decreasing, its derivative is negative. So if we want to find the intervals where a function increases or
decreases, we differentiate it and find the intervals where its derivative is positive or negative.

Now we want to find the intervals where or () is positive or negative. This is done using critical
points, which are the points where is either 0 or undefined. To find when the particle is at rest, we
take the velocity (1st derivative formula), set it equal to zero, and solve for t.

is a polynomial, so it's always defined.

To find its zeros, we can factor it:

() = 4( 2 1) 4 = 0 +1=0 1=0
= 4( + 1)( 1) =0 = 1 =1

b) Determine when the particle is moving in a

positive direction, a negative direction, and when it is at rest.
< >

Evaluate at each interval to see if it's positive or negative on that interval.

Interval -value () Verdict

1 1 1
(0, 1) = ( ) = ( ) < 0 is increasing
2 2 2

(1, ) =2 (2) = 24 > 0 is increasing

Increasing/Decreasing test: First Derivative Test:

If () > 0 on an interval,
then is increasing
If () < 0 on an interval,
then is decreasing
() = () = 4( 2 1), 0
Signature Assignment - Derivatives
If changes from + to at a critical number,
then has local max
If changes from to + at a critical number,
then has local min
If has no sign changes at that critical number,
then does not have a local min or max.
 Alysha Lagaras
Calculus I MATH 1210: Fall 2017

Find total distance by integrating the velocity formula over the given interval. If the graph dips below the
x-axis, youll need to integrate two or more parts of the graph and add the absolute values.

First, identify the velocity function from the question and the given intercepts of time.
Next, graph your velocity function and note where areas of the graph are above or below the x-axis.
Last, integrate the velocity function. (Area above the x-axis and the area below the x-axis.)

c) What is the total distance traveled by the particle in the

first 3 seconds?

For this particular function,

integrate from 0 to 1 and 1 to 3.

[0, 3]

() = 4 2 2 + 2

| (3) (1) | + | (1) (0) |

(0) = (0)4 2(0)2 + 2 (0) = 2

(0) = 2

(1) = (1)4 2(1)2 + 2 (1) = 1

(1) = 1

(3) = (3)4 2(3)2 + 2 (3) = 65

(3) = 65

| 65 1 | + | 1 2 | Total Distance
| 64 | + | 1 |
64 + 1 = 65 65 meters

Position of Particle () = 4 2 2 + 2
Velocity () = () = 4( 2 1)
Acceleration () = () = 12 2 4
() = () = 4( 2 1), 0
Signature Assignment - Derivatives
 Alysha Lagaras
Calculus I MATH 1210: Fall 2017

Set the derivative of the function for velocity with respect to time equal to the objects acceleration.
It is worth noting that this is equivalent to the second derivative of the first function for displacement of
the object.
d) What is the acceleration of the particle at = second?

() = () = 12 2 4 Acceleration
() = () = 12()2 4

= 12 4 8
=8 2

e) When is the particle speeding up and slowing down?

() = 122 4
4 = 12 2
1
= 2
3
1
= ~ 0.58
3

Interval -value () Verdict

1
(0, )
1 1 speeding up
= ( ) = 1 > 0
3 2 2 < 0 and < 0

(
1
, 1)
3 3 11 slowing down
= ( ) = ( ) < 0
3 4 4 4 < 0 but > 0
speeding up
(1, ) =2 (2) = 44 > 0
> 0 and > 0

Position of Particle () = 4 2 2 + 2
Velocity () = () = 4( 2 1)
() = () = 12 2 4 Acceleration () = () = 12 2 4
Signature Assignment - Derivatives
 Alysha Lagaras
Calculus I MATH 1210: Fall 2017

Signature Assignment - Derivatives