UNIVERSITY OF GUYANA, BERBICE CAMPUS Answer

DIVISION OF NATURAL SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE,
MATHEMATICS & STATISTICS
CALCULUS 1 (MTH122) LECTURE 4 NOTES
LECTURER: Mr. SHAFEAK GHANIE The slope of the tangent is
Applications of Differentiation
1. Tangents and Normals
We often need to find tangents and normals to
curves when we are analysing forces acting on a
moving body. The slope of the normal is found using m1 × m2 = -1
A tangent to a curve is a line that touches the curve
at one point and has the same slope as the curve at
that point.
A normal to a curve is a line perpendicular to a 2. Find the equation of the tangent and normal in
tangent to the curve. the above example.

SOLUTION

We use y − y1 = m(x − x1)

For the tangent

with x1 = 2, y1 = 5,and m = 4

( )
We can find the slope of a tangent at any point (x, y)
on a curve using the derivative, since the gradient of
a tangent at a point on a curve is the same as the
gradient of the curve at that point. Hence the For the normal
equation of the tangent can now be determined using
the point and the gradient obtained.
with x1 = 2, y1 = 5, and m =
To find the equation of a normal, recall the
condition for two lines with slopes m1and m2 to be So
perpendicular:

m1 × m2 = -1

Examples gives

1. Find the gradient of

(i) the tangent (ii) the normal

Or x + 4y − 22 = 0
to the curve y = x3 - 2x2 + 5 at the point (2,5)

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2. Curve Sketching

The following are the important things that must be

determined before a curve could be sketched:

x-intercepts Use y = 0

y-intercepts Use x = 0

A local minimum occurs when y' = 0 and y'

local maxima Use dy/dx = 0, sign change of
changes sign from negative to positive.
dy/dx: + → −

or d2y/dx2<0 for value of x at

turning point

local minima Use dy/dx = 0, sign change of

dy/dx: − → + The Second Derivative

or d2y/dx2>0 for value of x at The second derivative can tell us the shape of a
turning point curve at any point.

 If d2y/dx2 > 0, the curve will have a

points of Use d2y/dx2 = 0, and sign of minimum-type shape (called concave up)
inflection d2y/dx2 changes

as curve passes through point.

Example:
Finding Maxima and Minima(stationary/turning
points) y = x2 + 3x - 2 has

A local maximum occurs when y' = 0 and y'

changes sign from positive to negative (as we go left
to right). and for all
values of x.

So it has a concave up shape for all x.

 If d2y/dx2 < 0, the curve will have a

maximum-type shape (called concave down)

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 Sketch the following curve by finding intercepts,
maxima and minima and points of inflection:

Example: SOLUTION

y = x3 − 2x + 5 has 1. x-intercepts:

and for all

values of x < 0.

So it has a concave down shape only for all x < 0.

when x = 0, x = -3 and x = 3
Finding Points of Inflection
2. y-intercepts:
A point of inflection is a point where the shape of When x = 0, y = 0.
the curve changes from a maximum-type shape
(d2y/dx2 < 0) to a minimum-type shape (d2y/dx2 > 3. maxima and minima?
0). A point of inflection can also be a stationary
point.

Clearly, the point of inflection will occur when

d2y/dx2 = 0 and when there is a change in sign

(from plus → minus or minus → plus) of d2y/dx2.

dy/dx = 0 when x = -√3 or x = √3

So we have max or min at approximately (-

1.7,10.4) and (1.7,-10.4).

[We could check which is which by trying some

points near -1.7 and +1.7 to determine what the sign
changes are. But we need to find the second
derivative anyway for points of inflection, so we use
that to determine max or min.]

4. Second derivative:
Example 1:

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 Answer

1. x-intercepts

If x = -1.7, y" < 0, so MAX at (-1.7,10.4)

If x = +1.7, y" > 0, so MIN at (1.7,-10.4)

5. Point of inflection:
when x = 0, x = -√6 and x = √6

2. y-intercepts:
Now
When x = 0, y = 0.
2 2
d y/dx = 0 when x = 0
3. maxima and minima?
and

d2y/dx2 changes sign from negative (concave down)

to positive (concave up) as x passes through 0.

So we are ready to sketch the curve:

Now dy/dx = 0 when x = 0 or x = -√3 or x = √3

So we have max or min at (0,0) and (-√3,-9) and

(√3,-9).

4. Second derivative:

Now y" > 0 for x = -√3 so (-√3, -9) is a local MIN

Now y" < 0 for x = 0 so (0, 0) is a local MAX

Example 2:
Now y" > 0 for x = √3 so (√3, -9) is a local MIN
Sketch the curve and show intercepts, maxima and
minima and points of inflection:

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We now use the second derivative to find points of
inflection:
The process of finding maximum or minimum
values is called optimisation. We are trying to do
things like maximise the profit in a company, or
minimise the costs, or find the least amount of
material to make a particular object.

These are very important in the world of industry.

Example 1:
when x = -1 or x = 1
The daily profit, P, of an oil refinery is given by

If x < -1, y" > 0, and for -1 < x < 1, we have y" < 0.
So the sign of y" has changed, so (-1, -5) is a point
of inflection.
P = 8x − 0.02x2,
where x is the number of barrels of oil refined. How
many barrels will give maximum profit and what is
the maximum profit?

Answer

If x > -1, y" > 0, The profit is a max (or min) if dP/dx = 0.

So the sign of y" has changed, so (1, -5) is a point of

inflection.

So we are ready to sketch the curve: Is it a maximum?

d2P/dx2 = -0.04 < 0 for all x, so we have a

maximum.

When x = 200, P = $800.

So if the company refines 200 barrels per day, the

maximum profit of $800 is reached.

3. Applied Maximum and Minimum Problems

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Example 2:
A rectangular storage area is to be constructed along
the side of a tall building. A security fence is
required along the remaining 3 sides of the area.
So the maximum area occurs when x = 200, y = 400
and that area is:
A = 200 × 400 = 80 000 m2 = 8 ha

What is the max. area that can be enclosed with 800

m of fencing?

Answer
Example 3

A box with a square base has no top. If 64 cm2 of

material is used, what is the maximum possible
volume for the box?

Answer

The area is A = xy

We know 2x + y = 800 so y = 800 − 2x

So the area is A = x(800 − 2x) = 800x − 2x2

To maximise the area, find when dA/dx = 0

The net for this box would be:

Is it a maximum?

So it is a maximum.
The volume of the box is V = x2y

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We are told that the surface area of the box is 64 and this is zero when x = ± 8/√3 ≈ ± 4.62.
cm2. The area of the base of the box is x2 and the
area of each side is xy, so the area of the base plus (Note: The negative case has no practical meaning.)
the area of the 4 sides is given by:
Is it a maximum?
2 2
x + 4xy = 64 cm

Solving for y gives:

and this is negative when x is positive. So it is a

MAX.

So the dimensions of the box are:

So the volume can be rewritten:
Base 4.62 cm × 4.62 cm and sides 2.31 cm.

The maximum possible volume is

V = 4.62 × 4.62 × 2.31 ≈ 49.3 cm3

Check: Area of material:

x2 + 4xy = 21.3 + 4 × 4.62 × 2.31 = 64

Now
Checks OK.

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Applications of Differentiation

Mechanics – Displacement, Velocity, Acceleration

Just remember that if displacement is denoted by s, velocity by v and acceleration by a

and

and use some reasoning ability to solve problems involving displacement, velocity, acceleration.

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Related Rates

Understanding and applying the chain rule is important to solving problems involving related

tes

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