DIFFERENTIATION & FUNCTIONS (Q 6, 7 & 8, PAPER 1)

2000
6 (a) Differentiate 7x + 3 from first principles with respect to x.

(b) f (x)
10

x
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

The graph shows portion of a periodic function f : x → f ( x) which is defined for

x ∈ R.
(i) Write down the period and the range of f (x).
(ii) Complete the following table:
x 2 8 14 20 26
f (x)

(c) Let g ( x) = (2 x + 3)( x 2 − 1) for x ∈ R.

(i) For what two values of x is the slope of the tangent to the curve of g(x) equal to
10?

(ii) Find the equations of the two tangents to the curve of g(x) which have slope 10.
SOLUTION
6 (a)
The Δx approach: The h approach:
1. y = 7 x + 3 1. f ( x ) = 7 x + 3

2. y + Δy = 7( x + Δx) + 3 2. f ( x + h) = 7( x + h) + 3
⇒ y + Δy = 7 x + 7 ( Δ x ) + 3 ⇒ f ( x + h) = 7 x + 7 h + 3

3. y + Δy = 7 x + 7(Δx) + 3 3. f ( x + h) − f ( x)
y = 7x +3 = 7xx + 7 h + 3 − 7 x − 3 = 7 h
∴Δy = 7 ( Δx ) f ( x + h) − f ( x ) 7 h
4. =
Δy 7(Δx) h h
4. =
Δx Δx f ( x + h) − f ( x )
5. =7
Δy h
5. =7
Δx ⎛ f ( x + h) − f ( x ) ⎞
Δy 6. lim ⎜ ⎟= 7
6. lim =7
x →0
⎝ h ⎠
x → 0 Δx
dy
dy 7. =7
7. =7 dx
dx
6 (b) (i)
Period = 8 Every periodic function has two important features:
Range = [0, 10] 1. PERIOD:
The length of the wave along the x-axis before it repeats itself.
2. RANGE:
6 (b) (ii) This is the interval between the lowest y value and the highest y value.
The first 3 values can be
worked out from the graph f (x)
as shown. 10
f (2) = 10
f (8) = 0 5

f (14) = 5 x
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

The value of the function at any value of x can be worked out from
the first wave by dividing the value of x by the period and finding
the remainder.
f (x) = f (Remainder)

The last 2 values are worked out using the information as explained in the box above.
Divide the value of the function by the period and take the remainder.
f (20) = f (4) = 0
f (26) = f (2) = 10
x 2 8 14 20 26
f (x) 10 0 5 0 10

6 (c) (i)

STEPS
dy
1. Differentiate the equation of the curve: .
dx
dy
2. Put equal to the slope, m, and solve the resulting equation for x to get
dx
the x coordinates of the points.
3. Substitute these values of x back into the equation of the curve to get the
y coordinates of the points.

You need to differentiate the function g(x). You can multiply it out and differentiate term by
term or you can use the product rule. Here, we multiply it out.
g ( x) = (2 x + 3)( x 2 − 1) = 2 x3 − 2 x + 3 x 2 − 3
⇒ g ( x) = 2 x3 + 3x 2 − 2 x − 3
∴ g ′( x) = 2 × 3 x 2 + 3 × 2 x − 2 − 0
⇒ g ′( x) = 6 x 2 + 6 x − 2
1. g ( x) = (2 x + 3)( x 2 − 1)
g ′( x) = 6 x 2 + 6 x − 2
2. g ′( x) = 10 ⇒ 6 x 2 + 6 x − 2 = 10
⇒ 6 x 2 + 6 x − 12 = 0
⇒ x2 + x − 2 = 0
⇒ ( x + 2)( x − 1) = 0
∴ x = −2, 1 [Only the x values are required for part (i). However, the y values are
required for part (ii), so continue on to step 3.]
3. x = −2 : y = g (−2) = (2(−2) + 3)((−2) 2 − 1) = (−1)(3) = −3 ⇒ (−2, − 3) is a point of contact.
x = 1 : y = g (1) = (2(1) + 3)((1) 2 − 1) = (5)(0) = 0 ⇒ (1, 0) is a point of contact.

6 (c) (ii)
Equation of a line: y − y1 = m( x − x1 ) ....... 4
(x1, y1) is a point on the line and m is the slope of the line.

TANGENT 1: Point (−2, − 3); m = 10

∴ ( y − (−3)) = 10( x − (−2))
⇒ y + 3 = 10( x + 2)
⇒ y + 3 = 10 x + 20
⇒ 10 x − y + 17 = 0
TANGENT 2: Point (1, 0); m = 10
∴ ( y − 0) = 10( x − 1)
⇒ y = 10 x − 10
⇒ 10 x − y − 10 = 0
7 (a) Differentiate with respect to x
(i) 4x2 + 5
(ii) 9 x − x3.

dy 2x − 7
(b) (i) Find when y = , x ≠ 1.
dx x −1
dy
(ii) Find when y = ( x 2 + 5 x − 1)3.
dx

(c) A car, starting at t = 0 seconds, travels a distance of s metres in t seconds where

s = 30t − 94 t 2.
(i) Find the speed of the car after 2 seconds.
(ii) After how many seconds is the speed of the car equal to zero?
(iii) Find the distance travelled by the car up to the time its speed is zero.
SOLUTION
REMEMBER IT AS:
7 (a) (i)
dy Multiply down by the power and
y = xn ⇒ = nx n −1 ....... 1
dx subtract one from the power.

dy
CONSTANT RULE: If y = Constant ⇒ =0
dx
dy du
MULTIPLY BY A CONSTANT RULE: If y = cu, where c is a constant and u is a function of x, = c× .
dx dx
y = 4 x2 + 5
dy
⇒ = 4 × 2 x + 0 = 8x
dx
7 (a) (ii)
y = 9 x − x3
dy
⇒ = 9 − 3x 2
dx
7 (b) (i) u
du THE QUOTIENT RULE: If y = then:
u = ( 2 x − 7) ⇒ =2 v
dx du dv
v −u
dv dy dx dx ....... 3
v = ( x − 1) ⇒ =1 =
dx v2
dx
2x − 7
y=
x −1
du dv
−u
v
dy ( x − 1)2 − (2 x − 7)1
⇒ = dx 2 dx =
dx v ( x − 1) 2
dy 2 x − 2 − 2 x + 7 5
⇒ = =
dx ( x − 1) 2
( x − 1) 2
7 (b) (ii) REMEMBER IT AS:
dy du
y = (u ) n ⇒ = n(u ) n −1 × ... 1 Push the power down in front of
dx dx the bracket and subtract one from
the power. Multiply by the differen-
tiation of the inside of the bracket.

du
u = ( x 2 + 5 x − 1) ⇒ = 2x + 5
dx
y = ( x 2 + 5 x − 1)3
dy
⇒ = 3( x 2 + 5 x − 1) 2 (2 x + 5)
dx
dy
⇒ = (6 x + 15)( x 2 + 5 x − 1) 2
dx

7 (c) (i)
Draw up a s, v, a table as shown on the right. ds
v= ...... 8
you are asked to find the speed v after a time dt
t = 2 seconds.
dv
v = 30 − 92 t ⇒ v = 30 − 92 (2) = 30 − 9 a= ...... 9
dt
∴ v = 21 m/s
7 (c) (ii) s = 30t − 94 t 2
You are asked to find the time t when the speed v is ds
zero. v= = 30 − 94 × 2t = 30 − 92 t
dt
v = 30 − 92 t ⇒ 0 = 30 − 92 t dv
a= = − 92
⇒ 30 = 92 t ⇒ 60 = 9t dt
∴t = 60
9 = 20
3 s

7 (c) (iii)
You are asked to find the distance s travelled after a time t = 20
3 s.
s = 30t − 94 t 2 ⇒ s = 30( 203 ) − 94 ( 203 ) 2
⇒ s = 10(20) − 94 ( 400
9 )

⇒ s = 200 − 100
∴ s = 100 m
8 (a) Let p ( x) = 3 x − 12.
For what values of x is p(x) < 0 where x is a positive whole number?

(b) (i) Draw the graph of

g ( x) = 1x for −3 ≤ x ≤ 3, x ∈ R and x ≠ 0.
(ii) Using the same axes and the same scales, draw the graph of
h(x) = x + 1 for −3 ≤ x ≤ 3, x ∈ R.
(iii) Use your graphs to estimate the values of x for which
1
x = x + 1.

(c) Let f ( x) = x3 − 3 x 2 + ax + 1 for all x ∈ R and for a ∈ R.

f (x) has a turning point (a local maximum or a local minimum) at x = −1.
(i) Find the value of a.
(ii) Is this turning point a local maximum or a local minimum?
Give a reason for your answer.
(iii) Find the co-ordinates of the other turning point of f (x).
SOLUTION
8 (a)
p ( x) = 3 x − 12
∴ 3 x − 12 < 0
⇒ 3 x < 12
⇒ x < 4 [The whole positive numbers less than 4 are 1, 2 and 3.]
∴ x = {1, 2, 3}
8 (b) (i)
DRAWING RECIPROCAL GRAPHS
STEPS
1. Find the gap first by putting the bottom of the function equal to
zero and solving for x.
2. Find other values of f (x) by putting in values of x as given in the
domain.
3. Plot these points by joining up smoothly and continuing towards
the vertical line but never touching it.

1. Put x = 0. The line x = 0 (i.e. the y-axis) represents the gap or asymptote.
1 1
2. x = −3 : f (−3) = = − = −0.33 ⇒ (−3, − 0.33)
−3 3
1 1
x = −2 : f (−2) = = − = −0.5 ⇒ (−2, − 0.5)
−2 2
1
x = −1 : f (−1) = = −1 ⇒ (−1, − 1)
−1
x = 0 : This is the gap where the function is not defined.
 1
x = 1 : f (1) = = 1 ⇒ (1, 1)
1
1
x = 2 : f (2) = = 0.5 ⇒ (2, 0.5)
2
1
x = 3 : f (3) = = 0.33 ⇒ (3, 0.33)
3
3. Plot the reciprocal graph.
f (x)
4

-1.6 1

-3 -2 -1 1 2 3
-1
0.6
-2

-3
x=0

8 (b) (ii)
As these graphs are straight lines, you only need to plot the
first and last points in the domain.
h( x ) = x + 1
⇒ h(−3) = −3 + 1 = −2 ⇒ (−3, − 2) is a point on the straight line.
⇒ h(3) = 3 + 1 = 4 ⇒ (3, 4) is a point on the straight line.

8 (b) (iii)
Read off the x values of where the graphs intersect.
∴ x = −1.6, 0.6
8 (c) (i)
To find the turning points set
dy
Turning Point ⇒ = 0 ....... 6
dx dy
= 0 and solve for x.
dx
dy
You are told there is a turning point at x = −1. Therefore, you need to find at x = −1
dx
and set the answer equal to zero as it is a turning point.
y = f ( x) = x3 − 3 x 2 + ax + 1
dy
∴ = 3x 2 − 6 x + a
dx
⎛ dy ⎞
∴⎜ ⎟ = 3(−1) 2 − 6(−1) + a = 0
⎝ dx ⎠ x =−1
⇒ 3+ 6+ a = 0
∴ a = −9
8 (c) (ii)
d2y ⎛ d2y ⎞
Put the turning point, x = −1, into . Local Maximum: ⎜ 2 ⎟ < 0
dx 2 ⎝ dx ⎠ TP
y = f ( x) = x3 − 3x 2 − 9 x + 1 ....... 7
⎛ d2y ⎞
dy Local Minimum: ⎜ 2 ⎟ >0
⇒ = 3x 2 − 6 x − 9 ⎝ dx ⎠ TP
dx
d2y
⇒ 2 = 6x − 6
dx
⎛ d2y ⎞
∴⎜ 2 ⎟ = 6(−1) − 6 = −12 < 0 ⇒ turning point is a local maximum.
⎝ dx ⎠ x = −1

8 (c) (iii) STEPS FOR FINDING THE LOCAL MAXIMUM AND LOCAL MINIMUM OF A FUNCTION:
STEPS
dy d2y
1. Differentiate the function to find . Differentiate again to find .
dx dx 2
dy
2. Set = 0 and solve for x to find the turning points.
dx

d2y
3. Substitute the turning points into to decide if they are a local
dx 2
maximum or a local minimum.
4. Find the y coordinates of the turning points by substituting the x values
back into the equation of the original function.

1. y = f ( x) = x3 − 3 x 2 − 9 x + 1
dy
⇒ = 3x 2 − 6 x − 9
dx
d2y
⇒ 2 = 6x − 6
dx
dy
2. = 0 ⇒ 3x 2 − 6 x − 9 = 0
dx
⇒ x2 − 2 x − 3 = 0
⇒ ( x − 3)( x + 1) = 0
∴ x = −1, 3
Anyway, it is the turning point at x = 3 which is of interest.
∴ y = f (3) = (3)3 − 3(3) 2 − 9(3) + 1 = 27 − 27 − 27 + 1 = −26
Therefore, (3, − 26) is the other turning point.