Calculus I Practice Midterm 1 Solutions

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Math 1101 Calculus I Practice Midterm 1 Solutions

1. (10 points) True/False 2 points each

(a) T F f (x) = sin(x2 ) is an even function.
(b) T F The graph of f (2x) is obtained from stretching the graph of f (x)
horizontally by a factor of 2.
(c) T F We have that
   
1 1
lim x sin = lim x · lim sin
x→0 x x→0 x→0 x

(d) T F The function f (x) = x6 + x − 1 has a solution in (0, 1).

(e) T F The derivative of 1 is 1.

(You may use this area as scratchwork.)

Solution:

(a) T. We compute that f (−x) = sin((−x)2 ) = sin(x2 ) = f (x). Therefore f (x) =

sin(x) is even.

(b) F. The graph of f (2x) is obtained from shrinking the graph of f (x) horizontally
by a factor of 2.

(c) F. Because  
1
lim sin DOES NOT EXIST
x→0 x
we cannot use the Product limit law and thus the equation above is false.

(d) T. We compute that f (0) = −1 and f (1) = 1. Because polynomials are contin-
uous at all real numbers and in particular in the interval [0, 1] the Intermediate
Value Theorem shows that f (x) must equal 0 at some point in (0, 1) and therefore
f (x) has a solution in (0, 1).

(e) F The derivative of 1 is zero, either by an explicit computation using the defintion
of the derivative, or noting that x0 = 1 and so by the power rule (1)0 = (x0 ) =
0x−1 = 0.
Math 1101 Calculus I Practice Midterm 1 Solutions

2. Compute the following limits, if they exist. If the limit does not exist, explain why.
x−2
(a) (3 points) lim 2
x→3 x − 5x + 6

Solution:
x−2 x−2 x6=3 1
lim = lim == lim
x→3 x2 − 5x + 6 x→3 (x − 2)(x − 3) x→3 (x − 3)

1
Note goes to infinity at x = 3 and thus the limit does not exist. To
(x − 3)
be more precise, we will show that the right and left handed limits are not the
same.
1 1 1 1
lim+ = R lim = lim = lim
x→3 x − 3 x→3 x − 3 h→0 (3 + h) − 3 h→0 h
h>0 h>0

Because h > 0, the quantity above is always positive. If we repeat the same
calculation with the left handed limit however, we find
1 1 1 1
lim− = L lim = lim = lim
x→3 x−3 x→3 x − 3 h→0 (3 − h) − 3 h→0 −h
h>0 h>0

Because h > 0, the quantity above is always negative. Since a positive number
is never equal to a negative number we conclude that
1 1
lim− 6= lim+
x→3 x − 3 x→3 x − 3
and therefore the limit doesn’t exist.
 
4 1
(b) (3 points) lim x sin
x→0 x
 
1
Solution: Notice that −1 ≤ sin ≤ 1. Because x4 ≥ 0 for any value of x,
x
it follows that we have the inequality
 
4 1
−x ≤ sin ≤ x4
x

Notice that lim −x4 = lim x4 = 0 because polynomials are continuous so we

x→0 x→0
can just plug in 0 to evaluate the limit. Therefore by the Squeeze Theorem it
follows that  
4 1
lim x sin =0
x→0 x
Math 1101 Calculus I Practice Midterm 1 Solutions
√ √ 
2+x− 2−x
(c) (4 points) lim cos
x→0 x

Solution: Because cos(x) is continuous at all real numbers, we can bring the
limit inside, e.g.
√ √   √ √ 
2+x− 2−x 2+x− 2−x
lim cos = cos lim (1)
x→0 x x→0 x

We now compute the limit inside by rationalizing the numerator.

√ √ √ √ √ √
2+x− 2−x 2+x− 2−x 2+x+ 2−x
lim = lim ·√ √
x→0 x x→0 x 2+x+ 2−x
√ √
( 2 + x)2 − ( 2 − x)2 (2 + x) − (2 − x)
= lim √ √ = lim √ √
x→0 x( 2 + x + 2 − x) x→0 x( 2 + x + 2 − x)
2x x6=0 2
= lim √ √ == lim √ √
x→0 x( 2 + x + 2 − x) x→0 ( 2 + x + 2 − x)

Now notice that function in the final expression above is continuous at x = 0

because the denominator is not 0. Therefore by continuity we can plug in 0 to
evaluate the limit and find that
√ √
2+x− 2−x 2 2 1
lim =√ √ = √ =√
x→0 x 2+ 2 2 2 2
To obtain the final answer we plug this back into Equation (1) and find
√ √   
2+x− 2−x 1
lim cos = cos √
x→0 x 2

3. Please give formal definitions below.

(a) (2 points) What does it mean for a function f (x) to be continuous at a point a?

Solution: f (x) is continuous at a point a if the both conditions are satisfied

ˆ lim f (x) exists
x→a

ˆ lim f (x) = f (a) (f (x) has the Direct Substitution Property at a.)
x→a

(b) (2 points) What does it mean for a function f (x) to be differentiable at a point a?

Solution: f (x) is differentiable at the point a if

f (x) − f (a) f (a + h) − f (a)

lim = lim exists
x→a x−a h→0 h
Math 1101 Calculus I Practice Midterm 1 Solutions

Specifically, the limit above exists if and only if the left-handed limit equals the
right-handed limits. This means that f (x) is differentiable at the point a if

f (x) − f (a) f (a − h) − f (a) f (a + h) − f (a) f (x) − f (a)

lim− = lim = lim = lim+
x→a x−a h→0 −h h→0 h x→a x−a
h>0 h>0

4. Consider the following function.



 2 if x ≤ −1
 2
f (x) = 10 − x if − 1 < x < 3
 1

if x ≥ 3

4−x
(a) (3 points) For what values of x is f not continuous at x?

Solution: f (x) is not continuous at x = −1 and at x = 4.

2 and 10 − x2 are both continuous in the regions prescribed above, so we check

if f (x) is continuous where they meet, aka at x = −1. We need to see if
?
lim − 2 == lim + 10 − x2
x→−1 x→−1

Because both functions are continuous at x = −1, to evaluate the one-sided

limits is the same as evaluating the limit by plugging in −1. Thus we see that
2 6= 10 − (−1)2 = 10 − 1 = 9 and so f (x) is not continuous at −1.

1
We repeat the same calculation for x = 3. Again since 10 − x2 and are
4−x
continuous at x = 3 we can just plug in 3 to evaluate the one-handed limits.
1 1
1 = 10 − 32 = lim− 10 − x2 = lim+ = =1
x→3 x→3 4−x 4−3
Thus we see that lim f (x) exists. Moreover as f (3) = 1, f (x) satisfies the Direct
x→3
Substitution Property at 1 and so f (x) is continuous at x = 3.

1
Finally in the region x ≥ 3, is continuous except when x = 4 where the
4−x
function goes to infinity.

(b) (3 points) For what values of x is f not differentiable at x?

Solution: f (x) is not continuous at x = −1, 3, 4.

Here one can use the result that if a function f (x) is differentiable at a, then it
must be continuous at a. Notice this means that if f (x) is not continuous at a,
Math 1101 Calculus I Practice Midterm 1 Solutions

it is not differentiable at a. Thus right from the start we know that f (x) is not
differentiable at x = −1 and at x = 4. Like before outside these values and at
x = 3 f (x) is either a constant, a polynomial or a rational function and so is
differentiable. It remains to check x = 3. By definition we need to see if

f (3 − h) − f (3) ? f (3 + h) − f (3)
lim == lim
h→0 −h h→0 h
h>0 h>0

Recall that f (3) = 1. Because 3 − h < 3 for h > 0, by definition, f (x) = 10 − x2

so the left handed side above is then
f (3 − h) − f (3) 10 − (3 − h)2 − 1 9 − (9 − 6h + h2 )
lim = lim = lim
h→0 −h h→0 −h h→0 −h
h>0 h>0 h>0
2
6h − h h(6 − h) cont
= lim = lim = lim −(6 − h) == −6
h→0 −h h→0 −h h→0
h>0 h>0 h>0

We repeat the same for the right hand side above where now 3 + h > 3 for h > 0
1
and so f (x) = and find
4−x
1 1
−1 −1
f (3 + h) − f (3) 4 − (3 + h)
lim = lim = lim 1 − h
h→0 h h→0 h h→0 h
h>0 h>0 h>0
1 − (1 − h)
1−h h h6=0 1 cont
= lim = lim == lim == 1
h→0 h h→0 h(1 − h) h→0 1 − h
h>0 h>0 h>0

Since the left and right handed limits don’t agree we see that f (x) is not differ-
entiable at x = 3.
Math 1101 Calculus I Practice Midterm 1 Solutions

5. Compute the value of the derivative of f (x) at the point a. If f (x) is not differentiable
at a, explain why.
√
(a) (3 points) f (x) = x3 + x, a = 4
1
Solution: Write f (x) = x3 + x 2 and using the power rule we see that
1 1 1 1 1
f 0 (x) = 3x2 + x( 2 −1) = 3x2 + x− 2 = 3x2 + √
2 2 2 x

Plugging in a = 4 we see that

1 1
f 0 (4) = 3(42 ) + √ = 48 + = 48.25
2 4 4

7
(b) (3 points) f (x) = ,a=1
x6
Solution: Write f (x) = 7x−6 and using the power rule we see that
−42
f 0 (x) = 7(−6)x(−6−1) = −42x−7 =
x7
Plugging in a = 1 we see that
−42
f 0 (1) = = −42
17

(c) (4 points) f (x) = 2|x − 3|, a = 3

Solution: We can’t use the power rule here since |x − 3| 6= x − 3. Thus

we need to use the definition of the derivative. In fact we claim that f (x)
is not differentiable at a = 3. We compute the right and left-handed limits of
f (x) − f (3)
lim
x→3 x−3
As | − h| = h for h > 0, we see that
f (x) − f (3) f (3 − h) − f (3) 2|(3 − h) − 3| − 0
lim− = lim = lim
x→3 x−3 h→0 −h h→0 −h
h>0 h>0
2| − h| 2h h6=0
= lim = lim == lim −2 = −2
h→0 −h h→0 −h h→0
h>0 h>0 h>0

As |h| = h for h > 0 we see that

f (x) − f (3) f (3 + h) − f (3) 2|(3 + h) − 3| − 0
lim+ = lim = lim
x→3 x−3 h→0 h h→0 h
h>0 h>0
2|h| 2h h6=0
= lim = lim == lim 2 = 2
h→0 h h→0 h h→0
h>0 h>0 h>0
Math 1101 Calculus I Practice Midterm 1 Solutions

Since the left and right handed limits don’t agree we see that f (x) is not differ-
entiable at a = 3.

6. (5 points) Find an equation of the tangent line to the curve y = 3x3 + 2x2 + 1 at the
point (−1, 0).

Solution: By definition, the equation of the tangent line at (a, f (a)) is the line

y − f (a) = f 0 (a)(x − a)

We compute that f 0 (x) = 9x2 + 4x by the power rule and thus f 0 (−1) = 9 − 4 = 5.
Therefore the equation of the tangent line is

y − 0 = 5(x − (−1)) =⇒ y = 5x + 5

√
9x2 + 3
7. (5 points) Find all vertical and horizontal asymptotes of the graph of f (x) = .
4x − 1

√
Solution: We first compute the horizontal
√ asymptotes. Recall that x2 = |x|. Thus
as x goes to positive ∞ we have that x2 = x and therefore
√ √ √ p √
9x2 + 3 9x2 + 3/ x2 limx→∞ 9 + 3/x2 9+0 3
lim = lim = = =
x→∞ 4x − 1 x→∞ 4 − 3/x limx→∞ 4 − /x
1 4−0 4
√
Now as x goes to negative
√ ∞, we have that x2 = |x| = −x as x is negative. Thus
it follows that x = − x2 in this case and we find that
√ √ √ p √
9x2 + 3 9x2 + 3/(− x2 ) limx→−∞ − 9 + 3/x2 − 9+0 −3
lim = lim = = =
x→−∞ 4x − 1 x→−∞ 4 − /x1 limx→−∞ 4 − /x
1 4−0 4

3 −3
Thus the horizontal asympototes are at y = and at y = .
4 4

The vertical asympototes are where the denominator of f (x) is zero. This happens
1
exactly when 4x − 1 = 0 =⇒ x = is the vertical asymptote.
4