RMIT University

MATH 2239 – Mathematics 1 – Tutorial 3

Differentiation

Question 1: Find the following derivatives

a) 𝑦 = (2𝑥 + 3)4 (3𝑥 + 2)3

3 sin(3𝑥)
b) 𝑦=( )
2𝑥 3

2 +4𝑥
c) 𝑦 = 𝑒 sin(3𝑥) + 𝑒 𝑥

Solution

a) 𝑦 ′ = (2𝑥 + 3)3 (3𝑥 + 2)2 (42𝑥 + 43)

b) Solution is:
9(𝑥𝑐𝑜𝑠(3𝑥) − sin(3𝑥))
𝑦′ =
2𝑥 4
2 +4𝑥
c) 𝑦 ′ = 𝑒 sin(3𝑥) ∗ 3 cos(3𝑥) + 𝑒 𝑥 (2𝑥 + 4)

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RMIT University
MATH 2239 – Mathematics 1 – Tutorial 3
Differentiation

Question 2: For the circle defined by the equation:

𝑥 2 + 4𝑥 + 𝑦 2 − 3𝑦 + 6𝑥𝑦 − 4 = 0

Find the equation of the tangent line and normal line to the circle at point (2, -1)

Solution:

First, we should take the derivative of the equation with respect to 𝑥 while invoking Chain Rule
(for Implicit Differentiation):

𝑑𝑦 3𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦
2𝑥 + 4 + 2𝑦. − + 6𝑦 + 6𝑥 =0
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑦
For convenience, we can set 𝑑𝑥 = 𝑦′, then solve for 𝑦′:

2𝑥 + 4 + 6𝑦 + 𝑦 ′ (2𝑦 − 3 + 6𝑥) = 0

−2𝑥 − 4 − 6𝑦
→ 𝑦′ =
2𝑦 − 3 + 6𝑥

Now we just substitute 𝑥 = 2 and 𝑦 = −1:

−4 − 4 + 6 2
→ 𝑦′ = =−
−2 − 3 + 12 7
Thus we have the tangent line equation:

2
𝑦 = − (𝑥 − 2) + (−1)
7
1 7
By definition, the slope of the normal line to the circle at this point is 𝑚𝑁 = − 𝑚 = 2. Hence,
𝑇
we have the equation for the normal line:

7
𝑦 = (𝑥 − 2) + (−1)
2

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MATH 2239 – Mathematics 1 – Tutorial 3
Differentiation

Question 3: When a person puts 2 Mentos tablets into a can of Coke, the radius of the can is
observed to increase at a constant rate of 0.15 mm per second for a few seconds before
exploding.

Assuming the can is a perfect cylinder with height ℎ = 20𝑐𝑚, and the can maintains its
cylindrical shape while expanding, determine how fast the surface area 𝐴 of all surfaces of the
can is increasing with respect to time when the radius r is 2.5 𝑐𝑚.

Solution:

We have the formula to calculate the surface area of a can (side + top + base):

𝐴 = 2𝜋𝑟 2 + 2𝜋𝑟. ℎ

Where 𝑟 is the radius of the can and ℎ is the height of the can.

We are looking for the rate of change of 𝐴 with respect to time, hence, we should take the
derivative of the equation above with respect to time:

𝑑𝐴 𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝑟
= 4𝜋𝑟. + 2𝜋ℎ.
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑟
We are given the rate of change of the radius with respect to time as = 0.15 𝑚𝑚/𝑠. When
𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝐴
the radius is 2.5 cm and the height is 20 cm, we can find as:
𝑑𝑡

𝑑𝐴 𝑐𝑚2
= 0.015(4𝜋(2.5) + 2𝜋(20) = 2.36
𝑑𝑡 𝑠

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MATH 2239 – Mathematics 1 – Tutorial 3
Differentiation

Question 4: A spherical balloon is to be inflated with Helium gas for a science experiment.
The desirable diameter of the balloon is 6 meters. While inflating a helium balloon, the chief
scientist changes his mind and wish to inflate the balloon to 6.06 meters in diameter.

(a) Assume the balloon is spherical throughout, what is the extra volume of helium needed
for this change?
Δ𝑟
(b) If the balloon has a 1% error made in the measurement of its radius (i.e. = 1%).
𝑟
Δ𝑉
What is the approximate percentage error in its volume? (i.e. )
𝑉

Solution:

Recall the formula to find the volume of a sphere:

4 3
𝑉= 𝜋𝑟
3
We are applying the small change approximation to find the extra volume of helium needed
𝑑𝑉
for the inflation of the balloon from 6 meter to 6.06 meters diameter. First, we shall find :
𝑑𝑟

𝑑𝑉
= 4𝜋𝑟 2
𝑑𝑟
→ 𝑑𝑉 = 4𝜋𝑟 2 Δ𝑟

Hence the extra helium needed is:

𝑑𝑉 = 4𝜋(3)2 (0.03) = 3.393 𝑚3

For part (b), if we divide the 𝑑𝑉 equation above by 𝑉, we shall obtain:

𝑑𝑉 4𝜋𝑟 2 Δ𝑟 Δ𝑟
= = 3.
𝑉 4 3 𝑟
3 𝜋𝑟
Hence, we can conclude that if the balloon has a 1% error made in the measurement of its
radius, the approximate percentage error in its volume shall be 3%.

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MATH 2239 – Mathematics 1 – Tutorial 3
Differentiation

Question 5: A piece of wire of constant length is bent to form a rectangle. Show that the
maximum area possibly created by this rectangle is also the area of a square.

Solution:

Assume the wire has a constant length pf L. If we use the wire to form a rectangle, it shall have
sides 𝑎 and 𝑏. Thus, we have our constraint equation:

𝐿 = (𝑎 + 𝑏) × 2

𝐿
→𝑎= −𝑏
2
We are trying to optimize the area of this rectangle which is given by:

𝐴 = 𝑎𝑏

Thus we have our optimizing equation. Next, let us substitute the constraints into the
optimizing equation:

𝐿 𝐿𝑏
𝐴 = ( − 𝑏) 𝑏 = − 𝑏2
2 2
𝑑𝐴 𝐿
→ = − 2𝑏 = 0
𝑑𝑏 2
𝐿
→𝑏=
4
𝑑2 𝐴
We have only one solution for 𝑏, however, we can go one step further to find = −2 < 0.
𝑑𝑏 2
𝐿
Hence, 𝑏 = 4 is a maximum.

Putting the value of 𝑏 back into the constrain equation, we shall obtain 𝑎:

𝐿 𝐿 𝐿 𝐿
𝑎= −𝑏 = − =
2 2 4 4
𝐿
Thus we can see that the maximum area for this area is obtained when 𝑎 = 𝑏 = 4. In other
words, the rectangle will be a square.

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MATH 2239 – Mathematics 1 – Tutorial 3
Differentiation

Question 6: A store has been selling on average 200 TVs a week at $350 USD each. A recent
market survey on the customer indicates that for each $10 drop in price, the store will be able
to sell 20 more TVs a week. How much of a price drop should the store apply to maximize its
revenue?

Solution:

Let us call 𝑥 as the number of TVs sold per week. Thus, the weekly increase in sales will be
𝑥 − 200.

It is a given that each $10 drop in price means a 20-units increase in sale. This is a linear
relationship. Thus we can put together the following price function:

$10/𝑇𝑉 1
𝑝(𝑥) = $350/𝑇𝑉 − (𝑥 − 200𝑇𝑉) = 450 − 𝑥 (𝑑𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑟𝑠/𝑇𝑉)
20𝑇𝑉 2
Hence, the total revenue from selling TV will be:

1
𝑅(𝑥) = 𝑥𝑝(𝑥) = 450𝑥 − 𝑥 2
2
We are trying to maximize our revenue. Thus the equation above is our optimizing function.
Now let us take the derivative of revenue with respect to 𝑥:

𝑑𝑅(𝑥)
= 450 − 𝑥 = 0
𝑑𝑥
→ 𝑥 = 450 𝑇𝑉

Since we only have one value of 𝑥, it should be the maximum (you can invoke the 2nd
Derivative Test to verify). Thus the corresponding price is:

1
𝑝(450) = 450 − (450) = $225/𝑇𝑉
2
Hence, to maximize revenue, the store should lower the price by:

$350 − $225 = $125