ISBN 9780170350501. Chapter Six: The exponential function.

Ill

Chapter 6.
The exponential function.
Situation
The three Ripoff brothers, Muscles, Brains and Sneaky, run "The Concrete Boot Loan
Company". They charge 100% per annum on all loans, with the interest compounded
annually!
If you borrow $100 for one year then at the end of the year Muscles comes to collect
what you owe. How much would that be?

"Hey, " said Brains, "I think we need to raise our interest rate. We're being too easy
on the customers. "
"Yeah, " agreed Sneaky, "But we need to do it without them realising we've done it. "
"Ow you gonna do that Sneaky?" asked Brains.
"Well, what if we still charge 100% per annum but compound it every six months.
That way we charge 50% per six months which sounds the same but in fact we'll
get more. "

How much would Muscles be sent to collect after one year if you have borrowed $100
for the year under this new scheme?

"But if that's gonna get us more why not charge 100% per annum compounded
quarterly (i.e. four times per year), " chipped in Muscles.
Brains and Sneaky stared at Muscles in amazement. He was never one to put
forward sensible suggestions but what he said seemed to have some merit.

How much would you owe at the end of the $100 one year loan under this new scheme?

Sneaky had been thinking.

"Well if Muscles' idea is okay why not compound monthly, or weekly, or daily, or
even by the hour, or the minute!! A customer borrowing $100 would still be
thinking they'd be paying 100% per annum but if we compound weekly or daily or
hourly they'd owe us a fortune at the end of the year!"
"If only we could compound continuously, " said Sneaky, "we'd make heaps. "

How does it effect what you owe at the end of a $100 one year loan as this compounding
period is reduced? Investigate and write a brief report of your findings.
118 Mathematics Methods. Unit Three. ISBN 9780170350501.

The situation on the previous page involved the growth of a loan. Did you find that the
number 2-71828, (approximately), played an important part?
You should have found that · if $P is borrowed for one year at 100% per annum,
compounded n times in the year, the amount owed at
the end of the year is P( 1 + - 1 .

/ l\n
and that · as n -^ oo then i l + - J -* 2-71828, correct to five
decimal places.

Hence if we compound an infinite number of times in the year, i.e. continuous

compounding, then the amount owed at the end of the year will be $P χ 2-71828.
If the loan continues for another year the amount owed would be $P χ (2-71828) .
A third year and the amount owed would be $P χ (2-71828) etc.
Of course most financial institutions would not charge 100% interest per annum!
However, this number, 2-71828, also arises when other rates are charged.
If the rate was 7% per annum it can be shown that with continuous compounding the
amount owed at the end of 1 year would be $P χ (2-71828)0'07. After 2 years it would be
$Ρχ (2-71828 2 ) 0 ' 07 , after 3 years $Ρχ (2-71828 3 ) 0 ' 07 etc.

This number, 2-71828, came from consideration of ^ il + -J .

We call this limiting value "e":

e is defined to be |™ \(l + - J and is approximately 2-71828.

Many calculators have an ex button. Use your calculator to confirm that

e 1 * 2-71828, e 2 * 7-38906, e"0*5 * 0-60653.
Investigate j j j ^ [ ( l + ^ ) ] for a *1.

The repetitive multiplication by some constant gives rise to expressions in which the
variable appears as an index, power or exponent, e.g. 2X, 317'1 etc.
In this chapter we are particularly interested in exponential expressions having a
base of e, for example ex, e2x, e 2t , e~"°'4t, etc.
 ISBN 9780170350501. Chapter Six: The exponential fonction. 119

The constant e (« 2-71828) allows us to describe mathematically many situations

involving that amazing phenomenon - growth.
^ Population, spread of disease, investments, demand for a resource such as oil are
all examples in which the growth can be exponential.
» Radioactivity, the temperature of an object placed in cooler surroundings, the
concentration of a drug in the bloodstream are all examples in which the decay can
be exponential.
The number e can often be used to describe these situations mathematically.

Growth and decay.

Many growth and decay situations involve some variable, say A, growing, or decaying
continuously, according to a rule of the form A = AQe
where A is the amount present at time t,
AQ is the initial amount (i.e. the amount present at t = 0),
and k is some constant dependent on the situation.

Example 1
A certain culture of bacteria grows in such a way that t days after observation
commences the number of bacteria present, N, is given by:
N*2000e°' 75t .
Determine the number of bacteria present
(a) when observation commenced,
(b) three days after observation commenced,
(c) ten days after observation commenced.

(a) If t = 0 JV * 2000e°' 75x °

= 2000
When observation commenced there were approximately 2 000 bacteria.

(b) If t = 3 JV * 2000e°*75x3
* 18975 2000e°- 7 5 x 3
Three days after observation 18975.47167
commenced there were approximately
19 000 bacteria present. 2000e 0 · 7 5 * 1 0
3616084.829
75xl
(c) If t = 10 JV * 2000e°' °
« 3 616085
Ten days after observation commenced there were approximately 3 600 000
bacteria present.
120 Mathematics Methods. Unit Three. ISBN 9780170350501.

Example 2
If $1000 is invested at 12% per annum interest, compounded continuously, the
investment will be worth $4 after t years where
A = 1000 e°' 12t .
Find the value of t, correct to one decimal place, for which the value of the investment is
$8 000.

We are given A = 1000 e°' 1 2 t solve(8 = e 0 1 2 x t ,t)

If A = 8 000 then 8 000 = 1000 e°' 1 2 t {t =17.32867951}
Using the solve facility on a calculator
t = 17-3 (correct to ld.p.)

Thus the value of the investment is $8 000 when t = 17-3 (correct to 1 d.p.).
Note: When solving the equation of the previous question, some calculators, if set to
give exact answers, may give the answer as 25 In (2). This exact form uses the
idea of a "logarithm", a concept we will meet in the next unit of Mathematics
Methods. For now simply get your calculator to output the decimal answer.

Exercise 6A
1. If $1000 is invested at 12% per annum interest, compounded continuously, the
investment will be worth $4 after t years where
A = 1000 e°' 12t .
Find the value of this investment after
(a) 5 years,
(b) 10 years,
(c) 25 years.

2. If $P is invested at 8% per annum interest, compounded continuously, the

investment grows to $Pe°' 08t after t years.
If the investment is worth $27819.26 after ten years, find P.

A scientific experiment starts with 100 grammes of a

particular radioactive element. The element decays such
that the amount present t hours later is 100e"~°'03t.
How many grammes of the element will have decayed after
*,4
ten hours?
 ISBN 9780170350501. Chapter Six: The exponential function. 121

4. Sales of a particular chocolate bar increase whilst an advertising campaign is in

progress. At a time of t weeks after the campaign ceases, the sales have fallen to 5
bars per week, where S « 2 000 000 e~°'15t.
Determine the number of bars sold per week
(a) when the campaign ceases,
(b) 2 weeks after the campaign ceases,
(c) 4 weeks after the campaign ceases,
(d) 6 weeks after the campaign ceases.

5. A freefalling object falls such that its downward speed, t seconds after release is
given by v m/sec where
v=75(l-e"°* 1 3 t )m/sec.
Find the downward speed of the body after (a) 5 seconds,
(b) 20 seconds,
(cj 40 seconds.

40
6. If Y = 20 + 0 . 0 5 Λ : find x (correct to two decimal places if necessary) given that
(a) 7=60, (b) 7=30, (c) 7 = 2 1 .

7. A disease is spreading through a particular community of people such that N, the

number of people infected t days after the first reported case, is given by
3000
1 + 2999e"°' 4t "
After how many days should il it be expected that 1000 people in this community are
infected with the disease?

8. If a payment of $P is made every year into an account that attracts a fixed interest
rate of r% per annum compounded continuously and the account is closed t years
later the balance due will be:
Pfe 0 ' 0 1 *-!)
I-e"0'01' '
(a) Find the balance due after 10 years if $2000 is invested each year and the
interest rate is a fixed 10% per annum compounded continuously.
(b) Find the number of years the scheme must run if an investor wants to invest
$3000 per year and close the account when the balance reaches $154 000,
assuming a constant interest rate of 8% per year compounded continuously.
122 Mathematics Methods. Unit Three. ISBN 9780170350501.

The derivative of ex.

The display below left shows both y = 2X and y = ~τ~ (2*). Notice that the graph of the
derivative also appears to be an exponential function but it lies "below" that of y = 2X.

The display below right shows both y = Sx and y = ~r~ (S00) . Notice that the graph of the
derivative again appears to be an exponential function but this time the graph of the
derivative is "above" that of y = 5*.
s < \
1 | &yl=2 x
1 \7\yl=Sx 1
0 , 2 = £(5*)
Dy3 = Dy3 =
UyA=
1 DyS= 1 OyS= \

2x 1 Id 1 I£C5*)
sx
/ - )

L·^
This suggests that for some value of a, between a = 2 and a = 5, the graphs of y = a* and
d γ d γ γ
=
y TZ (a ) coincide. I.e. for some value of a between a = 2 and a = 5, "r~ (a ) = a*.

However, as the preliminary work mentioned, if we want

to differentiate a function for which we do not already
have a rule, for example f[x) = a* we go back to the basic
"limiting chord process".
r, ,. ^ i. Urn ffX+ft] - f M
i.e. Gradient at P, see diagram, = ,1™ ί"
x+h
For f(x) = a* = lim \a - a*]
dx (a*) h \
- lim aV 1 - 111
h \
Λ
= aΆ
χ
lim Γ 3 - 1 *-φ
Λ^Ο
 ISBN 9780170350501. Chapter Six: The exponential function. 123

aA-l
Examining values of , shown below correct to 7 decimal places, for various values
of a, and asftgets smaller and smaller:

aA-l
h
h a=2 a = 2-5 a=3
1 1-0000000 1-5000000 2-0000000
0-1 0-7177346 0-9595823 1-1612317
0-01 0-6955550 0-9205015 1-1046692
0-001 0-6933875 0-9167107 1-0992160
0-0001 0-6931712 0-9163327 1-0986726
0-00001 0-6931496 0-9162949 1-0986183
0-000001 0-6931474 0-9162912 1-0986129
0-0000001 0-6931472 0-9162908 1-0986123

Thus, once again, as the graphs on the previous page suggested, there exists a value of a
between 2 and 5, and indeed now between 2-5 and 3, for which
lim a* - 1 = 1
ft—0
and hence for this value of a, from equation ® on the previous page,
& ■ " > ■ ■*■
Given that the above discussion follows on from pages introducing "e", it probably didn't
take you long to realise that the value of a for which the derivative of a* is itself, is the
number e.
lim e * - l eh-l
Consider ή^Ο f h = 1 h 1-71828
eh-l
f h = 0-1 h « 1-05171
eh-l
f h = 0-01 h * 1-00502
eh-l
f h = 0-001 h * 1-00050
e"-l
f h = 0-0001 * 1-00005
e" - 1
The above figures suggest that J™» = 1 and so, from Φ, T" (e*) = e*.
124 Mathematics Methods. Unit Three. ISBN 9780170350501.

dy
Thus if y = e* then "Γ" = ex. The exponential function, ex, differentiates to itself!

If y = ex then ^ = e*

Example 3
Differentiate (a) x3 + e* (b) 5ex (c) ex - Sx + 1

(a) If y = x3 + ex

(b) If y = 5e*
dx
5e*
dx = e^+S-Jc 2
-f (5e*)
dx
x - Sx + 1 5-e*
(c) If y —
-$- Γ Ρ Λ : 2 - 5 Λ : + 1 ^
2
Let u = x - 5x + 1 then y = e". dx ie J

du dy (2-x-5)e^2"5^+1
dx = 2 x - 5 and ~j~ = e".

dy_ dy du
dx du dx Cchainrule)
u
= e (2*-5)

(2x-5)ex2-5x+1

The general statement of example 3 part (c) is:

If y = e f M then, by the chain rule, ^ = f '(*) e f M .

dx
 ISBN 9780170350501. Chapter Six: The exponen tial function. 125

Example 4
Differentiate (a) e 5x-2 (b)e X + X
(c) x2 ex.

(a) If y = e5*-2
be
dx "

dx
2 5-e 5 ·* -2
(b) If y = e* ""*
2 -iL (e* 2+ *)
g = (2x + l)e* - dx
(2·χ+1)-βχ2+χ
-^ (x2 e*)
dx
(c) If
d£
= *v x2'ex+2-X'ex
2
dx = e*(2x) + x (e*)
= xe*(2+x)

Example 5
ex
The sketch on the right shows part of the curve y = —.
Use calculus to prove that the local minimum shown is the only
X
stationary point on the curve and to determine its exact
location.

ex ch> xex - ex
If y= then, using the quotient rule, "p = — ^ —

" x2
d£
Thus
dx = 0 for x=l (and only for # = 1).
Now if x - 1 then 3/ = e.
The minimum point shown in the diagram is the only stationary point on the curve and
it has coordinates (1, e).
126 Mathematics Methods. Unit Three. ISBN 9780170350501.

Exercise 6B
Differentiate each of the following with respect to x.
1. ex 2. 7ex 3. 3ex

4. 6ex 5. 9e* 6. -8ex

eSx
7. 8. e7x 9. e-2x

10. 5e3x 11. 4e 0 ' 5 * 12. _2e-0*x

13. 6e*+ 2x3 + : 14. 2ex + y[x 15. e$x + e2x

16. 2e4* 17. 2e3x+3e2x 18. Se3x+x4

3*-i e5^-i
19. e
20. e*2 + 3 21.
e 3jc
2
+ 2x-l x3
22. 23. x 24. xe2x
e
x
25. Λ^θ* 26. e ^ix 27. 2x
_1_
28. ex(l + 2xf 29. e*(l-2x) 5 30. e3x

31. Find the exact gradient of y = e2x + x2 at the point (1, e 2 + 1).

32. Find the exact gradient of y = xe* at the point (1, e).

33. Find the equation of the tangent to y = 5e 2x at the point (0, 5).

34. If $100 is invested at 8% per annum, compounded continuously the account grows
to $100e°' 08t after t years. What is the instantaneous rate of growth, in dollars
per year correct to two decimal places, when
(a) t = 1, (b) t = 10, (c] t = 20, (d) t = 40?
35. Damage to a poorly maintained grain store causes the marketable weight of grain
in the store to fall from its initial amount of A0 tonnes to an amount At, t weeks
later, according to the rule:
At = 100 e" 0 4 t tonnes
(a) Determine A0.
(b) What is the marketable weight of grain in the store when t = 5? (To the
nearest tonne.)
At what rate is A falling, in tonnes per week, when (c) t = 2,
(d) t = 5 ,
(e) t = 8?
 ISBN 9780170350501. Chapter Six: The exponential function. 127

More on growth and decay.

Notice that if y = Aekt then ^ = kAekt

i.e. ft=ky. «-Φ

Thus, from equation ®, in functions of the form y = Aekt the rate of change of y with
respect to t is proportional to y itself. This sentence is repeated below. Read it again
carefully to take in what it means:

In functions of the form y = Aekt the rate of change of y with

respect to t is proportional to y itself.

What this sentence is telling us explains why functions of the form y = Aekt describe
growth or decay situations. A population will tend to reproduce itself at a rate
proportional to its size and will continue this constant proportion unless some special
factors are introduced that may stimulate or inhibit growth. If country A has a larger
population than country B then we would expect the number of babies born in country A
in one year to be more than the number of babies born in country B in that year, all
other factors being equal.

It is the fact that functions of the form y = Aekt are such that
d,y
11 = ky that makes them suitable
suitable functions for describing
many growth and decay situations.

Any growth or decay situation in which the rate of change of the population is
dP
proportional to the population itself, i.e. -77 = kP, can be modelled by an equation of the
form P = PQ ekt where P is the population at time t = 0.

dP
Thus: If — = kP then P = Pekt where ΡΛ is the value of P when t = 0.
at 0 0

Or, in te rmsofxandy:
dy ,
If ~r; = ky then y = y e x where y is the value of y when x = 0.
128 Mathematics Methods. Unit Three. ISBN 9780170350501.

Example 6
Demographers monitored a particular country's population growth over a 30 year
period from 1985, when the population was 2 000 000. They found that the population
was continuously growing with the instantaneous rate of increase in the population per
dP P
year, -ji, always close to ^77.
(a) Estimate the population of this country at the end of the 30 year period.
(b) If this pattern of growth continues estimate the population in the years
2025, 2040 and 2065.

(a) Let the population t years after 1985 be P.

dP
We are told that dt * 0-05 P
dP kt
Remember that if 77
at = kP then P = 0Pn e
Hence P = P o e°- 05t

Taking t= Oat 1985 then PQ = 2 000 000, the t = 0 population.

Thus P = 2000000e° , 0 5 i

When t= 30 P = 2 000000e°' 0 5 ( 3 0 i
a 8960000
The population of this country at the end of the 30 year period was approximately
nine million.

(b) By 2025, t= 40 and so P = 2 000000e° ,05 ( 40i

a 15 000000
By 2040, t= 55 and so P = 2000000e°' 0 5 ( 5 5 i
a 31000000
By 2065, t= 80 and so P = 2 000000e°' 0 5 i 8 0 )
a 109000000
Assuming the pattern of growth continues the population estimates for 2025, 2040
and 2065 would be 15 million, 31 million and 109 million respectively.

If the situation involves a quantity decaying rather than growing then the rate of change
of the quantity with respect to time will be negative, rather than positive. (See the next
example.)
 ISBN 9780170350501. Chapter Six: The exponential function. 129

Example 7
A particular radioactive isotope decays continuously at a rate of 9% per year. One
kilogram of this isotope is produced in a particular industrial process. How much
remains undecayed after 20 years?

άΑ
If A kg remains undecayed after t years then = -0-09 A
dt
This is of the form "7Γ = k4 and so A = ^ 0 e-°- 0 9 t
When t= 0,4 = 1. Thus A = le-°- 0 9 t
When t= 20 A _ e -0-09x20
* 0-165
Approximately 165 grams remain undecayed after 20 years.

Example 8
A savings account is opened with a deposit of $400 and attracts interest at a rate of 8%
per annum compounded continuously.
(a) If the interest rate is maintained for five years what will be the balance of the
account at the end of this time?
(b) How many years (correct to one decimal place) will it take for the balance in the
account to be treble the initial deposit?

dP
(a) The principal grows continuously at 8% p.a. .\ ~ττ = 0-08P.
This is of the form ^ =/cP and so P = p^ 0 * 0 8 *
When t = 0 , P = 400. Thus P = 400e°' 08t
Whent=5 P = 400e 0 ' 08 x5

« $596-73
After five years the account balance will be $596-73.

(b) IfP= 1200 then 1200 = 400e°' 08i

i.e. 3 = e°- 08t
Solving with a calculator gives t = 13-7 (1 d.p.)
The initial deposit will treble after approximately 13-7 years.
130 Mathematics Methods. Unit Three. ISBN 9780170350501.

Exercise 6C
dP
For this exercise use the fact that if -rr -kP then P = P„efct.
dr o
cL4
1. If -fa = 2-5A and A = 50 when t = 0,findA when (a) t = 1, (b) t = 3.
dP
2. If - £ = 0-01P and P = 2000 when t = 0,findP when (a) t = 10, (b) t = 50.
dQ 30
3. If - £ = jjjj and 0. = 150 when t = 0, find 0. when (a) t = 2, (b) t = 25.
cL4
4. If " ^ = -0-L4 and 4 = 20 000 when t = 0, find A when (a) t = 10, (b) t = 20.

5. If - ^ = j and X= 6 million when t = 5, find Xwhen (a) t = 10, (b) t = 20.

dP
6. If-^ = 0-025P and P= 2000 when t= 10, find P when ( a ) t = l l , (b)t=20.
7. A particular country has a population of 250 million. Records indicate that the
dP
population growth rate is 3% per year, i.e. ~rr = 0Ό3Ρ.
Estimate the population of the country after a further (a) 10 yrs, (b) 50 yrs.
8. Repeat question 7 but now for a growth rate of 2-5%.
9. A particular radioactive isotope decays continuously at a rate of 12% per year.
Three kilograms of this isotope are produced in a particular industrial process.
How much remains undecayed after 20 years?
10. A 30 year old person makes a "one off" payment of $5000 to a savings plan with
the intention of leaving it untouched for 25 years. If the investment attracts a fixed
guaranteed interest rate of 11% per annum, compounded continuously, find the
value of the investment at the end of the 25 years.
11. How much does a person need to deposit in an account attracting a constant
interest rate of 12% per annum, compounded continuously, for it to have grown to
$20 000 after 20 years?
12. Let us suppose that the cost of goods is rising continuously at 5% per annum. The
rate of change in the cost of an article costing $P would then be such that
dP
d?=°-°5p-
Under these conditions what would be the cost in 100 years of a chocolate bar now
costing 80 cents?
 ISBN 9780170350501. Chapter Six: The exponential function. 131

13. Repeat question 12 if costs rise continuously at 8% per year rather than 5%.

14. The instantaneous rate of decline of a particular species of frog is 5% per month.
If the current population is 10 000 what will it be in (a) 5 months,
(b) 10 months?

15. The population of a particular country varies with time. The rate of change of the
population from 2000 onwards was found to be proportional to the population
dP
itself, i.e. ~rr = kP. P is the population of the country t years after 2000 and k
maintains a roughly constant value.
(a) If the instantaneous growth rate was always roughly 2% per year find k.
(b) If the population in 2000 was 20 million, and assuming the growth rate
remains constant, when will the population reach 50 million?

16. N, the number of people in the world known to be suffering from a particular
dN
disease, was thought to be increasing such that *ττ = 0-05N, with t the time in
years.
If the number of known sufferers was 1500000 in 2000, and nothing is done to
alter the rate of increase, estimate the number of known sufferers in each of the
years (a) 2025, (b) 2050.

dP
17. A colony of bacteria grows such that "77 = 1-2P where P is the number of
organisms present t hours after observation commenced.
When observation commenced P * 1000.
After approximately how many hours will the population be (a) 1 million,
(b) 2 million?
(c) What is the "doubling" time for this population?
(d) What is the "quadrupling" time for this population?

18. The instantaneous rate of decline in the number of rabbits on a particular property
is 25% per month. If there were 2000 rabbits on the property two months ago how
many will there be in two months time?

19. A company finds that 5, the number of sales per week of a particular product, falls
dS
such that ~7T = -0-245, where t is the number of weeks since the end of the
company's promotion and advertising campaign. They decide to repeat the
campaign when weekly sales fall to 0·455 , where S is the weekly sales at the end
of the first campaign. How many weeks after the end of the first campaign should
they expect to have to launch the repeat campaign?
132 Mathematics Methods. Unit Three. ISBN 9780170350501.

Integrating exponential functions.

We now know that if y = e* then dx ~ e
'

Thus exdx = e* + c
ƒ
Also, if y = ef^ we let u = f(x) and so y = e"
dv dv du
Then, by the chain rule £ = ^ χ ^

= e" x ffr)
= f(x)e f M

Thus (fXx)efMdx = ef^ + c

Example 9

Find (a) ƒ e6x dx (b) ƒ 10xe*' da: (c) f

Jo
,2x,
8e'*dx

(a) Method one. (Making an intelligent guess then adjusting.)

Try y = e6x
Then ^ = 6e6x
Thus our initial trial needs to be divided by 6.
6 +c
ƒ e *dx = V ·
Method two. (Rearranging to set up I f \x) e f ^ dx)
6
ƒ « * - ■ ƒ !x6e *dx
"W 6e6*dx

xefe+c

6 + c.
 ISBN 9780170350501. Chapter Six: The exponential function. 133

(b) Method one. (Making an intelligent guess then adjusting.)

Try y = ex

Then fx = 2*e*2

Thus our initial trial needs to be multiplied by 5.

.·. I lOjee* dx = Sex + c.

ƒ
Method two. (Rearranging.)

I lOxe* dx = 1 5 x 2xex dx

= 5 x 1 2xe^ dx

= 5e* +c

J"l0xe*2dx
(c) f 8e2xdx = [4e2*l 5-e*'
Jo 0

= 4e 2 -4 r1 2
8e *dx
Jo
= 4(ez-l). 4-(e 2 -l)

Exercise 6D Attempt each question without the assistance of your calculator - then
use your calculator to check your answer if you wish.
Find the following indefinite integrals.

1. \ee3xdx 2. |6e 2 *dx eSxdx

ƒ« ƒ
4. f3e 9 *dx 5. 15e3*dx dx

, 2xχ ,
7. fWë*cbc 8. ƒ 4 ; dx 9. ƒ (4e^ + 2x) dx

10. ({e3x+e2x)dx 11. f3e" 2 *dx 12 dx

134 Mathematics Methods. Unit Three. ISBN 97801703S0S01.

13. Î2xe* 2 dx 14. Î6e 2 * + 1 dx 15. ƒ (8*e* 2+5 ) dx

Evaluate the following definite integrals, giving exact answers.

16. f 5e*dx 17. f eSxdx 18. f (e* + 4e2*) dx

Jo Jo J l

19. f 20+e2*)dx 20. f \ dx 21. f 6f\/~? + x2) dx

Jo J -l ex Jo
d4 9/.
22. If " ^ = 5e zt , and i4 = 3 when t = 0, find
(a) A in terms of t,
(b) the exact value of A, when t = 0-5.

23. If f'ίχ) = 6(χ* - 2e3*), and f(0) = 1, find (a] f(x),

(b) f(2) as an exact value.

24. (a) Find the area between y = ex and the x-axis from x = 0 to x = 3 giving your
answer correct to one decimal place.
(b] Find the area between y = ex - e and the x-axis from x = 0 to x = 3 giving
your answer as an exact value.

Miscellaneous Exercise Six.

This miscellaneous exercise may include questions involving the work of this
chapter, the work of any previous chapters, and the ideas mentioned in the
preliminary work section at the beginning of the book.
1. Clearly showing your use of the product rule, find the equation of the tangent to
y = (2x-l)(3x+2)
at the point (1,5).
dry
2. Without the assistance of your calculator, find "j for each of the following.
(a) y = (x+2) 5 QO y = (2x+l) 5
(c) y = f75 (d) y = -ff^
(e) y = 4JC3 - e* + 5 (f) y = eSx + 5x

3. The tangent to the curve y = ax3 at the point (5, b) has a gradient of 30. Find the
values of the constants a and b.
 ISBN 9780170350501. Miscellaneous Exercise Six. 135

4. A particle is performing rectilinear motion with x metres and v m/s the

displacement and velocity of the particle, with respect to an origin 0, at time t
seconds. The motion is such that v = e0%lt and when t=0, x=12.
Find (a) the initial acceleration of the particle,
(b) the acceleration of the particle when t = 20,
(c) the displacement of the particle when t = 10, to the nearest centimetre.

5. Use first principles, i.e. 1|™ f , to show that if y = x2 + 3x then

d^
= 2x+3.
dx
The curve y = x 3 + - lOx cuts the x-axis in three places. Find the coordinates
of each of these points and determine the gradient of the curve at each one.
Find the total area of any regions enclosed by the curve and the x-axis.
7. The tangent to the curve y = ax2 + 5 at the point (-1, b) is perpendicular to the
line 2y = -x + 8. Given that if a line with gradient mx is perpendicular to a line with
gradient m2 then m 1 m 2 = - l , find the values of the constants a and b.
8. Evaluate the following definite integrals without the assistance of your calculator.

(a)
.10
xdx (b)
f|ς1 JL
Ji*2
2
"^ dx (c)
s: e*dx

(d)
f. 6e 2 *dx f
(e) I (3X2 + 4x) dx (0 2
4x
{x - 3Ϋ
dx

Differentiate each of the following with respect to x, without the assistance of your
calculator, and then use your calculator to check your answers.
(a) 2x +
3
w* 3
(b) x + e
x
(c)
2x- 1
x+ 3

(d) *V (e) (2x3 + Wx) E dt

J5 *
10. Hint: What do we get if we integrate velocity with respect to time?
So what will the area "under" a velocity time graph give?
The velocity-time graph for the motion of
a train along a straight track is shown on v (km/min)
the right.
(a) When t = 0 the train is at position A
and when t = 5 the train is at B. Find
the distance from A to B.
> t (mins)
(b) When t = 15 the train is at a position
C. Find the distance from A to C.
(c) When t = 19 the train is at a station D. Find the distance from A to D.
136 Mathematics Methods. Unit Three. ISBN 9780170350501.

11. A falling object does not keep accelerating indefinitely but, due to air resistance,
reaches a terminal speed. Suppose that the speed of such an object, t seconds after
the fall commences is v m/s where
200
v = -ΤΓ ( l - -0-15t' ) ■
3
Find the speed of the object after five seconds.
What is the terminal speed?

12. For àx, a small change in x, then δ^, the associated small change in y, can be
dy δν
determined using "T~ « t~.
Use the above statement to determine the approximate change in the exterior
surface area of a closed cylindrical tin when the base radius changes from 10 cm to
10-2 cm with the height remaining unchanged on 20 cm.
13. An initial "one off" investment of $500 grows continuously in such a way that
dP

where $P is in the account t years after the investment was opened.

How much is the investment worth after (a) 5 yrs, (b) 15 yrs?

14. A metal bar, temperature 120°C, is placed in an environment with temperature

25°C. The temperature of the bar, t minutes later, is approximately T°C where
r=25 + 95e"°'3t.
Find the rate at which the temperature of the bar is falling, in °C/minute correct to
one decimal place, after (a) 1 min, (b) 3 mins, (c) 15 mins.

15. Without the assistance of a graphic calculator produce a sketch of each of the
following, clearly indicating on your sketch:
• the coordinates of any points where the graph cuts the axes,
• the exact coordinates of all turning points,
• the behaviour of the curve as x -+ ± oo.
(a) y= xV (b) y= (c) y=
x2 l + e*

16. A new rowing oar is being investigated.

- 6 + Vx
The shape of the blade is as shown
shaded on the right The y-axis forms
the left hand boundary, the x-axis is a
line of symmetry and 1 cm = 1 unit on
each axis. Find the shaded area, giving
your answer correct to the nearest
square cm.