Math 154 Study Guide: Midterm 2 October 24, 2022

Lecture 9: Continuity and Limits

A. Evaluate whether a function is continuous

I. Is the following function continuous on the region shown?

Yes, for all x in (0,6)

B. Identify limits from a plot.

I. What is the limit of the following function at x = 2?

lim h(x) = 5 when x approach 2

II. The function shown here in the above plot is:

x2 + x − 6 (x-2)(x+3)/(x-2) = (x+3)
h(x) = , => lim h(x) = 2 + 3 = 5 (1)
x−2
Evaluate limx→2 h(x) to show that you are right in part I.
C. Characterize limits as convergent or divergent

I. Characterize the limit of the following function as x → 2 as convergent or divergent.

divergent divergent convergent

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Math 154 Study Guide: Midterm 2 October 24, 2022

D. Evaluate left and right limits.

Using the plot evaluate:

lim Y (t) = -3
t→−1−

lim Y (t) = -0.7

t→−1+ (2)
lim Y (t) DNE
t→−1

Y (−1)

I. If the function shown is given by: (

−3 ifx ≤ −1 lim Y(t) = -3 when t approach -1 left
Y (t) = x 2

(3)
− 1.2 x > −1 lim Y(t) = - (1/1.2)^2 when t approach -1 right
re-evaluate the limits above to show you are right.

Lecture 10: Limit Rules and Limits at ∞

A. Apply limit rules to evaluate a limit of a function as it approaches a finite number.
I. Evaluate the following limits

lim (x − 3)(x − 4) = 0
x→3
lim (x − 3) =0 (4)
x→3
x−3
lim =0
x→3 x − 4

B. Meaning of a limit at ∞.
I. If S(t) is the stress level at time t what is the meaning of limt→∞ S(t)? long term stress level
C. Find the limit of a polynomial at ∞.
I. If f(x) is a quadratic then is the following statement true or false?

lim f (x) = lim f (x) Yes since x^2 = (-x)^2 (5)

x→−∞ x→∞

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Math 154 Study Guide: Midterm 2 October 24, 2022

False since (-x)^3 = -x^3

II. If h(x) is a cubic then is the following statement true or false?

lim h(x) = lim h(x) (6)

x→−∞ x→∞

III. What is the following limit

x2 + 3x + 4
lim =0 since x^3 grow faster than x^2 (7)
t→∞ x3

D. Find the limit of of e(x) and ln(x) at ∞.

I. What is
ex
lim
t→∞ 1 + ex
e−x
lim (8)
t→∞ 1 + e−x
ln(x)
lim
t→∞ 1 + ln(x)

Lecture 11: Definition of a derivative

• Approximation to the derivative
– Use the following table of values to approximate the derivative at t = 3

t H(t)
0 0.5
0.5 0.44
1 0.38
1.5 0.32
2 0.27
2.5 0.22
3 0.18
3.5 0.15
4 0.12
4.5 0.1
5 0.08

• Formal definition of a derivative

– Evaluate the derivative of H(x) = 3x2 + 2
dH(x)
– Calculate dx |x=1

• Equation for the tangent line

– Write the equation for the tangent line of H(x) at x = 1.

Lecture 12: Sketching a derivative & Derivative Rules

A. How can you tell when a derivative is equal to 0? How about positive? negative?

I. Sketch the derivative of the following function

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Math 154 Study Guide: Midterm 2 October 24, 2022

B. Take the derivative of e(x)

I. Plot the derivative of e(x)
C. Take the derivative of ln(x)
d
I. Find dx ln x
d
II. Find dx log3 x

Lecture 13: Power rule

A. Evaluate a derivative of a sum of functions
dQ(s)
I. If Q(s) = s2 + t + c2 + 2 find ds [Hint: Check what you are differentiating by]
B. Take the derivative of a constant and with constant coefficients
dL(t)
I. If L(t) = s2 + 2t + c2 t + 2 find dt [Hint: Check what you are differentiating by]
C. Evaluate a derivative using the power rule
I. When do you need to use the power rule?
a. Which of the following derivatives require using the power rule?
d x
(3 + 4)
dx
d 3
(x + 4) (9)
dx
d 3x
(e + 4)
dx
II. How do you use the power rule?

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Math 154 Study Guide: Midterm 2 October 24, 2022

a. Evaluate the following derivatives

d x2 + x + 2
=
dx √
d (3 + x)
=
dx
d 1
=
dx (x − 3)2
(10)
D. Take the derivative of a polynomial
I. Suppose f is a polynomial of degree 4. What order is the f ′ ?

Lecture 14: Product and Quotient Rule

A. Evaluate a derivative using the product rule
I. When do you need to use the product rule?
df (x)
a. For which of the following functions do you need to use the product rule to find dx ?

f (x) = (2x)2 ex
ex
f (x) =
2x (11)
2
f (x) = ex
f (x) = e2x
II. How do you use the product rule?
a. What is the derivative of F (n) = g(n)h(n) with respect to n?
B. Evaluate a derivative using the quotient rule
I. When do you need to use the quotient rule?
df (x)
a. For which of the following functions do you need to use the quotient rule to find dx ?

f (x) = (2x)2 ex
ex
f (x) =
2x (12)
2
f (x) = ex
f (x) = e2x
II. How do you use the quotient rule?
a. What is the derivative of F (n) = g(n)h(n) with respect to n?

Lecture 15: Chain Rule

A. Evaluate a derivative using the chain rule
I. When do you need to use the chain rule?
df (x)
a. For which of the following functions do you need to use the chain rule to find dx ?

f (x) = (2x)2 ex
ex
f (x) =
2x (13)
2
f (x) = ex
f (x) = e2x

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Math 154 Study Guide: Midterm 2 October 24, 2022

II. How do you use the chain rule?

df (x)
a. Evaluate dx for the above functions. What is ”u” in each case where you have to use the chain
rule?
B. Use the chain rule to derive the quotient rule
df (x)
I. Use the product and the chain rule rather than the quotient rule to evaluate the dx for:

ex
f (x) = (14)
2x
C. Evaluate derivatives of compound functions with polynomials
d x2 +3x+3
I. Find dx e

D. Evaluate derivatives of compound functions with e(x) and ln(x)

d 2
I. Find dx (ln x + 3x + 3)

Lecture 16: The Second Derivative

A. Find the second derivative
I. A polynomial f has degree 6, what is the degree of f ′′ ?
d2 x
II. Find dx2 e

B. Interpret the second derivative as curvature or acceleration

d2 g
I. Suppose dx2 |x=2 = −12 is the function concave up or concave down at x = 2?
d2 h
II. Suppose h(t) is the location of a object at time t and dt2 |x=6 = 3 is the object accelerating or decelerating
at time t = 6?
III. Characterize the sign of the first and second derivative in the following plot.