AP Calculus AB

Unit 3

Applications of Derivatives (Part I)

Date Topic Assignment

Lesson 1:
Rolle’s Theorem and The Mean Value Textbook: Pg. 342 #9, 13, 17, 19, 25, 27
Theorem

Handout: Lesson 2 Homework

Lesson 2:
Extreme Values
Textbook: Pg. 343 #31, 37, 47, 49, 53
Intervals of Increase and Decrease
Pg. 358 #7, 13, 17, 25, 27, 29, 37, 41, 49, 51, 53

Lesson 3: Handout: Lesson 3 Homework

Connecting f  and f  with the graph of f
Textbook: Pg. 375 #9, 11, 13, 21, 35, 37, 29, 49, 51, 57, 63, 65

Lesson 4:
Handout: Lesson 4 Homework
Curve Sketching

Handout: Lesson 5 Homework

Lesson 5:
Velocity and Other Rates of Change
Textbook: Pg. 375 #27, 29
AP Calculus – Unit 3: Applications of Derivatives (Part I) Date:

Lesson 1: ROLLE’S THEOREM and THE MEAN VALUE THEOREM (MVT)

Rolle’s Theorem

Let f be a function that satisfies the following three hypotheses:

1. f is continuous on the closed interval a,b .

2. f is differentiable on the open interval a,b .
3. f a   f b 

Then there is a number c in a,b  such that f  c   0 .

Example 1: If f x   x 2  4 x  5 , show that the conditions of Rolle’s Theorem are satisfied in the interval
4,0  and find all values of c that satisfy the conclusion of the theorem.
Mean Value Theorem (MVT)

Let f be a function that satisfies the following two hypotheses:

1. f is continuous on the closed interval a,b .

2. f is differentiable on the open interval a,b .

f b   f a 
Then there is a number c in a,b  such that f  c   .
ba

Or, equivalently,
f  c b  a   f b   f a 

x
Example 2: Verify f x   satisfies the conditions of the MVT and then find all values of c on 1, 4 .
x2
AP Calculus – Unit 3: Applications of Derivatives (Part I) Date:

Lesson 2: EXTREME VALUES OF FUNCTIONS & INTERVALS OF INCREASE OR DECREASE

Extrema (plural for extremum) are maximum or minimum values of functions. We need to distinguish between
absolute extrema and relative extrema, and how to locate them. You have used your calculator in the past to
calculate a maximum or minimum value, but now we must use calculus reasoning to find them.

Definition of Absolute Extrema

Let f be a function with domain D containing c .

1. f c  is the absolute minimum of f on D if and only if f c   f x  for all x in D .

2. f c  is the absolute maximum of f on D if and only if f c   f x  for all x in D .

The Extreme Value Theorem

If f is continuous on a closed interval a,b , then f has both an absolute minimum and an absolute maximum
on the interval.

Definition of Relative Extrema

If there is an open interval containing c on which f c  is a maximum, then f c  is called a relative maximum.
If there is an open interval containing c on which f c  is a minimum, then f c  is called a relative minimum.

Example 2: Suppose you were given the function below. Label f a  through f e  as absolute or relative
extrema.

Example 3: Except at the endpoints a and b , what do you notice about the derivative at each of the relative
extrema in the last example?
Definition of a Critical Point

Let f be defined at c . If f  c   0 or if f  is undefined at c , then c is a critical point of f .

Relative Extrema Occur Only at Critical Points

If f has a relative minimum or relative maximum at x  c , then c is a critical number of f .

*IMPORTANT NOTE: Just because the derivative is equal to zero (or undefined) does not mean there is a
relative maximum or minimum there. Relative extrema can occur ONLY at critical points, and critical points
occur ONLY when the derivative is either 0 or undefined. However, it is possible for the derivative to equal zero
(or undefined) and there be NO extrema at the critical number.

Ie. Try f x   x 3 or f x   3 x .

Definitions of Increasing and Decreasing Functions

A function f is increasing on an interval I if for any two numbers x1 and x 2 in the interval,

x1  x 2  f x1   f x2 

A function f is decreasing on an interval I if for any two numbers x1 and x 2 in the interval,

x1  x 2  f x1   f x2 
What is the value of the derivative when the function is increasing?

What is the value of the derivative when the function is decreasing?

Test for Increasing and Decreasing Functions

Let f be a function that is continuous on the closed interval a,b  and differentiable on the open interval a,b .

1. If f  x   0 for all x in a,b , then f is increasing on a,b .

2. If f  x   0 for all x in a,b , then f is decreasing on a,b .
3. If f  x   0 for all x in a,b , then f is constant on a,b .

Example 4: Find the extrema of f x   x x  2  on the interval 1,1 .

2
3

Example 5: Find the extrema of f x   x 4  x 2 .

Example 6: Find the intervals on which each function below is increasing or decreasing.

 
2
a) f x   x 3 x  2  b) f x   x 2  9
2 3

c) f x   x 4  x
  x 2  2,  3  x  2
Example 7: Given f x    , find
6  2x, x  2

a) the intervals on which the function is increasing or decreasing

b) all extrema
AP Calculus – Unit 3: Applications of Derivatives (Part 1) Date:

Lesson 3: CONNECTING f  AND f  WITH THE GRAPH OF f

Previously, we determined that relative extrema occur at critical points and the behaviour of the first derivative
before and after the critical points helped determine whether or not the function has a relative maximum or
minimum (or neither) at these critical points.

To summarize:

The First Derivative Test

Let f be a continuous function, and let c be a critical point.

1. If f  changes sign from positive to negative at c , then f has a local maximum value at c .
2. If f  changes sign from negative to positive at c , then f has a local minimum value at c .
3. If f  does not change signs then there is no local extreme value at c .

Important note: If you are asked to find absolute extrema of a function on a closed interval, you must also
consider the endpoints of the intervals.

Concavity

Concavity deals with how a graph is curved. We can use the second derivative to determine the concavity of a
function.

Definition of Concavity

Let y  f x  be a differentiable function on an interval I . The graph of f x  is concave up on I if f  is

increasing on I , and concave down on I if f  is decreasing on I .
Test for Concavity

If f   0 for all values of x on an interval I , then f is concave up on I .

If f   0 for all values of x on an interval I , then f is concave down on I .

Definition of Inflection Point

A point where the graph of a function has a tangent line (including vertical or horizontal) AND where the
concavity changes, is called a point of inflection.

Example 1: Using each picture, estimate each point of inflection, if any, and sketch the tangent line at that point.

x
Example 2: Find the intervals where the function f x   is concave up and concave down. Identify all
x 1
2

points of inflection.
Example 3: Find the intervals where the function f x   x x  1 is concave up and concave down. Identify all
points of inflection.

Example 4: For the function f x   x x  3 3 find:

2

a) Domain and intercepts

b) Intervals of increase and decrease and all extreme values
c) Intervals of concave up and concave down and all points of inflection
d) Sketch it (without your graphing calculator)
Second Derivative Test for Local Extrema
1. If f  c   0 and f  c   0 , then f has a local maximum at x  c .
2. If f  c   0 and f  c   0 , then f has a local minimum at x  c .

Example 5: Find the extreme values of f x   x 3  12x  5 .

AP Calculus – Unit 3: Applications of Derivatives (Part I) Date:

Lesson 4: A PROCEDURE FOR CURVE SKETCHING

We will be analyzing functions under the following headings:

A) Domain – state the x values that make the function undefined

B) Intercepts

x - intercepts: set y  0 and solve for x

y - intercepts: set x  0 and solve for y

C) Symmetry

Functions can be classified as having one of the following:

 Even symmetry (special type of line symmetry) – symmetrical about the line x  0 or the y -axis

Even functions must satisfy the property: f ( x)  f (x)

 Odd symmetry (special type of point symmetry) – symmetrical about the origin 0, 0 

Odd functions must satisfy the property:  f (x)  f ( x)

 No symmetry – if a function fails to be even or odd then we say that it has no symmetry
Ex. Find the symmetry of each of the following functions:

D) Asymptotes & End Behaviour

 Vertical Asymptotes

– Occur where the function is undefined.

– The graph will not cross a vertical asymptote.
– Called an infinite discontinuity.
– We use one-sided limits to examine the behaviour of the function at the discontinuity.

If we know that a function has a discontinuity at x  a , then we evaluate the one-sided limits lim f (x)
xa
and lim f (x) to see if the function approaches  or 
xa
 End Behaviour of a Function

 Horizontal asymptotes

– Occur has x approaches  and  .

– We use infinite limits to examine the behaviour of the function as x approaches  and 
– If either lim f (x)  L or lim f (x)  L then there will be a horizontal asymptote at y  L
x x
– The graph may cross a horizontal asymptote at small values of x .

 For certain functions (typically non-rational), there may be no horizontal asymptote but we can
still analyze the behaviour of the function as x approaches  and  using infinite limits.

This time, we will get lim f (x)   or lim f (x)   .

x x

E) Intervals of increase and decrease

We calculate f  (x) and use the First Derivative Test to find where f (x) is increasing or decreasing.

F) Maximum and Minimum values

We find the critical numbers (where f  (x)  0 or f  (x) undefined) and use the First Derivative Test to
identify the maximums and minimums of f (x) .

G) Concavity and Points of Inflection

We calculate f (x) and use the Test for Concavity. Inflection points occur where the direction of concavity
changes if the points are defined for the function and/or have not already been classified as a
maximum/minimum.

H) Sketch of the curve

We draw the asymptotes as broken lines and sketch portions of the curve near the asymptotes. We plot the
intercepts, maximums and minimums, and inflection points. Then we draw the curve, so it passes through
these points, rising and falling according to the intervals of increase and decrease, with the correct concavity
and joining with the parts near the asymptotes.
Analyze the following functions under the headings A – H.

Example 1: y  3x 5  5x 3

A) Domain

B) Intercepts

C) Symmetry

D) Asymptotes and/or behaviour at infinity

E) Intervals of Increase and Decrease

F) Local Maximums and Minimums

G) Concavity and Coordinates of the Points of Inflection

 H) Sketch of the Curve

x2
Example 2: y
1  x2

A) Domain

B) Intercepts

C) Symmetry

D) Asymptotes and/or behaviour at infinity

E) Intervals of Increase and Decrease

 F) Local Maximums and Minimums

G) Concavity and Coordinates of the Points of Inflection

H) Sketch of the Curve

Example 3: y x 2x

A) Domain

B) Intercepts

C) Symmetry

D) Asymptotes and/or behaviour at infinity

E) Intervals of Increase and Decrease

F) Local Maximums and Minimums

G) Concavity and Coordinates of the Points of Inflection

H) Sketch of the Curve

AP Calculus – Unit 3: Applications of Derivatives (Part I) Date:

Lesson 5: VELOCITY AND OTHER RATES OF CHANGE

Instantaneous Rates of Change

We have already seen that the instantaneous rate of change is the same as the slope of the tangent line and thus
the derivative at that point. Unless we use the phrase “average rate of change”, we will assume that in calculus
the phrase “rate of change” refers to the instantaneous rate of change.

Example 1: The length of a rectangle is given by 2t  1 and its width is t , where t is time in seconds and the
dimensions are in centimetres.

a) Find the rate of change of the area with respect to time, and indicate the units of measure for this rate.

b) Find the rate of change of the area when t  4 seconds.

Motion along a line

Motion along a line (either vertical or horizontal) can be described using polynomial functions. In other cases, the
motion may be described using sine or cosine functions (which we will look at later in the course). Typically, we
use a position function s t  to describe the position s of an object after t seconds.

Relationships between position, velocity, and acceleration

The displacement of an object is the TOTAL CHANGE IN POSITION.

The average velocity of the object is described as TOTAL CHANGE IN POSITION (displacement) divided by the TOTAL
CHANGE IN TIME. It can be thought of as the slope of the line connecting two points on a position function (Ie. slope of
the secant line).

The instantaneous velocity of the object is the derivative of the position function. Unless the term “average velocity” is
used, we will assume velocity refers to instantaneous velocity. It is the slope of a tangent line to the position function.

Positive Velocity indicates movement in the positive direction.

Negative Velocity indicates movement in the negative direction.

Speed is the absolute value of velocity. Thus speed is always positive, whereas, velocity indicates direction.

Acceleration is the rate of change in velocity, implying then that acceleration is the derivative of velocity. Since it is the
derivative of velocity, it is also the second derivative of position.
Example 2: An object’s position above the ground is given by s t   16t 2  16t  320 , where s is measured in
feet and t is measured in seconds.

a) What is the object’s displacement from t  1 to t  2 seconds?

b) When will the object hit the ground?
c) What is the object’s velocity at impact?
d) What is the object’s speed at impact?
e) Find the object’s acceleration as a function of time.

Example 3: The position of a particle moving on a horizontal line is given by s(t)  t 3  6t 2  9t  5 where s is in
metres and t is in seconds and t  0 .

a) When is the particle at rest?

b) When is velocity positive?
c) When is the velocity negative?
d) When is the acceleration positive?
e) When is the acceleration negative?
f) Find the total distance traveled by the particle in the first 5 seconds.
Example 4: Suppose the graph below shows the velocity of a particle moving along the x  axis.

a) Which way does the particle move first? b) When does the particle stop?

c) When does the particle change direction? d) When is the particle moving left?

e) When is the particle moving right? f) When is the particle speeding up?

g) When is the particle slowing down? h) When is the particle moving the fastest?

i) When is the particle moving at a constant speed?

j) Graph the particle’s acceleration for 0  t  10 . k) Graph the particle’s speed for 0  t  10 .
 4 3
Example 5: The volume of a spherical balloon is given by V =  r , where the radius r is measured in
3
centimeters. Find the rate of change of the volume with respect to the radius when r  5 cm.

Example 6: The population of a slowly growing bacterial colony after t hours is given by n(t)  100  24t  2t 2 .
Find the growth rate after 2 hours.

5
Example 7: The Celsius temperature C is given in terms of the Fahrenheit temperature F by: C  (F  32) Find
9
the rate of change of C with respect to F.