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Slopes, Rate of Changes and Derivatives

This document discusses slopes, rates of change, derivatives, and examples of calculating derivatives using definitions. It contains 4 examples of finding derivatives of functions by taking the limit of change in y over change in x as x approaches 0. These examples show calculating the derivative for functions like f(x)=x^2, f(x)=1/x, and using the definition to find the derivative and instantaneous rate of change for a function describing patient temperature over time. The document provides practice problems for students to work through related to these concepts.

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Atique Faisal
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57 views9 pages

Slopes, Rate of Changes and Derivatives

This document discusses slopes, rates of change, derivatives, and examples of calculating derivatives using definitions. It contains 4 examples of finding derivatives of functions by taking the limit of change in y over change in x as x approaches 0. These examples show calculating the derivative for functions like f(x)=x^2, f(x)=1/x, and using the definition to find the derivative and instantaneous rate of change for a function describing patient temperature over time. The document provides practice problems for students to work through related to these concepts.

Uploaded by

Atique Faisal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CHAPTER: 2.

2
Slopes, Rate of Changes and
Derivatives
f ( x  h)  f ( x )
1 Slope of tangent line through P and Q =
h
f ( x  h)  f ( x )
2 Slope of tangent line at P = lim h0
h
Example 1: E.g. 1 (Ref. Brief Applied Calculus, Page 89)
Find the slope of the tangent line to f ( x )  x 2
at the point where x=1.
Solution
f ( x  h)  f ( x)
Slope = lim h0
h
(1  h) 2  (1) 2
= lim h0
h
1  2h  h 2  1
= lim h 0
h
2h  h 2
= lim h0
h
h ( 2  h)
= lim h 0
h
= lim h 0 (2  h)
=2
3 The Derivative
Definition of the derivative
f ( x  h)  f ( x )
f ( x)  lim h0
h

Example 3: E.g. 3 (Ref. Brief Applied Calculus, Page 91)


For the function f ( x)  x , find the derivative f (x) using the definition of
2

derivative.
Solution
f ( x  h)  f ( x )
f ( x)  lim h0
h
( x  h) 2  ( x ) 2
 lim h0
h
x 2  2 xh  h 2  x 2
 lim h0
h
2 xh  h 2
 lim h0
h
h( 2 x  h)
 lim h0
h
 lim h0 (2 x  h)
=2x
Example 4: E.g. 5 (Ref. Brief Applied Calculus, Page 95)
1
For the function f ( x)  , find the derivative f (x) using the definition of
x
derivative.
Solution
f ( x  h)  f ( x )
f ( x)  lim h0
h
1 1

 lim h0 xh x
h
1  x  ( x  h) 
 lim h0
h   x  h  x 

1 h 
 lim h0
h   x  h  x 

 1 
 lim h0  
  x  h x 
1

x2
Example 6: Exercise Problem no: 45 (Ref. Brief Applied Calculus, Page 100)
The temp of a patient in a hospital on day x of illness is given by
T(x) = -𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 100 (for 1≤x≤5) Find;
a) Find T (x) using the definition of derivative.
b) Find the instantaneous rate of change of temp on day 2.
c) Find the instantaneous rate of change of temp on day 3.
d) What do your answers in parts (b) and (c) tell you about the patient’s health
on those two days?
Solution
T(x) = -𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 100
a) T' (x) = -2x+5
b) When x=2 days, the instantaneous rate of change of temp is -2.2+5=1,
So, the temp is increasing at the rate of 1 degree per day.
C) When x=3 days, the instantaneous rate of change of temp is -3.2+5= -1,
So, the temp is decreasing at the rate of 1 degree per day.
d) The patient’s health is improving.
Problem for Practice
Exercise 2-2 (Example no: 4 of Page 93
Problem no: 9 – 15, 19-25, 27-28, 41 -42 and 44-46
Page 98-100)
Reference:
Berresford, C.G., Brief Applied Calculus, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.

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