BASIC APPLICATIONS OF THE DERIVATIVE @ Tangent Lines Velocity General Rates of Change J Tangent Line Approximations and the Differential 5-1. Tangent Lines ‘The tangent line to the graph of the function f(x) at the point (a, f(a) isthe fine through (a, f(a) that best approximates the graph of f(x) in the vicinity of the point (a, f(a)) (see Figure 5-1) ; 4 A. The slope of the tangent line at (a, f(a) is f"(a). You can obtain information about the tangent line at a point (a, f(a) from 4°). Suppose that you want to estimate the slope of the tangent line. You ‘ould approximate that slope by finding the slope of aline through the point (a, f(a)) and a nearby point on the graph, say (5, f()}, as in Figure 5-2. The Figure $-1 ‘The tangent line tothe graph of (x) at slope of this approximating line is (f(b) ~ f(a)}/(b ~ a). Let Ax be the (a, 1@) ‘quantity b — a. Then b = a + Ax. Thus, he slope ofthe approximating line is ‘ fla + Ax) ~ fa ax Examining Figure 5-2, you see that you obtain a better approximation by choosing b closer toa, that is, Ax closer to zer0. As Ax approaches zero, you find that the slope of the approximating line approaches the slope of the tangent line! SLOPE oF fim £¢4 8x) ~ flo) TANGENT LINE 6) ao Ax is the slope of the tangent line, Recall from the definition of the derivative that this limit is just f”(@). Thus, f"(a) is the slope of the tangent Tine to the Figure 52 graph of f(x) at the point (a, fla). EXAMPLE $-1: Find the slope of the tangent line to the graph of f(x) = x? at the point (2, 2)) = (2,4). Solution: In other words you must find /"(x) at x = 2 f(s) = 2x ra=4 Thus, the slope of the tangent fine at (2,4) is 4 EXAMPLE §-2: Find the slope of the tangent line to the graph of f(x) = x? + 2x at the point (= 1, ~3), oo‘solution: Differentiating, you find #'@) = 3x7 +2 f(-N=s ~The slope of the tangent line at (~ 1, ~3) is 5 _ B. You can find the equation of the tangent line. You can now find the equation of the fine tangent to the graph of f(x) at (@.f(@), You know the slope of the tangent line, /"(a), and a point on the tangent line, (a, f(a). In point-slope form the equation of the tangent line is POINT-SLOPE y= fla) = fax — a) 62) EXAMPLE 5-3: Find the equation of the line tangent to the graph of f(x) = 2xd = Tx + Lat (2,3). Solution: Differentiate to find the slope: f(x) = xt 7 fQ=0 Thus, the tangent line is or in slope-intercept form EXAMPLE $-4: Find the equation of the tangent line to the graph of fo)=x-Pax= 2 Solution: This is another way of asking for the tangent line at (2, f(—2)) = (2, 6). Differentiate to find the slope: fe) = 1 = 3x? f(-Y= = So the tangent line has slope ~ II and passes through the point (—2, 6). The equation of the tangent line is y= 6= Ife ~(-2)] y= -lix — 16 EXAMPLE 5-5: Find the equation of the line tangent to the graph of S(9 = sin.xat x = H ‘Solution: The tangent line passes through the point (r/4, f(/4)) = (n/4, f3/2) and has slope f"(x/4): JQ) = cos x S (nid) = 2/2 ‘The equation of the tangent line is » LA (e-2) 2 4 yee V2(p 8 ee reagas uaa The graph of the function is showa in Figure 5-3 Basic Applications of the Derivative 93 Je sinx Figure 5-3 ‘The tangent line to the graph of Nx) = sin x at x = wis.WM Calculus EXAMPLE 5-6: Find the point on the graph of f(x) = x7 + 2x + Swhere the tangent line is parallel to the line p = 3x — Solution: Recall that two lines are patallel if they have the same stope. Thus, you are searching for the point on the graph of f(x) = x* + 2x + S where the slope ‘of the tangent line is 3 (the slope of y = 3x ~ 183). You want the point (a, f{a)) where f(a) So) = 2x42 So s'(a) = 3 when 2a+2=3, ic, a=4, Thus the desired point is (1/2, f(0/2)) = (1/2, 25/4). EXAMPLE 5-7: Find another point on the graph of f() = tangent line is parallel to the tangent line at (1, ~1) ~ 2 where the Solution: The slope of the tangent line at (1, — Dis f(s f= 38? f=3 ‘The problem asks you to find another point on the graph where the tangent line has slope 3, so you seck a value‘of a such that f"(a) = 3 f(a) = 3a? = 3 a= or a=-1 4 The value @ a=-1 is the original point, You find the desired point by setting 5-2, Velocity ‘Suppose that a train leaves the station at time ¢ = 0 and that after hours the train has traveled f(t) kilometers. How might you estimate the velocity (velocity = distance/time) ofthe train at time ¢ = 1 hour? One method is tolind the average velocity of the train between time ¢ = 1 hour and t = 2 hours: #2) — fl) is the distance traveled by the train between f= 1 hour and t = 2 hours. Thus, £0) = $0) our is the average velocity of the train between ¢ = 1 and ¢ = 2 hours. A better approximation would be obtained from the average velocity ofthe train between f= hour and t = 1 + Arhours, where At is smaller than 1:f(1 + Ad) ~ f() is the distance traveled by the train during the At hours following t ~ 1. Thus, the average velocity of the train between t = 1 hour and ¢ = 1 + Athoursis distance traveled _ (1+ Ad) ~ f()) time elapsed at [As At approaches zero, this quantity approaches the instantaneous velocity of the train at ¢ =" 1. So you see that 7 sl + Ad = fl) 1 = tim EAS Ge eta isthe instantaneous velocity ofthe tain at ¢ = 1 hou. In genera if fa) describes the postion ofr distance traveled by) an object at time t then (0) describes the celacity ofthat object at ime EXAMPLE S:8: If the train has traveled f(@) = 30: + kilometers after +t hours, how fast is the train traveling after | hour? After 2 hours?f= 30 + 20 FA) = 32 JQ) = 34 Thus after 1 hour the train is traveling at 32 kilometers per hour and after hours, 34 kilometers per hour. Note: The units e.g, kilometers per hour) of the derivative are determined by the units ofthe function (e., kilometers) and of the variable (e.g, hours). EXAMPLE §.9: A ball is thrown upward. After ¢ seconds the ball is (1) = 64t — 16? feet above the thrower. What is the velocity of the ball after pv - { second? After 2 seconds? After 3 seconds? Solution: You find that p(t) = 64 — 32 pil) =32 pQ=0 p= -32 You interpret these values as follows: After 1 second, the bal is traveling up- ward at 32 ft/s. At 2 seconds the velocity of the ball is zero and the ball is at the highest point of its fight. At3 seconds the ball is falling (notice the minus sign) at 32 ft/s. 5-3, General Rates of Change EXAMPLE 5-10; Suppose that air is pumped! into a spherical balloon so that after t seconds the diameter of the balloon is f(t) inches. Find a function that deseribes the rate at which the diameter is growing at any time. ‘Solution: You can approximate the rate at which the diameter is growing at time 1 = to by using the average rate of growth of the diameter between time t = tq and time t = tq + At. OF course a small value of At will give you a better approximation, The average rate of growth of the diameter during this time is change in diameter _ f(t + A!) — fite) ‘change in time ar As At approaches zero, this quantity approaches the instantaneous rate of growth of diameter at time to. ‘Thus, fig) is the instantaneous rate of growth of diameter at time ty. If f(@) = 41" inches, then J*() = (4/3)? ins So, for example, after 8 seconds the diameter is growing at a rate of /"(8) = 4/382? = 1/3 inJs In general, if f isa function of x, then the rate of change of f with respect to xis (0) As you have seen in Section 5-2, the rate of change of position with respect to times velocity. In Example 5-10 the rate of change of diameter with respect to time is the derivative of diameter as a function of time. If P() describes the population of a bacterial culture at time t, then P'() gives the rate of growth of the population at time t If f(x) describes the profits of a company asa function of x, the produetion level, then /'(x) gives the rate of change of profits with respect {o production level. EXAMPLE 5-11; Aski rental facility calculates that if the depth of snow at their facility is xin, then they will make f(x) = 20x — $0 ~ (1/20}x? dollars/day. Find and interpret (50) Solution: Differentiate to find (x) = a SG) = 20 - You can interpret f(x) as the rate of change of income with respect to snow Basic Applications of the Derivative 996 Calculus 6) ‘aagettine spproxinaion vost) Figure 5-4 ‘Atangent line approximation tof(6) depth. For example, ("50) = 15, which means that if there are 50 in, of snow ‘on the ground, additional snow will increase the facility's receipts at rate of 15 dollars/day per additional inch of snow. 5-4, Tangent Line Approximations and the Differential ‘A, Tangent line approximations You can use tangent lines to approximate the value of a function f(x) at x = bwhen you know the values of f(a} and /"(a) for bclose to a. Recall that ‘the point-slope equation ofthe line tangent to the graph of f(x)at (a, f(a) is ¥— fla) = Fax ~ a) ‘As you can see in Figure 5-4, the graph of the tangent line to y = f(x) at (a. fld)isa reasonable approximation to the graph of f(x)in the vicinity of a Because bis close to a, the tangent line approximation to f(b) is close to f(b). You can use this observation to solve a variety of problems. EXAMPLE 5-12: Find an approximation for cos 32° ‘Solution: First notice that 32° is near 30° and that cos 30° is easily found. The tangent line to f(x) = cos x at x = 30° should give a good approximation to 0s 32°, Before you proceed, change to radians: 30° = 1/6 radians, Then fxy= cose FO) = ~sin x Atx = 32° = 32n/180 radians = 81/45: & = 084857 [3 1 (ix n\_vy3_1 2 256) 2 2:90 EXAMPLE 5-13: Estimate //4.1 in decimal form. Solution: View /44 as the value of f(x) = y/x atx = 4.1. You can use the tangent line to fx) = /x at x = 4 to estimate y/ fa) ‘The tangent line to f(x) = /X at (4, 2)is y = 4x + 1. Thus, your estimate of Vals y = HA) + 1 = 2025 Use the following steps to estimate using tangent line approximations (1) Identity the function f (so that the value being estimated is f(b) (2) Find a point x = a that is close to b so that f(a) and f'(a) are easily found. (Typically if f(a) is easily found, then f*(a) will be easily found.) (3) Find the equation of the tangent line and evaluate at x = b, EXAMPLE 5-14: Estimate (1:99)"*san easily evaluate f(x) at fangeot line to f(x) at x = 2: = G19 - 2) = er 0.032031 205 {A decimal approximation to (1:99) $ is 0.032031 205 This method of approximation is given more as a matter of interest than of uutlty. tis obvious that if you have your calculator, and if your batteries are charged, you can find a much better approximation to cos 32° or (1.99)"° by pushing the right buttons! B, Differentials: Another viewpoint The diferential dy ofa differentiable function y = f(x) is defined by dy = f'(x)dx ‘where dx is defined as the function dx = Ax. Recall that the derivative f(x) is defined by and so, for small Ax, = f'(s)and Ay ~ f(x) Ax Compare that approximation for Ay with the definition of dy, and notice that Ay ~ dy; that is, you can use dy to approximate a change in y (Ay) produced by a change in x (Ax) EXAMPLE 5-15: Use the differential to approximate \/4.1. Solution: Wy = f(x) = y/x, then f(d) = V/4 = 2. If we can find dy (thus approximating Ay) corresponding to Ax = 0.1 ( changes from x = 4 to x = 4), then f) & 24 dy By definition: dy = feds ae a Setting x = 4,Ax = 0.1, you have 1 dy = (01) = 0025 iy val ) and so Val = 205 Basic Applications of the Derivative 9798 Calculus La 1. The tangent line to the graph of f(x) at (a, f(a) has slope f(a). 2. The equation of the tangent line to the graph of f(x) at (a fa) can. be computed using the slope, (a), a point on the line a, f(a)} and the point: slope formula for a line: y ~ f(a) = #'(@\x ~ a) 3, Velocity is the rate of change of position, The velocity function is the derivative of the position function with respect to time. 4, Thederivative of the function f(x) with respeet tox yields the rate of change of with respect to x 5, You can find a tangent line approximation o f(b) by using f(b) * S(a@lb — a) + fla) for a close to b. 6. When you approximatea value of a function using differentials, you ae really using a tangent line approximation. SOLVED PROBLEMS — PROBLEM 5-1 Find the equation of the tangent line to the graph of ses) (0. Solution: ‘The slope of this tangent line is f"(I} } fey =4 Fe So the tangent line has slope 1 and passes through (1, ~ 1 you find that this tangent line has equation y-(-D=le-1) or y=x = xt Bet Lat ), Using the point-slope formula fora line, {See Section SL) 24) PROBLEMS-2. Find the equation of the tangent ine tothe graph of f(x) = (7 + Ti atx = 2 Solution: ‘The tangent line has equation y = fi2) + se - 2) Since 4 @-1P yy - 8 LQ=-5 So the tangent line is {see Section 5-1] PROBLEM 5.3. Find the equation of the tangent Hine to the graph of f(0) = atx = 0. Solution: You find that f(x) = 2 The tangent line is y= JO) + SO — 9 [Se Seaton 51]_soltion: ‘The x intercept of the graph of f is x = 3. Since S'(3) = (x? + 1) + (& = 392%) FG) = 10 ¥ = JIG) + FOE - 3 = 0+ 10(x ~ 3) = 10x ~ 30 “go the y intercept of this tangent line is (0, ~30). {See Section 51] = 20x? where the tangent line is PROBLEM 55. Find all points on the curve y horizontal. ‘Solution: The stope of the tangent line is dy sa Ane Fy = Set ~ MO = Sule? — 8) ‘The tangent line at x is horizontal whenever dy/dx = 0, ie, at x = 0 and x = 2, The points of interest are (0, f(0)) = (0, 0) and (2, (2)) = (2, —48). [See Section $-1.] PROBLEM 5-6 Find all points on the curve y = (x + 1)/(x — 1) where the tangent line is parallel to the line y = Sx + 5. Solution: ‘The tangent line at x has slope a& @- 1 You are searching for values of x such that (-P=4 x= -h3 So the points are (1, f(—1)) = (+1, O)and (3, /(3)) = G2). [See Section 5.1] + — 2x? + 1 where the tangent line is PROBLEM 5-7 Find ll points on the graph of f(x) = parallel to the tangent line at x = 1. Solution: Since SQ) = 43 = 4x sy=0 So the slope of the tangent line at x ~ 1 is, Two lines are parallel precisely when their slopes are equal. You search for all other values of x for which the tangent line at x has slope 0 (ie, f'(x} = 0): 0 = 4x? — dx = 4x(x? - 1) So the points of interest are x = 0, +1, ie, (0, 1),(1,0),(-1, 0) {See Section $1] PROBLEM 5-8. Find all points on the graph of f(x) = (x? + (x — 1) where the tangent line is parallel to the tangent line at x Solution: Since fM=-1 Basic Applications of the Derivative 99100° Calculus ‘You want to find all values of x where f"(x) = @ IF -@— Pax? = 2e-1 2x? — ax =0 x= 0,2 So the points of interest are (0, (0) = (0, —1) and (2, f(2)) = (2, 5). [See Section 5-1.) PROBLEM 5.9 Find the point on the graph of the function f(x) = x* where the x intercept of the tangent line is (2 0). Solution: The tangent line at x = ais y= fat Fax y= at + daXx — a) = 4abx ~ Bat ‘The x intercept of this line is found by setting y equal to zero: 0 = da'x — 304 3a ae So the x intercept is 2 when 2 = 3a/4, that is, when a = 8/3. The point of interest is thus (a, fla) = (8/3, /08/3)) = (8/3, 4096/8). [See Section 1) PROBLEM 5-10 If an object is dropped from a tower 400 feet above the ground, its distance above the ground after ¢ seconds is given by 400 — L6t? feet. Find the velocity of the object at = It = 3,and on impact. Solution: If A(t)is the altitude at time t, then A'()is the rate of change of altitude with respect to time, ie, velocity: ; Alt) = - 320 So A(t) = —32 fis and 4(3) = —96 ft/s. The minus sign indicates that the object is falling {its altitude is decreasing). The object strikes the ground when A()) = 0: 0 = 400 — 1647 t= 45 But t = —Sis not a ground. The velocity when 1e under consideration, so t = 5 is the time when the object strikes the Sis A(S) = — 160 fis [See Section 52] PROBLEMS-I1 The population of a city at time yearsis given by P(e) = 50000(¢" + 3). At what rate is the population growing when ¢ = 4? Solution: ‘The rate of change of population with respect to time is given by the derivative of the population function with respect to time: Pia) = 250000° 87 P'(Ay = 25000(4)-" = 12500 people per year [See Section $3] PROBLEM 5-12 For a certain dosage of a drug, d (given in cubic centimeters), the resultant temperature change (in degrees Fahrenheit) of the person taking the drug is T(d) = 0.05d ~ 0.34®. Find the rate of change of temperature with respect to dosage, Solution: T(d) = 0.05 — 0.6d degrees per cubic centimeter (See Section 53]Basic Applications of the Derioative 101 OBLEM 5-13 The position of a point moving on a horizontal line at time t is given by s() = © ~ 827 + St + 1, Determine the times at which the point is stationary. Solution: The velocity function is s'(t) = 31? — 161 + 5. You want to know when s'(0) = O= 3? — 16 +5 =Gr- I-59) $0 the point is stationary when ¢ = band ¢ = 5. {See Seotion 5.2] PROBLEM 5-14 Sales of a product and the amount spent on advertising the product are related byS = —a? + 100a + 6, where ais advertising dottas in thousands) and $ is numberof sales. At what rate are sales changing with respect to advertising dollars when a = 40? ~ Solution: Since Sa) = -2a + 100 S'(40) = 20 When $40000 are spent on advertising, additional expenditure on advertising will inctease sales ata rate of 20 sales per thousand dollars. {See Section $3] PROBLEM 5-15 The total discharge of a water faucet minutes after opening is 3? — St + 4 liters. At what rate is the water leaving the faucet when t = 2? Solution: Let f(t) = 3t? ~ St + 4. Then f= 6-5 4 J'2) = 7 liters/rmin, {See Section 5.3), PROBLEM 5-16 Find an approximate value for (3.97) using a tangent line approximation. Solution: You can use a tangent line approximation to the graph of the function f(x) = x* at xa4: J) = 8 = 64 : Sa) = 3x? f(a) = 4B ‘The tangent line atx = 4 Y= $9 + SA ~ 4) = 64 + 48(x — 4) So an estimate for (3.97) is G97) & 4 + 483.97 — 4) = 62.56 {See Section 54} PROBLEM 5-17 Find an approximation for /8.0: Solution: Let f(x) = x". Then Fo) =e You can find the tangent line to f at x ‘The tangent line is L pe-§) y= fB) + [Be ~ 8) = 2+ = 1 BOR = 2 + (8.03 - 8) {See Section 54]102 Calculus PROBLEM 5-18 Find an approximate value for sin 42°, ‘Solution: First find the tangent line to the graph of f(x) = sin x at x = 45° = 1/4 radians: Recall that 3 © 1.414 and n ~ 3.14159, and obtain sin 42° ~ 016700827 {See Section 4) PROBLEM 5-19 Use the differential to approximate 8.99/(19 + (8.99). Solution: Let y = f(x) = x/(19 + x), with x = 9and dx = Ax = —0.01. Then £(8.99) = JO) + Ay = JO) + dy : Now i : 19x? dy = Ped = Gy paae 19-81 062 = Ga eae OOD = jge = 0000082 9 10- a a You have 4 {f(8.99) = 0.09 + 0.000062 = 0.090062 {See Section $4] PROBLEM 5-20 Use the differential to approximate (9.02)? + [1/(9.02)'7] — 26. 1 Solution: Choose y = f(x) = x3? + ji ~ 26, with x = 9,00, Ax = dx = 0.02. Then FQ) = 9? + a -6= and (x — = [for 2 - pele 02) = G- 54) 00 = 35 am ‘Thus [See Section $4]Basic Applications of the Derivative 103 supplementary Exercises = 3x9 -3 at (2,5) 5:29 fxy=(Vet NM Vx-) at x=4 ga fix)=Jsx at 4-2) $30 f(x) = cosx —2sinx at x= n/2 5:23 (== 12x43) at (2-3) SAL fe) = Inv? +9) at x *—e at (0,0) $32 fix) =(1-sin xe + 1) at x=0 S24 fo) = $25 f(x) = sin[¥0? — x] at 2-1) 8.33 f(x) = Ge" — yr 4) at x=-8 —3xt+x7=1 at x=1 5:26 (PETS 534 f(x) = (Vx? = 3x +2) at 327 = O//x) 42 at x=9 x=2 ERI 528 fl) =(x— Ie? 2) at x= 1 $35 flxy= 2-3" at x= In Problems 5-36 through 5-40 find all points on the graph of f where the tangent line is horizontal: \ 536 fix)= x? 4x +1 539 f= te 5.37 f(x) = x5 — 5x3 — 208 +7 5.40 f(x) = = 538 f(x) = 3e" In Problems 5-41 through 5-45 find all points on the graph of f where the tangent line is parallel to the given line: S41 f(x) —6x+2 y=6x-7 542 fix)= etx yadx+4 S43 fx)=(e+ Me 2) 0 y= 3x tx S44 f(xh=et—e* 41 Wt 2y=5 S45 f(x)=tanx y= 2x +3 In Problems 5-46 through 5-50 find all points where the tangent ines parallel to the tangent line at the given point: S46 fix) = x4 27 +7 at x= S47 f(x) = x? — x42 at x= S48 fix) = (x — le +7) at x $49 f)settt— ett at x= -1 $50 f(x) = I(x — 1) +37 at 5.51 A line is tangent to y = x° at (2,8). At which point does it again meet the curve?104 Caleulus 552. Find all points on the curve y = x — (1/x) where the tangent line has y intercept 4 5.53. Find all points on the curve y = x? where the tangent line passes through (4, 12). 554 Find all points on the curve y ~ x where the tangent line has x intercept 1. 555 Find all points on the curve y = x* + 1 where the tangent line passes through (1, 1). $56 Anautomobile’s odometer reads 601 ~ 30 In(¢ + 4) miles hours after leaving om a trip. At ‘what rate is the car traveling after 1 hour? 557 A brushfire spreads so that after ¢ hours 80 ~ 20+? acres are burning. What is the rate of ‘growth of the acreage that is burning after 90 minutes? 558 If thedistance (in yards) that a ball rolls down ahillis related to the weight w(in pounds) of the ball by! = 2w? + w + 10, find the rate of change of distance with respect to weight for a ball that weighs 4 pounds. 5-59 The velocity of a ball is 80 — 32c ft/s r seconds after being thrown, If acceleration is defined as the rate of change of velocity with respect to time, find the acceleration of the ball. 5.60 A gardener discovers that if she uses x pounds of fertilizer on het garden, it will yield (—12/3)x* + 24x + 6Opints of fruit. Whatis the rate of change of yield with respect to amount of fertilizer for her garden when she uses 3 pounds of fertilizer? In Problems 5-61 through 5-70 find an approximate value for the given quantity using a tangent line approximation: sor /37 5:66 0°! 5-62 (2.013) a s = 96 = : 5-63 (28)? es7F 5-68 In 1.023 564 eon et 5.69 (99574 $65 tan 47° 5-70 (1.013) + (1.013)? Solutions to Supplementary Exercises (S21) y = 44x — 83 (B31) y= x/ve + In? (62) y= txt (632) y= —2e +1 23) y= -28-7 (633) y = (Oe + 25/12 62H y=x (63H) y = (13/2) = 9 6-25) y 9 7-44 (2 Jeon 36 pose (5-36) (1, —2) (5-27) y = (109/6)x — 167/2 ae a ) AA (5-37) (2, —41)_ and (~2, 55) 29) lets (5-38) (0, 3) (8-39) none 6-30) y= —x + (W/2)-2 10) 1/8) i) (2-2) and (2,6) 2) and (3,4) (643) (§ 1481) and ( 5 4 ts,-1) for any integer k 6-46) (,0(-1,6, and (0,7) 47) (-1,2) and (1,2) (6-48) (6-8) and (8,10) 649) (-1.1—e2) and (Le? 1) (5-50) (2,4) and (3/2,(9/4) ~ In 2) (51) (-4, -64) (552) (4 -15/4) 53) 2,4) and (6,36) (S54) (1,0) and (—{,2) (885) 0,1) and G38) (5-56) 40 m/h (57) 0 acres/h (6-88) 17 yards/pound (5-59) —32 fect/sco? (5-60) 48/5 pints/pound (5-61) 6.0833 6-62) 16416 (5-63) 9.22222, (5-64) 0.7964 (5-65) 1.0698132 (5-66) 1.01 (67) 302 (5-68) 0.023 (5-69) 0.000 102 ($70) 2013, Basic Applications of the Derivative 105