Problem 1:
An airplane is flying towards a radar station at a constant height of 6 km above the ground.
If the distance s between the airplane and the radar station is decreasing at a rate of 400 km
per hour when s=10 km, what is the horizontal speed of the plane?
Solution:
Given:
- Constant height of the airplane: 6 km
- Rate of change of distance (s): ds/dt = -400 km/h
- Distance s when ds/dt is measured: s = 10 km
To find: Horizontal speed of the airplane, dx/dt.
We can use the Pythagorean theorem in the context of related rates:
s^2 = x^2 + h^2
Differentiating both sides with respect to time (t):
2s(ds/dt) = 2x(dx/dt)
Where h is the height (6 km), s is the distance from the radar (10 km), and x is the
horizontal distance (which we need to find when s=10 km).
Plugging in the values:
2(10)(-400) = 2(x)(dx/dt)
x is found by solving the equation 10^2 = x^2 + 6^2
x = 8 km
Then dx/dt = -500 km/h.
So, the horizontal speed of the airplane is 500 km/h.
Problem 2:
A boat is being pulled into a dock by a rope attached to it and passing through a pulley on
the deck, positioned 6 meters higher than the boat. If the rope is being pulled in at a rate of
3 meters/second, how fast is the boat approaching the dock when it is 8 meters from the
dock?
Solution:
Given:
- Height difference (h) between the boat and the pulley: 6 meters
- Rate at which the rope is pulled (dr/dt): 3 meters/second
- Distance of the boat from the dock (x): 8 meters
To find: Speed at which the boat is approaching the dock, dx/dt.
Using the Pythagorean theorem:
r^2 = x^2 + h^2
Differentiating both sides with respect to time (t):
2r(dr/dt) = 2x(dx/dt)
When x = 8 meters and h = 6 meters:
r = sqrt(x^2 + h^2) = sqrt(8^2 + 6^2) = 10 meters
Substitute the known values:
2(10)(3) = 2(8)(dx/dt)
60 = 16(dx/dt)
dx/dt = 3.75 meters/second
So, the boat is approaching the dock at a speed of 3.75 meters/second.
Problem 3:
A girl is flying a kite on a string. The kite is 120 ft above the ground and the wind is blowing
the kite horizontally away from her at 6 ft/sec. At what rate must she let out the string
when 130 ft of string has been released?
Solution:
Given:
- Height of the kite (h): 120 ft
- Speed of the kite moving away horizontally (dx/dt): 6 ft/sec
- Length of the string released (L): 130 ft
To find: Rate at which the string is let out, dL/dt.
Using the Pythagorean theorem:
L^2 = x^2 + h^2
Differentiating both sides with respect to time (t):
2L(dL/dt) = 2x(dx/dt)
When L = 130 ft and h = 120 ft:
x = sqrt(L^2 - h^2) = sqrt(130^2 - 120^2) = 50 ft
Substitute the known values:
2(130)(dL/dt) = 2(50)(6)
260(dL/dt) = 600
dL/dt = 2.31 ft/sec
So, the string must be let out at a rate of approximately 2.31 ft/sec.
Problem 4:
Find the Linearization of f(x) = sin(x) at a = π/2. Provide your answer as L(x) = ?
Solution:
To linearize the function f(x) = sin(x) at x = π/2, we use the formula for the linear
approximation (or tangent line):
L(x) = f(a) + f'(a)(x - a)
Given:
- f(x) = sin(x)
- a = π/2
Calculate f(π/2):
f(π/2) = sin(π/2) = 1
Calculate f'(x):
f'(x) = cos(x)
f'(π/2) = cos(π/2) = 0
The linearization L(x):
L(x) = 1 + 0(x - π/2) = 1
So, L(x) = 1.
Problem 5:
Use Linear Approximation to estimate e^(-0.01). Provide your answer in 2 decimal places.
Do not use a calculator. Show work for credit.
Solution:
To estimate e^(-0.01) using linear approximation, we consider the function f(x) = e^x
around x = 0.
Using the linearization formula L(x) = f(a) + f'(a)(x - a):
- f(x) = e^x
- f'(x) = e^x
-a=0
Then:
f(0) = e^0 = 1
f'(0) = e^0 = 1
L(x) = 1 + 1(x - 0) = 1 + x
For x = -0.01:
L(-0.01) = 1 - 0.01 = 0.99
So, the estimated value of e^(-0.01) is approximately 0.99.
Problem 6:
Calculate the locations of maximums and minimums of the following functions: Show work
in details.
a) f(x) = x^3 - 3x + 2
b) f(x) = x^4 - 8x^2 + 3
Solution for 6(a):
To find the critical points, we set the first derivative of the function equal to zero:
f'(x) = 3x^2 - 3 = 0
3(x^2 - 1) = 0
x^2 = 1
x = ±1
To determine if these points are maximum or minimum, we check the second derivative:
f''(x) = 6x
f''(1) = 6(1) = 6 (positive, indicating a minimum)
f''(-1) = 6(-1) = -6 (negative, indicating a maximum)
Therefore, there is a maximum at x = -1 and a minimum at x = 1.
Solution for 6(b):
For the function f(x) = x^4 - 8x^2 + 3, we find critical points by setting the first derivative
equal to zero:
f'(x) = 4x^3 - 16x = 0
4x(x^2 - 4) = 0
4x(x - 2)(x + 2) = 0
x = 0, 2, -2
Check the second derivative:
f''(x) = 12x^2 - 16
f''(2) = 12(4) - 16 = 32 (positive, indicating a minimum)
f''(-2) = 32 (positive, indicating a minimum)
f''(0) = -16 (negative, indicating a maximum)
Therefore, there are minima at x = 2 and x = -2, and a maximum at x = 0.
Problem 7:
Find the exact x-value where the function f(x) = x + ln(x^2 - 1) attains a maximum value. An
estimated answer or a calculator answer will not earn any credit.
Solution:
To find the maximum, we first find the critical points by setting the derivative equal to zero:
f'(x) = 1 + (2x)/(x^2 - 1) = 0
(x^2 - 1) + 2x = 0
x^2 + 2x - 1 = 0
Using the quadratic formula x = [-b ± sqrt(b^2 - 4ac)] / 2a:
a = 1, b = 2, c = -1
x = [-2 ± sqrt(4 + 4)] / 2
x = [-2 ± 2sqrt(2)] / 2
x = -1 ± sqrt(2)
The function attains a maximum at x = -1 + sqrt(2) as this point lies in the domain where
x^2 - 1 > 0.
Problem 8:
Using the Mean Value Theorem and Rolle's Theorem, show that x^3 + x - 1 = 0 has exactly
one real root.
Solution:
Rolle's Theorem states that if a function is continuous on [a, b], differentiable on (a, b), and
f(a) = f(b), then there exists a c in (a, b) such that f'(c) = 0.
f(x) = x^3 + x - 1
f(-1) = (-1)^3 + (-1) - 1 = -3
f(1) = (1)^3 + 1 - 1 = 1
Since f(-1) < 0 and f(1) > 0, by the Intermediate Value Theorem, there exists at least one c in
(-1, 1) such that f(c) = 0.
To show uniqueness, check the derivative:
f'(x) = 3x^2 + 1
Since f'(x) > 0 for all x (as 3x^2 + 1 > 0), f(x) is strictly increasing.
A strictly increasing function can have at most one real root.
Therefore, x^3 + x - 1 = 0 has exactly one real root.
Problem 9:
If f(1) = 10 and f'(x) ≥ 2 for 1 ≤ x ≤ 4, how small can f(4) possibly be?
Solution:
Given that f'(x) ≥ 2 on the interval [1, 4], the function f(x) is increasing at least at a rate of 2
per unit x.
The smallest possible value of f(4) can be estimated by assuming the derivative is exactly 2:
f(x) = f(1) + ∫(from 1 to x) f'(t) dt
Since f'(t) ≥ 2:
f(4) = 10 + ∫(from 1 to 4) 2 dt
f(4) = 10 + [2t](from 1 to 4)
f(4) = 10 + (8 - 2)
f(4) = 10 + 6
f(4) = 16
Thus, the smallest possible value of f(4) is 16.
Problem 10:
The graph of a function is given below. Determine the intervals on which the function is
concave up and concave down.
Solution:
Concavity of a function is determined by the sign of its second derivative.
If the second derivative f''(x) > 0, the function is concave up.
If the second derivative f''(x) < 0, the function is concave down.
To find these intervals, we analyze the second derivative and find the points where it
changes sign (inflection points).
From the graph, approximate the inflection points and test the intervals between them to
determine the concavity.
Without the explicit function, the exact intervals cannot be determined numerically.
However, visually inspect the graph to identify regions of concavity.
