Scribd
Upload
711 views

Calculus 221 Worksheet Tangent & Normal Line Solution

1) The tangent line to the curve y = (2x)/(x+1)^2 at (0,0) is y = 2x. 2) The points where the tangent line is horizontal for the curve y = x^3 - 3x are (1,-2) and (-1,2). 3) The equations of the tangent and normal lines to the graph of y = x^3 + 2x at x = 1 are: tangent: y = 5x - 2; normal: y = -1/5x + 16/5.

Uploaded by

Tah Ieh
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
711 views

Calculus 221 Worksheet Tangent & Normal Line Solution

1) The tangent line to the curve y = (2x)/(x+1)^2 at (0,0) is y = 2x. 2) The points where the tangent line is horizontal for the curve y = x^3 - 3x are (1,-2) and (-1,2). 3) The equations of the tangent and normal lines to the graph of y = x^3 + 2x at x = 1 are: tangent: y = 5x - 2; normal: y = -1/5x + 16/5.

Uploaded by

Tah Ieh
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Calculus 221 worksheet Tangent & normal line solution

Exercise
2x
1. Find the equation of the tangent line to the curve y = at the point (0, 0).
(x + 1)2

Solution:
By the quotient rule,
dy (x + 1)2 (2) − (2x)(2(x + 1))
=
dx (x + 1)4
(x + 1)(2(x + 1) − 4x)
=
(x + 1)4
2 − 2x
=
(x + 1)3
dy
At (0, 0), = 2, so the slope of the tangent line to the curve at (0, 0) is 2. The equation
dx
of the tangent line is y = 2x.

2. Find all points on the graph of y = x3 − 3x where the tangent line is horizontal.

Solution:
First, we find the slope of the tangent line at an arbitrary point on the curve, (a, a3 − 3a).
dy
The derivative is = 3x2 − 3, so the slope of the tangent line at (a, a3 − 3a) is 3a2 − 3.
dx
The tangent line is horizontal when the slope is equal to 0. Here, this occurs when 3a2 = 3,
so when a = 1, −1. Therefore, the tangent lines at (1, −2) and (−1, 2) are horizontal.

3. Find the equations of the tangent and normal lines to the graph of y = x3 + 2x at x = 1.

Solution:
First, we find the slope of the tangent line to the curve at (1, 3).
dy
The derivative is = 3x2 + 2, so the slope of the tangent line at (1, 3) is 5. The equation
dx
of the tangent line is (y − 3) = 5(x − 1) or y = 5x − 2.
The slope of the normal line at (1, 3) is the negative reciprocal of the slope of the tangent
1 1 1 16
line, which is − . The equation of the normal line is (y − 3) = − (x − 1) or y = − x + .
5 5 5 5

4. Find the x- and y-intercepts of the normal line to the curve y = x2 + x at x = a.

Solution:
First, we find the slope of the tangent line at (a, a2 + a).
dy
The derivative is = 2x + 1, so the slope of the tangent line at (a, a2 + a) is 2a + 1.
dx
1
2

The slope of the normal line is the negative reciprocal of the slope of the tangent line, which
1
is − . The equation of the normal line at (a, a2 + a) is
2a + 1
1
(y − (a2 + a)) = − (x − a)
2a + 1
1 a
y=− x+ + a2 + a
2a + 1 2a + 1
1 2a3 + 3a2 + 2a
=− x+ .
2a + 1 2a + 1
2a3 + 3a2 + 2a
The y-intercept is .
2a + 1
1 2a3 + 3a2 + 2a
The x-intercept is where y = 0, so x = . This occurs when x =
2a + 1 2a + 1
3 2
2a + 3a + 2a.
5. Find an equation for the tangent line to the implicit curve y 3 + 3xy + x4 = 5 at the point
(x, y) = (1, 1).
Solution:
First, we find the slope of the tangent line at (1, 1) by taking the implicit derivative of each
side of the equation:
dy dy
3y 2 + 3(y + x ) + 4x3 = 0
dx dx
dy
(3y 2 + 3x) = −3y − 4x3
dx
dy −3y − 4x3
=
dx 3y 2 + 3x
dy 7 7
At (1, 1), = − , so the slope of the tangent line is − . The equation of the tangent
dx 6 6
7 7 13
line is (y − 1) = − (x − 1) or y = − x + .
6 6 6

You might also like