MATH 232. Calculus of Functions of One Variable II. 4 Credits.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Practice w/ Answers
and Explanations.
1. Find the derivative of f(x) = 3x^5 - 2x^3 + 7x + 1.
Answer: f'(x) = 15x^4 - 6x^2 + 7
Explanation: To find the derivative of a polynomial function, we use the power
rule for each term. The derivative of 3x^5 is 15x^4 (multiply the coefficient by the
power and then reduce the power by 1). The derivative of -2x^3 is -6x^2, and the
derivative of 7x is 7. The derivative of the constant term 1 is 0.
2. If f(x) = (x^2 + 3x - 2) / (x - 1), find f'(x).
Answer: f'(x) = ((2x + 3)(x - 1) - (x^2 + 3x - 2)) / (x - 1)^2
Explanation: To find the derivative of a rational function, we use the quotient
rule: (f(x)g'(x) - f'(x)g(x)) / (g(x))^2. Here, f(x) = x^2 + 3x - 2, and g(x) = x - 1. We
find f'(x) = 2x + 3 and g'(x) = 1. Substituting these into the quotient rule gives the
given answer.
3. Evaluate the derivative of f(x) = sin(2x) at x = π/4.
Answer: f'(π/4) = 2 * cos(2 * π/4) = √2
Explanation: The derivative of sin(u) with respect to x is cos(u) * (du/dx). Here, u
= 2x, so du/dx = 2. Therefore, f'(x) = 2 * cos(2x). Evaluating this at x = π/4 gives
2 * cos(π/2) = 2 * 0 = 0.
4. Find the equation of the tangent line to the curve y = x^3 - 2x^2 + 1 at the point
(1, -1).
Answer: Slope of the tangent line = f'(1) = 3 - 4 = -1 Equation of the tangent line:
y - (-1) = -1(x - 1) or y = -x + 0
Explanation: The slope of the tangent line at a point (x, y) on the curve is equal to
the derivative of the function evaluated at that point. Here, f'(x) = 3x^2 - 4x, so
f'(1) = 3 - 4 = -1. The equation of a line is y - y0 = m(x - x0), where m is the slope
and (x0, y0) is a point on the line. Substituting m = -1, x0 = 1, and y0 = -1 gives
the equation y - (-1) = -1(x - 1).
5. If f(x) = x^4 - 3x^3 + 2x^2 + 1, find the critical points of f(x).
Answer: f'(x) = 4x^3 - 9x^2 + 4x Setting f'(x) = 0, we get x = 0, 1, 2. These are the
critical points.
Explanation: Critical points are the values of x where the derivative is zero or
undefined. To find them, we take the derivative f'(x) = 4x^3 - 9x^2 + 4x, set it
equal to 0, and solve for x. This gives x = 0, 1, 2 as the critical points.
6. Find the absolute maximum and absolute minimum values of the function f(x) =
x^3 - 6x^2 + 9x on the interval [-2, 4].
Answer: f'(x) = 3x^2 - 12x + 9, f'(-2) = 0, f'(4) = 0 Critical values: x = -2, 2
Evaluating f(x) at critical values and endpoints: f(-2) = -7, f(2) = 1, f(-2) = -7, f(4)
= 49 Absolute minimum = -7 at x = -2, Absolute maximum = 49 at x = 4
Explanation: To find absolute extrema on a closed interval, we first find the
critical values by setting the derivative equal to 0 or checking where it is
undefined. Here f'(-2) = 0 and f'(4) = 0, so -2 and 2 are critical values. We then
evaluate the function at these critical values as well as the endpoints of the
interval. The smallest value is the absolute minimum, and the largest value is the
absolute maximum.
7. Differentiate the function f(x) = (2x^3 + 1) / (x^2 - 4).
Answer: f'(x) = ((6x^2)(x^2 - 4) - (2x^3 + 1)(2x)) / (x^2 - 4)^2
Explanation: To differentiate a rational function, we use the quotient rule:
(f(x)g'(x) - f'(x)g(x)) / (g(x))^2. Here, f(x) = 2x^3 + 1, g(x) = x^2 - 4, f'(x) = 6x^2,
and g'(x) = 2x. Substituting these into the quotient rule gives the given answer.
8. If f(x) = e^(2x) + ln(x), find f'(x).
Answer: f'(x) = 2e^(2x) + 1/x
Explanation: The derivative of e^u with respect to x is e^u * (du/dx). Here, u =
2x, so du/dx = 2, giving the first term 2e^(2x). The derivative of ln(x) with
respect to x is 1/x, giving the second term.
9. Use the product rule to find the derivative of f(x) = x^2 * (x^3 + 2).
Answer: f'(x) = x^2 * (3x^2) + 2x * (x^3 + 2) = 3x^4 + 2x^4 + 4x
Explanation: The product rule states that if f(x) = g(x)h(x), then f'(x) = g'(x)h(x) +
g(x)h'(x). Here, g(x) = x^2 and h(x) = x^3 + 2, so g'(x) = 2x and h'(x) = 3x^2.
Substituting these into the product rule gives the given answer.
10. Evaluate the derivative of f(x) = cos(x^2) at x = 1.
Answer: f'(x) = -2x * sin(x^2) f'(1) = -2 * sin(1^2) = -2 * sin(1)
Explanation: The derivative of cos(u) with respect to x is -sin(u) * (du/dx). Here,
u = x^2, so du/dx = 2x. Therefore, f'(x) = -2x * sin(x^2). To evaluate this at x = 1,
we substitute x = 1 into the original function to get f(1) = cos(1^2) = cos(1), and
then substitute into the derivative to get f'(1) = -2 * sin(1).
11. Find the intervals where the function f(x) = x^4 - 4x^3 + 2x^2 + 3 is increasing
and decreasing.
Answer: f'(x) = 4x^3 - 12x^2 + 4x f'(x) = 0 at x = 0, 1, 3 Increasing intervals: (-∞,
0), (1, 3), (3, ∞) Decreasing intervals: (0, 1)
Explanation: A function is increasing on an interval if its derivative is positive on
that interval, and decreasing if its derivative is negative. To find the intervals, we
set f'(x) = 0 to find the critical points 0, 1, 3. We then analyze the sign of f'(x) on
each interval between the critical points to determine if the function is increasing
or decreasing.
12.If f(x) = (x^2 + 1)/(x^2 - 1), find the horizontal asymptotes of the graph of f(x).
Answer: Degree of numerator = 2, degree of denominator = 2 Horizontal
asymptote: y = (coefficient of x^2 in numerator) / (coefficient of x^2 in
denominator) = 1/1 = 1
Explanation: For a rational function f(x) = p(x)/q(x), if the degree of the
numerator p(x) is less than the degree of the denominator q(x), the horizontal
asymptote is y = 0. If the degrees are equal, the horizontal asymptote is y =
(leading coefficient of p(x))/(leading coefficient of q(x)). Here, both polynomials
have degree 2, so the asymptote is y = 1/1 = 1.
13.Use the quotient rule to find the derivative of f(x) = (x^2 + 3x) / (x^2 - 2x).
Answer: f'(x) = ((2x + 3)(x^2 - 2x) - (x^2 + 3x)(2x - 2)) / (x^2 - 2x)^2
Explanation: The quotient rule states: if f(x) = g(x)/h(x), then f'(x) = (g'(x)h(x) -
g(x)h'(x)) / (h(x))^2. Here, g(x) = x^2 + 3x, h(x) = x^2 - 2x, g'(x) = 2x + 3, and
h'(x) = 2x - 2. Substituting these expressions into the quotient rule gives the
answer.
14.Find the equation of the normal line to the curve y = x^3 - 3x^2 + 2 at the point
(2, -2).
Answer: Slope of the tangent line = f'(2) = 6 - 6 = 0 Slope of the normal line =
-1/0 = undefined (vertical line) Equation of the normal line: x = 2
Explanation: The normal line to a curve at a point is perpendicular to the tangent
line at that point. The slope of the tangent line is the derivative f'(x) evaluated at x
= 2, which equals 0. The slope of the normal is the negative reciprocal of the
tangent slope, which is undefined (vertical line). So the normal is the vertical line
passing through (2, -2), which has equation x = 2.
15.If f(x) = x^4 - 2x^3 + x^2 - 1, find the points of inflection of the graph of f(x).
Answer: f''(x) = 12x^2 - 6x + 2 f''(x) = 0 at x = 1/2, 1, Points of inflection: (1/2,
f(1/2)), (1, f(1))
Explanation: Points of inflection occur where the second derivative is 0 or
undefined. Taking f''(x) = 12x^2 - 6x + 2 and setting it equal to 0 gives x = 1/2, 1.
Substituting these x values into the original f(x) gives the y-coordinates of the
points of inflection.
16.Differentiate the function f(x) = tan(3x^2 + 1).
Answer: f'(x) = 6x * sec^2(3x^2 + 1)
Explanation: Using the chain rule, the derivative of tan(u) with respect to x is
sec^2(u) * (du/dx). Here, u = 3x^2 + 1, so du/dx = 6x. Therefore, f'(x) = 6x *
sec^2(3x^2 + 1).
17. Find the absolute maximum and absolute minimum values of the function f(x) =
x^4 - 2x^3 - 3x^2 + 4x + 5 on the interval [-1, 3].
Answer: f'(x) = 4x^3 - 6x^2 - 6x + 4, f'(-1) = 0, f'(3) = 0 Critical values: x = -1, 1, 3
Evaluating f(x) at critical values and endpoints: f(-1) = -3, f(1) = 3, f(3) = -1, f(-1)
= -3, f(3) = -1 Absolute minimum = -3 at x = -1, 3, Absolute maximum = 3 at x = 1
Explanation: To find absolute extrema on [-1, 3], we first find critical values by
setting f'(x) = 0. Then we evaluate f(x) at those critical values as well as the
endpoints -1 and 3. The smallest value is the absolute minimum, the largest is the
absolute maximum.
