CHAMPION TUTORS

Friday, 1st October, 2021.

DIFFERENTIATION 3 – APPLICATIONS OF DIFFERENTIATION

It is one thing to know how to differentiate, it’s another to know how it is applied

1. GETTING THE SLOPE/GRADIENT AT A PARTICULAR POINT

Steps:

• Find the derivative of the expression

• Substitute the x coordinate in the derivative you just found.

Example 1: Find the slope of the curve y = 15/x at the point (2, -3)

Solution

(Find the derivative of the expression)

So, derivative = -15/x²

The question says ‘at point (2,-3) so we are substituting 2 for x

dy/dx = -15/x²

@x = 2, dy/dx = -15/(2)²

= -15/4

Example 2: Find the value of gradient of the curve y = 3x² + 14x + 8 at point x = -1

Solution

(Find the derivative of the expression)

(Next is to substitute the x coordinate in the derivative)

The question says x = -1, so we substitute x for -1

dy/dx = 6x + 14

@x = 2, dy/dx = 6(-1) + 14

= -6 + 14

=8

Example 3: Find the slope of the tangent to the curve y = 3x³ - 2x² + 3x at point x = 3
Solution

Note that to get the ‘slope of the tangent...’ is the same as finding the ‘slope’

(Find the derivative of the expression)

(Next is to substitute the x coordinate in the derivative)

The question says at point x = 3 so we substitute x for 3

dy/dx = 9x² - 4x + 3

dy/dx @ x = 3 = 9(3)² - 4(3) + 3

= 9(9) – 12 + 3

= 81 – 12 + 3

= 72

2. FINDING THE TURNING POINTS OF A CURVE

Steps:

• Find the derivative of the expression

Example 1

Find the turning points of y = 4x³ - 3x² - 6x + 1

Solution

(Find the derivative of the expression)

y = 4x³ - 3x² - 6x + 1

Derivative = 12x² - 6x - 6

(Equate the derivative to zero and solve)

12x² - 6x – 6 = 0

6 (2x² - x – 1 ) = 0

Divide both sides by 6

2x² - x – 1 = 0

2x² - 2x + x – 1 = 0

2x(x – 1) + 1(x – 1) = 0

(2x + 1)(x – 1) = 0
2x + 1 = 0 or x – 1 = 0

2x = -1 or x = 1

x = -1/2 or 1

Therefore, -1/2 and 1 are turning points

Example 2: Find the turning point of the curve 3x – x²

Solution

(Find the derivative of the expression)

y = 3x – x²

y = 3x¹ - x²

dy/dx = (1 × 3x^1-1) + (2 × -x^2-1)

= (1 × 3x⁰) + (2 × -x¹)

= (1 × 3) + (-2x)

dy/dx = 3 - 2x

(Equate dy/dx to zero)

3 - 2x = 0

3 = 2x

2x = 3

x = 3/2

Therefore, there is a turning point at x = 3/2

Example 3:

Find the turning points of the function y = x³ - 3x – 2

Solution

(Find the derivative of the expression)

y = x³ - 3x – 2

y = x³ - 3x¹ - 2

dy/dx = (3 × x^3-1) + (1 × -3x^1-1) – 0

dy/dx = (3 × x²) + (1 × -3x⁰) – 0

dy/dx = 3x² - 3

(Equate dy/dx to zero)

3x² - 3 = 0

3(x² - 1) = 0
Divide both sides by 3

x² - 1 = 0

(x – 1)(x + 1) = 0 (Difference of two squares)

x – 1 = 0 or x + 1 = 0

x = 1 or -1

Therefore, there is a turning point at x = 1 and x = -1

3. FINDING THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM POINTS OF A CURVE/FUNCTION

Steps:

• Find the turning point(s) of the function

- If you have two turning points, to know which is the maximum point or minimum point, find
the derivative AGAIN (called d²y/dx²) then substitute the two points into it. If you have a
result greater than 0, that’s your MINIMUM POINT and if you have a result less than 0,
that’s your MAXIMUM POINT
- If you have just one turning point, look at the initial equation; if the coefficient of x² is
POSITIVE, you have a MINIMUM POINT but if the coefficient of x² is NEGATIVE, you have a
MAXIMUM POINT

Example 1: Find the maximum and minimum points of the curve y = x³/3 + x²/2 - 6x + 2

Solution

Step 1: Find the turning points

(Find the derivative of the expression)

dy/dx = 0

x² + x – 6 = 0

x² - 2x + 3x – 6 = 0

x(x – 2) +3(x – 2) = 0

(x + 3)(x – 2) = 0

x + 3 = 0 or x – 2 = 0

x = -3 or 2
(So we have two turning points)

(We find the derivative AGAIN)

We had dy/dx = x² + x – 6

So, d²y/dx² = (2 × x^2-1) + (1 × x^1-1) - 0

= 2x + 1

So, we substitute in the two points

-3

2(-3) + 1 = -6 + 1 = -5 (Less than 0, so -3 is the MAXIMUM POINT)

= 2(2) + 1 = 4 + 1 = 5 (Greater than 0, so 2 is the MINIMUM POINT)

Therefore,

-3 is the MAXIMUM POINT and 2 is the MINIMUM POINT

Example 2: Find the maximum and minimum points of the curve y = x³/3 – x² - 8x + 7

Solution

Step 1: Find the turning points

(Find the derivative of the expression)

y = x³/3 – x² - 8x + 7
(Equate the derivative to 0 and solve)

x² - 2x – 8 = 0

x² - 4x + 2x – 8 = 0

x(x – 4) + 2(x – 4) = 0

(x + 2)(x – 4) = 0

x + 2 = 0 or x – 4 = 0

x = -2 or 4

(So we have two turning points)

(We find the derivative AGAIN)

dy/dx = x² - 2x – 8

d²y/dx² = (2 × x^2-1) + (1 × -2x^1-1) - 0

= (2 × x) + (1 × -2x⁰)

= 2x + (-2)

= 2x – 2

Therefore, we substitute in the two points

-2
= 2(-2) – 2 = -4 – 2 = -6 (Less than 0, so -2 is a MAXIMUM POINT )

d²y/dx² @x as 4 = 2(4) – 2 = 8 – 2 = 6 (Greater than 0, so 4 is a MINIMUM POINT)

Therefore, -2 is a MAXIMUM POINT and 4 is a MINIMUM POINT

Example 3: Find the maximum point and minimum point of the curve y = 2x³ + 3x² - 36x + 5

Solution

Find the turning points

(Find the derivative of the expression)

(Equate the derivative to 0 and solve)

6x² + 6x – 36 = 0

6 (x² + x – 6) = 0

Divide both sides by 6

x² + x – 6 = 0

x² + 3x - 2x – 6 = 0

x (x + 3) -2 (x + 3) = 0

(x – 2)(x + 3) = 0
x – 2 = 0 or x + 3 = 0

x = 2 or -3

(So we have two turning points)

(We find the derivative AGAIN)

dy/dx = 6x² + 6x – 36

d²y/dx² = (2 × 6x^2-1) + (1 × 6x^1-1) – 0

= (2 × 6x¹) + (1 × 6x⁰)

= 12x + 6

= 12(2) + 6 = 24 + 6 = 30 (Greater than 0, so 2 is a MINIMUM POINT)

-3

= 12(-3) + 6 = -36 + 6 = -30 (Less than 0, so -3 is a MAXIMUM POINT)

Therefore, 2 is a MINIMUM POINT and -3 is a MAXIMUM POINT

Example 4: What is the maximum or minimum point of the curve y = x² - 2x

Solution

Find the turning points

(Find the derivative of the expression)

y = x² - 2x

y = x² - 2x¹

dy/dx = (2 × x^2-1) + (1 × -2x^1-1)

= (2 × x¹) + (1 × -2x⁰)

= 2x + (-2)

dy/dx = 2x – 2

(Equate the derivative to 0 and solve)

2x – 2 = 0

2x = 2

x = 2/2

x=1

(So we have one turning point)

Therefore, x = 1 is a minimum point

Example 5

Find the maximum or minimum point in the function y = 5 + 4x – x²

Solution

Find the turning points

(Find the derivative of the expression)

y = 5 + 4x – x²

y = 5 + 4x¹ – x²

dy/dx = 0 + (1 × 4x^1-1) + (2 × -x^2-1)

= (1 × 4x⁰) + (2 × -x¹)

= (1 × 4) + (-2x)

dy/dx = 4 - 2x

(Equate the derivative to 0 and solve)

4 - 2x = 0

4 = 2x

2x = 4

x = 4/2

x=2

(So we have one turning point)

(Look at the coefficient of x² in the initial equation, it is negative (-1), so we have a MAXIMUM
POINT)

Therefore, there is a maximum point at x = 2

4. FINDING THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM VALUE OF A CURVE/FUNCTION

Steps:

• Find the maximum and minimum points

• Substitute the maximum point in the INITIAL EQUATION to get the MAXIMUM VALUE and
substitute the minimum point in the INITIAL EQUATION to get the MINIMUM VALUE.

(This means you will have to get the maximum and minimum points first and foremost before
getting the maximum and minimum value)
Example 1: Find the maximum value of the curve y = x³/3 + x²/2 - 6x + 2

Solution

To get the maximum value, we would have to get the maximum point first

(Let’s get the maximum point first)

(Find the derivative of the expression)

y = x³/3 + x²/2 - 6x + 2

dy/dx = x² + x – 6

(Equate the derivative to 0 and solve)

dy/dx = 0

x² + x – 6 = 0

x² - 2x + 3x – 6 = 0

x(x – 2) +3(x – 2) = 0

(x + 3)(x – 2) = 0

x + 3 = 0 or x – 2 = 0

x = -3 or 2

(So we have two values)

(We find the derivative AGAIN)

We had dy/dx = x² + x – 6

So, d²y/dx² = (2 × x^2-1) + (1 × x^1-1) - 0

= 2x + 1

-3

= 2(-3) + 1 = -6 + 1 = -5 (Less than 0, so -3 is the MAXIMUM POINT)

= 2(2) + 1 = 4 + 1 = 5 (Greater than 0, so 2 is the MINIMUM POINT)

Since x = -3 is the MAXIMUM point, we substitute it into the initial equation to get the maximum
value

y = x³/3 + x²/2 - 6x + 2

Maximum value = (-3)³/3 + (-3)²/2 – 6(-3) + 2

= -27/3 + 9/2 + 18 + 2
= -9 + 9/2 + 18 + 2

= 31/2

Example 2: Find the minimum value of the curve y = 2x³ + 3x² - 36x + 5

Solution

(To get the minimum value, we will have to get the minimum point first)

To get the minimum point:

(Find the derivative of the expression)

y = 2x³ + 3x² - 36x + 5

y = 2x³ + 3x² - 36x¹ + 5

dy/dx = (3 × 2x^3-1) + (2 × 3x^2-1) + (1 × -36x^1-1) + 0

dy/dx = (3 × 2x²) + (2 × 3x¹) + (-36x⁰)

dy/dx = 6x² + 6x – 36

(Equate the derivative to 0 and solve)

6x² + 6x – 36 = 0

6 (x² + x – 6) = 0

Divide both sides by 6

x² + x – 6 = 0

x² + 3x - 2x – 6 = 0

x (x + 3) -2 (x + 3) = 0

(x – 2)(x + 3) = 0

x – 2 = 0 or x + 3 = 0

x = 2 or -3

(So we have two values)

(We find the derivative AGAIN)

If dy/dx = 6x² + 6x – 36

d²y/dx² = (2 × 6x^2-1) + (1 × 6x^1-1) – 0

= (2 × 6x¹) + (1 × 6x⁰)

= 12x + 6

2
= 12(2) + 6 = 24 + 6 = 30 (Greater than 0, so 2 is a MINIMUM POINT)

-3

= 12(-3) + 6 = -36 + 6 = -30 (Less than 0, so -3 is a MAXIMUM POINT)

Since x = 2 is a MINIMUM POINT, we substitute x for 2 in the initial equation to get the minimum
value

y = 2x³ + 3x² - 36x + 5 (Initial equation)

Minimum value = 2(2)³ + 3(2)² - 36(2) + 5

Minimum value = 2(8) + 3(4) – 72 + 5

= 16 + 12 – 72 + 5

= -39

Example 3: Find the maximum value of the function y = 5 + 4x – x²

Solution

(We will have to get the maximum point first before we get the maximum value)

To get the maximum point:

(Find the derivative of the expression)

y = 5 + 4x – x²

y = 5 + 4x¹ – x²

dy/dx = 0 + (1 × 4x^1-1) + (2 × -x^2-1)

= (1 × 4x⁰) + (2 × -x¹)

= (1 × 4) + (-2x)

dy/dx = 4 - 2x

(Equate the derivative to 0 and solve)

4 - 2x = 0

4 = 2x

2x = 4

x = 4/2

x=2

Without checking I know that x = 2 is a MAXIMUM POINT. Why? Because the question says “find the
maximum value", so this is definitely a maximum point

So we substitute x for 2 in the initial equation to get the maximum value

y = 5 + 4x – x² (Initial equation)

Maximum value = 5 + 4(2) – (2)²

Maximum value = 9