AP Calculus AB : Derivatives of functions

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Calculus AB

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Derivatives Of Functions

The Second Fundamental Theorem of Calculus (FTOC) 

Consider the function equation (1) 

                                                          (1)

The Second FTOC states that if: 

  1.  is continuous on an open interval 
  2.   is in .
  3. and   is the anti derivative of  

 

then we must have,

                                 (2)

 

Differentiate, 

 

Possible Answers:

 

  

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Differentiate: 


  

 

Both terms must be differentiated using the chain rule. The second term will use a combination of the chain rule and the Second Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. To make the derivative of the second term easier to understand, define a new variable so that the limits of integration will have the form shown in Equation (1) in the pre-question text. 

Let,

Therefore, 

 

Now we can write the derivative using the chain rule as: 

 

 

 

Let's calculate the derivative with respect to  in the second term using the Second FTOC and then convert back to 

 

 

Therefore we have, 

 

Example Question #13 : Derivatives

Find the derivative.

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Use the power rule to find the derivative.

Example Question #14 : Derivatives

Find the derivative of the following:

Possible Answers:

None of the above

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To take the derivative you need to bring the power down to the front of the equation, multiplying it by the coefficient and then drop the power.

So:

  becomes 

because the degree of "x" is just one, and once you multiply 3 by 1 you get 3 and drop the power of "x" to 0. The second term is just a constant and the derivative of any term is just 0. 

Example Question #2 : Derivatives Of Functions

Find :

 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To do this problem you need to use the quotient rule. So you do

(low)(derivative of the high)-(high)(derivative of the low) all divided by the bottom term squared.

So:

Which, when simplified is:

Example Question #21 : Derivatives

Find :

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

This is the product rule, which is: (derivative of the first)(second)+(derivative of the second)(first)

So:

Example Question #22 : Derivatives

Find the derivative of the following:

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

This is a combination of chain rule and quotient rule.

So:

Which when simplified you get:

Example Question #23 : Derivatives

Find the derivative of the following:

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

This problem is just addition of derivatives using trigonometric functions.

So:

 

 

Example Question #24 : Ap Calculus Ab

Find the derivative:

 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The is a quotient rule using a trigonometric function.

So:

You can pull out an "x" and cancel it to get:

Example Question #24 : Derivatives

Find the derivative:

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

This is the same concept as a normal derivative just with a negative in the exponent.

 

which becomes:

Example Question #26 : Ap Calculus Ab

Calculate :

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

This is a power rule that can utilize u-substitution.

So  

where 

So you get:

Plug "u" back in and you get:

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