AP Calculus AB : Derivatives of functions

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Calculus AB

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Computation Of The Derivative

The Second Fundamental Theorem of Calculus (FTOC) 

Consider the function equation (1) 

                                          \(\displaystyle F(x)=\int_a^xf(t)dt\)                (1)

The Second FTOC states that if: 

  1. \(\displaystyle f(x)\) is continuous on an open interval \(\displaystyle I\)
  2.  \(\displaystyle a\) is in \(\displaystyle I\).
  3. and \(\displaystyle F(x)\)  is the anti derivative of \(\displaystyle f(x)\) 

 

then we must have,

              \(\displaystyle F'(x)=f(x)\)                   (2)

 

Differentiate, 

\(\displaystyle f(x)=\sin(x^2)+\int_o^{x^2+1}\ln(t+1)dt\)

 

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=2x\left[\cos(x^2)+\ln(x^2+2)\right]\)  

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=2x\left[\cos(x^2)+\frac{1}{x^2+1}\right]\) 

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=cos(x^2)-\frac{1}{x^2+2}\)

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=2x\left[\cos(x^2)+\ln(x^2+2)\right]\)

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=2x\cos(x^2)+\ln(x^2+1)\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=2x\left[\cos(x^2)+\ln(x^2+2)\right]\)

Explanation:

Differentiate: 

\(\displaystyle f(x)=\sin(x^2)+\int_o^{x^2+1}\ln(t+1)dt\)


\(\displaystyle f'(x) = \frac{d}{dx}\sin(x^2)+\frac{d}{dx}\int_o^{x^2+1} \ln(t+1)dt\)  

 

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,

\(\displaystyle u= x^2+1\)

Therefore, 

\(\displaystyle \frac{du}{dx}=2x\)

 

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

\(\displaystyle f'(x) = 2x\cos(x^2)+\frac{du}{dx}\frac{d}{du}\left(\int_o^{u} \ln(t+1)dt\right)\)

 

 \(\displaystyle f'(x) = 2x\cos(x^2)+2x\underset{Use_, FTOC}{ \underbrace{\frac{d}{du}\left(\int_o^{u} \ln(t+1)dt\right)}}\)

 

Let's calculate the derivative with respect to \(\displaystyle u\) in the second term using the Second FTOC and then convert back to \(\displaystyle x\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{d}{du}\int_o^{u} \ln(t+1)dt = \ln (u+1) = \ln\left \{ (x^2+1)+1 \right \} = \ln(x^2+2)\) 

 

Therefore we have, 

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=2x\cos(x^2)+2x\ln(x^2+2)\)

 

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=2x\left[\cos(x^2)+\ln(x^2+2)\right]\)

Example Question #11 : Derivatives

Find the derivative.

\(\displaystyle 12x^3\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 36x^2\)

\(\displaystyle 36x^3\)

\(\displaystyle 0\)

\(\displaystyle 24x^2\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 36x^2\)

Explanation:

Use the power rule to find the derivative.

\(\displaystyle \frac{d}{dx}12x^3=36x^2\)

Example Question #12 : Derivatives

Find the derivative of the following:

\(\displaystyle f(x)=3x+2\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=3x^2+2x\)

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=3\)

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=5\)

None of the above

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=3\)

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:

\(\displaystyle f(x)=3x+2\)  becomes \(\displaystyle f'(x)=3\)

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 #4 : Derivatives Of Functions

Find \(\displaystyle f'(x)\):

 

\(\displaystyle f(x)=\frac{2x}{x}\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=\frac{1}{x}\)

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=\frac{1}{x^2}\)

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=0\)

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=\frac{2x-1}{x^2}\)

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=\frac{2x-1}{x}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=0\)

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:

\(\displaystyle \frac{x(2)-2x(1))}{x^2}\)

Which, when simplified is:

\(\displaystyle \frac{2x-2x}{x^2}=0\)

Example Question #1 : Derivatives Of Functions

Find \(\displaystyle f'(x)\):

\(\displaystyle (3x^3)(x)\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=9x^3+3x^2\)

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=9x^2\)

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=9x^3\)

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=12x^2\)

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=12x^3\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=12x^3\)

Explanation:

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

So:

\(\displaystyle (9x^2)(x)+(1)(3x^3)=12x^3\)

Example Question #6 : Derivatives Of Functions

Find the derivative of the following:

\(\displaystyle f(x)=(x^2)(\frac{1}{x})\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=x^2-\frac{1}{x^2}\)

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=1\)

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=x-1\)

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=x-\frac{1}{x}\)

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=0\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=1\)

Explanation:

This is a combination of chain rule and quotient rule.

So:

\(\displaystyle 2x(\frac{1}{x})+\frac{0-1}{x^2}(x^2)=2-\frac{x^2}{x^2}\)

Which when simplified you get:

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=2-1=1\)

Example Question #21 : Derivatives

Find the derivative of the following:

\(\displaystyle f(x)=sin(x)+tan(x)\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=cos(x)+sec^2(x)\)

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=cos(x)-sec^2(x)\)

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=-cos(x)-sec^2(x)\)

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=-cos(x)+sec^2(x)\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=cos(x)+sec^2(x)\)

Explanation:

This problem is just addition of derivatives using trigonometric functions.

So:

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=cos(x)+sec^2(x)\)

 

 

Example Question #8 : Derivatives Of Functions

Find the derivative:

 

\(\displaystyle \frac{tan(x)}{x^2}\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=\frac{xsec^2(x)-2tan(x)}{x^4}\)

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=\frac{xsec^2(x)+2tan(x)}{x^3}\)

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=\frac{xsec^2(x)-2tan(x)}{x^3}\)

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=\frac{-xsec^2(x)-2tan(x)}{x^3}\)

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=\frac{-xsec^2(x)+2tan(x)}{x^3}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=\frac{xsec^2(x)-2tan(x)}{x^3}\)

Explanation:

The is a quotient rule using a trigonometric function.

So:

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=\frac{x^2(sec^2(x))-tan(x)(2x)}{x^4}\)

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

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=\frac{xsec^2(x)-2tan(x)}{x^3}\)

Example Question #21 : Derivatives

Find the derivative:

\(\displaystyle f(x)=x^{-10}\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=\frac{10}{x^{11}}\)

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=\frac{-10}{x^9}\)

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=\frac{-10}{x^{11}}\)

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=\frac{10}{x^9}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=\frac{-10}{x^9}\)

Explanation:

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

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=-10(x^{-9})\) 

which becomes:

\(\displaystyle f'(x)=\frac{-10}{x^9}\)

Example Question #10 : Derivatives Of Functions

Calculate \(\displaystyle f'(x)\):

\(\displaystyle \small f'(x)={(x^2)}^2\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \small f'(x)=(x^2)(2x)\)

\(\displaystyle \small f'(x)=3x^2\)

\(\displaystyle \small f'(x)=2(x^2)(2x)\)

\(\displaystyle \small f'(x)=4x^2\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \small f'(x)=2(x^2)(2x)\)

Explanation:

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

So  \(\displaystyle \small f'(x)=(u)^2*u'\)

where \(\displaystyle \small u=x^2\)

So you get:

\(\displaystyle \small f'(x)=2u*u'\)

Plug "u" back in and you get:

\(\displaystyle \small f'(x)=2(x^2)(2x)\)

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