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quadratic function, y = 3*x + 4*x
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−5 −4 −3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3 4
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2. Find the derivatives of the following polynomial functions. Evaluate each derivative at x = a for the
specified a. Then find the equation of the tangent line when x = a.
p(x) = x3 + 2x2 − 5x − 6 .
Show that p(−1) = 0 (and deduce that p(x) has factor (x + 1).
Divide p(x) by (x + 1), and then factorise the resulting quadratic.
Hence solve the equation p(x) = 0.
6. [T] Differentiate the quadratic function f (x) = 3x2 − 6x + 5. Find the equation of the tangent line when
x = −1 and the tangent line when x = 1. Sketch the parabola and the two tangent lines.
7. [H] Differentiate the cubic function f (x) = x3 − 2x2 − 3x + 9. Find the equation of the tangent line T
when x = 2. Find another point P where T intersects the graph of f .
Find the first and the second derivative of the function y = x4 − 2x2 + 4.
Find all the local maximum points and minimum points of this curve.
Draw a rough sketch of the graph of this function. (N.B. “find a point” means “calculate both coordinates”.)
10. Find all local minima, maxima and all points of inflection for the following functions.
Sketch the graphs of these functions.
(a) [T] y = x3 + 6x2 − 15x, (b) [H] y = x4 − 4x3 + 10, (c) [H] y = x5 − 10x3 .