Escuela: Ing.

Ambiental/Informática
Curso: Análisis Matemático

EXERCISES - U1

1. If the line L is tangent to curve C at point P , then the smaller angle between L and
the secant line P Q joining P to another point Q on C approaches 0 as Q approaches
to P along C. Is the converse true: if the angle between P Q and the line L (which
passes through P ) approaches 0, must I, be tangent to C.

2. Let P (x) be a polynomial. If a is real number, then P (x) can be expressed in the
form
P (x) = a0 + a1 (x − a) + a2 (x − a)2 + . . . + an (x − a)n
for some n ≥ 0. If l(x) = m(x − a) + b, show that the straight line y = l(x) is tangent
to the graph of y = P (x) at x = a provided P (x) − l(x) = (x − a)2 Q(x), where Q(x)
is a polynomial.

3. Use right and left derivatives, f+0 (a) and f−0 (a), to define the concept of a half-line
starting at (a, f (a)) being a right or left tangent to the graph of f at x = a. Show that
the graph has a tangent line at x = a if and only if has right and left tangents that
are opposite halves of the same straight line. What are the left and right tangents
to the graphs of y = x1/3 , y = x2/3 , and y = |x| at x = 0?
1
4. Show that the curve y = x2 intersects the curve y = √ at right angles.
x
5. A cubic function is a polynomial of degree 3; that is, it has the form f (x) = ax3 +
bx2 + cx + d, where a 6= 0.

a) Show that a cubic function can have two, one, or no critical number(s). Give
examples and sketches to illustrate the three possibilities.
b) How many local extreme values can a cubic function have?

6. A balloon is rising at a constant speed of 5f t/s. A boy is cycling along a straight

road at a speed of 15f t/s. When he passes under balloon, it is 45f t above him. How
fast is the distance between the boy and the balloon increasing 3s later?

7. A weight is attached to a spring and reaches its equilibrium position (x = 0). It is

then set in motion resulting in a displacement of

x = 10 cos t,

where x is measured in centimeters and t is measured in seconds. See the accompan-

ying figure.

1
 π 3π
a) Find the spring’s displacement when t = 0, t = , and t = .
3 4
π 3π
b) Find the spring’s velocity when t = 0, t = , adn t = .
3 4

8. Show that a cubic function f (x) = x3 + ax2 + bx + cis increasing on (−∞, ∞) if

b < a2 /3.

9. How fast does the water level rise in the tank in the figure when the water level is
h = 4m and water pours in at 20m3 /mim?

10. Assume that f 00 exists and f 00 (x) = 0 for all x. Prove that f (x) = mx + b, where
m = f 0 (0) and b = f (0).