Calculus

Writing Assignment: Higher Order Derivatives

Each problem is worth 5 points.
Total Points: 50

Answer each of the problems. Make sure to show your work.

1) Find the second derivative of f ( x ) = 24 x .

The second derivative is -6/x^3/2. First I had to find the first derivative, which was 12x^-1/2. Than I found the
derivative of that using the power rule, and got -6x^-3/2. Than I simplified/ cleaned it up.

2) If y = cos x, what is y (6) (x)?

It would bey^6 x= -cos x. I did this by finding out the first derivative, which was -sin x, than I found the second,
which was -cos x, than I found the third, which was sin x , than I found the fourth which was cos x, than i found
the fifth which was -sin x and than I found the sixth, which was -cos x.

d2
3) Find
dt 2
( 6t 3 + 2t − 9 ) .
First I found the first derivative which was (18t^2+2). Than I found the second derivative using the power rule
and got 36t as my answer.

4) Find the third derivative of g(x) = e x.

The third derivative is e^x, since it is an exponential function, it remains the same throughout.

5) An object moves along a line according to the position function x(t) = 3 + t 2 – t 4. Find the acceleration
function.
The acceleration function is 2-12t^2 since that is the second derivative of the position, wich is the acceleration.

6) A weight oscillates in a vertical motion according to the position function y(t) = –5 cos t. Assuming t ≥ 0,
when will the acceleration of the weight be zero for the first time?
When it is 5. I knew by finding the second derivative which lead me to y(t)=5 cos t. I than plugged in t if it was
0 and got 5 as my answer.
7) An object in free fall has its distance from the ground measured by the function d(t) = –4.9t 2 + 50,
where d is in meters and t is in seconds. If gravity is the only acceleration affecting the object, what is
gravity’s constant value (include units in your answer)?
Gravity's constant value is -9.8m/s, since that is the second derivative of the function of the position.

8) The graph of y = f (x) is shown below on the domain [0, 5]. Sketch the graph of y = f ′′(x) on the same
domain.

9) If a function is decreasing with an upward concavity, what do you know about the function’s first two
derivatives?
I know that they are negative, the function is decreasing and going in the direction where it is dipping or
caving in first, than slowly changing direction.

10) Use the graph of y = f ′(x) shown below to describe the concavity in the graph of y = f (x) on the
interval [0, 4].

From [0,2], f'(x) is decreasing, while f"9x) has upwards concavity.

From [2,4], f"(x) is increasing, and f"(x) also has upward concavity.