DIM5068 MATHEMATICAL TECHNIQUES 2 TOPIC 4

Topic 4: Applications of Differentiation

Sub topics:
4.1 Related Rates
4.2 Maximum and Minimum Values
4.3 How Derivatives Affect the Shape of Graph
4.4 Optimization Problems
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Objective:
The students should be able to:
1. solve problems that deal with rate of change
2. find local and absolute maximum, local and absolute minimum and critical numbers.
3. use first and second derivative tests in deciding the shape of the graph.
4. find the inflection point and concavity of the graph
5. sketch the graph of a given function.
6. solve optimization problems that deal maximum and minimum values

4.1 Related Rates

Rates of Change in Applications

dy
 Let y  f (t ) , where t is time, then represents the rate of change of y.
dt
 Example notation:
a) If A is in the area in cm2 and r is the time in seconds,
dA
then  10 means the area is increasing at the rate of 10 cm2s-1.
dt
dA
If  10 , means the area is decreasing at the rate of 10 cm2s-1
dt

b) If V is in the volume in cm3 and r is the time in seconds,

dV
then  30 means the volume is increasing at the rate of 30 cm3s-1.
dt
dV
If  30 , means the volume is decreasing at the rate of 30 cm3s-1
dt

 Steps to solve problems on rates of change:

1. Read the problem carefully.
2. Draw a diagram if possible.
3. Introduce notation. Assign symbols to all quantities that are functions of time.
4. Express the given information and the required rate in terms of derivatives.
5. Write an equation that relates the various quantities of the problem. If necessary,
use geometry of the situation to eliminate one of the variables by substitution.
6. Use the Chain Rule to differentiate both sides of the equation with respect to t.
7. Substitute the given information into the resulting equation and solve for the
unknown rate.
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DIM5068 MATHEMATICAL TECHNIQUES 2 TOPIC 4

Example 1:
A spherical air bubble is formed at the base of a pond. When the bubble moves to the
surface of the water, it expands. If the radius of the bubble is expanding at the rate of
0.04cm s-1, find the rate at which the volume of the bubble is increasing when its radius is
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1.5cm. [hint! Volume of sphere, V   r 3 ]
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Solution:

Example 2:
If the radius of a circle is decreasing at the rate of 0.3cm s-1,
a) Find the rate of area of the circle.
b) Evaluate the rate of area when its radius is 4cm.
[hint! Area of circle, A   r 2 ]
Solution:

Example 3:
Water is poured into a container having the shape of an inverted cone at the rate of
3cm3s-1. If the radius of the base of the cone is 12cm and its height is 18cm, find
a) The rate of the height of the water level.
b) Evaluate the rate of the height when the water level is 4cm.

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[hint! Volume of conical cone, V   r 2 h ]
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Solution:

Example 2:
Water runs into a conical tank at the rate of 9 m3/min. The tank stands point down and has
a height of 10m and a base radius of 5m. How fast is the water level rising when the water
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is 6m deep? [hint! Volume of conical cone, V   r 2 h ]
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Solution:

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4.2 Maximum and Minimum Values

1) Critical Number
Definition:
A critical number of a function f is a number x in the domain f such that f ’(x) = 0.

Example 1: Find the critical number(s) of f ( x)  5  6 x  2 x 3 .

Solution:

Example 2: Find the critical number(s) of f ( x)  x 3  3x 2  1 .

Solution:

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2) Absolute Maxima and Minima (Absolute Extrema)

 A function f is said to have an absolute maximum on an interval I at the point c is
f(x) is the largest value of f on I.
 A function f is said to be an absolute minimum on an interval I at the point c if f(x )
is the smallest value of f on I.

How to find the Absolute Extrema:

1. Evaluate f (x) at all critical numbers and endpoints (within interval)
2. Take the largest value of f(x) to be the Absolute Maxima and the smallest value
of f(x) to be the Absolute Minima.

Example: Find absolute extrema of f ( x)  x 3  3x 2  9 x  7 on interval

a) [-6, 4]
b) [-2,2]

Solution:

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4.3 How Derivatives Affect the Shape of Graph

First Derivative Test f (x)

1) Increase and Decrease of f

What does f’ say about f?

Increasing and Decreasing Test:
a. If f ' ( x)  0 on an interval, then f is increasing on that interval.
b. If f ' ( x)  0 on an interval, then f is decreasing on that interval.

Example 1: Given f ( x)  5  3x 2  x 3 . Find the intervals on which f is decreasing or

increasing.

Solution:

Example 2: Determine the interval where the function f ( x)  3x 4  4 x 3  12x 2  5 is

increasing and decreasing.

Solution:

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2) Maximum and Minimum value

 f ’(x) changes from +ve to –ve , f(x) has a maximum value.
 f ’(x) changes from –ve to +ve, f(x) has a minimum value.
 f ’(x) does not change sign, f(x) has neither a max or min value.

Example: Find the local maximum or minimum of the function

f ( x)  4 x 3  15x 2  18x  7 .

Solution:

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Second Derivative Test f (x)

3) Concavity Test
 If f”(x) > 0, for all x in I, then the graph of f is concave upward on I.
 If f”(x) < 0, for all x in I, then the graph of f is concave downward on I.

Inflection Point
A point P on a curve is called an inflection point if the curve changes from concave
upward to a concave downward or from concave downward to concave upward at P.

Example: Find the intervals of concavity and the inflection points of the function
f ( x)  x  1 .
3

Solution:

4) Maximum and Minimum value (using 2nd derivative)

 If f ’(x) = 0 and f ” (x) > 0, then f has local minimum at x.
 If f ’(x ) = 0 and f ” (x) <0, the f has local maximum at x.

Example: By using the Second Derivative Test, find the local maximum or minimum of
the function f ( x)  x 3  3x 2  24x  32 .

Solution:

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4.4 Optimization Problems

Steps in solving problems on maxima and minima

1. Express the quantity that has to be maximized or minimized in terms of only one
variable based on the given information.
e.g. Let V (volume) be the quantity that has to be maximized or minimized. Thus,
express V in terms of only one variable, let it be x.
dV dV
2. Find and solve the equation  0 to determine the value of x.
dx dx
d 2V d 2V
3. Find . Substitute the value of x that is found into .
dx 2 dx 2
d 2V
If the value is negative, then the value of V is a maximum.
dx 2
d 2V
If the value is positive, then the value of V is a minimum.
dx 2
4. Calculate the maximum or minimum value of V by substituting the value of x into V.

Example 1:
A rectangle has perimeter of 28m. What is its maximum area?

Solution: x
Perimeter = 2x + 2y y
Area = xy y

x
Perimeter = 28
2x + 2y = 28
2y = 28 – 2x
y = 14 – x  sub into Area

Area, A = x(14 – x)
A = 14 x – x2

𝑑𝐴
= 14 − 2𝑥
𝑑𝑥
When, d 2V
𝑑𝐴 *If the value is negative, then
= 0,
14 − 2𝑥 = 0 dx 2
𝑑𝑥
2𝑥 = 14 the value of V is a maximum.
𝑥=7 d 2V
*If the value is positive, then
Checking for maximum area, dx 2
𝑑2 𝐴 the value of V is a minimum.
= −2 < 0  maximum
𝑑𝑥 2

At x = 7,
A = 14 (7) – (7)2 = 49 is the maximum area.

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Example 2:
A cuboid has a base where its length is twice its width
and its total surface area is 1200cm2.
a) If the width of the cuboid is x cm and the volume of
4
the cuboid is V cm3, show that V  400x  x 3 .
3
b) Find the length, width and height of the cuboid when
its volume is a maximum
c) Find the maximum volume of the cuboid. d 2V
*If the value is negative, then
dx 2
Solution: the value of V is a maximum.
d 2V
*If the value is positive, then
dx 2
the value of V is a minimum.

Reference::
James Stewart, (2003) Calculus: 5th Edition, International Thomson Publishing Co.

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