APPLICATIONS OF CALCULUS

1.

9
1
4
2
The function g (x) is defined by g (x) = 8 x + 4 x 5x + 7, x 0.
(a)

Find g (2).
(2)

(b)

Calculate g (x).
(3)

The graph of the function y =g (x) has a tangent T1 at the point where x = 2.
(c)

(i)

Show that the gradient of T1 is 8.

(ii)

Find the equation of T1. Write the equation in the form y = mx+ c.
(5)

(d)

1,

The graph has another tangent T2 at the point

35

8 . T has zero gradient.

2

Write down the equation of T2.

(2)

(e)

(i)

Sketch the graph of y = g (x) in the region 0 x 3, 0 y 22.

(ii)

Add the two tangents T1 and T2 to your sketch, in the correct positions.
(5)
(Total 17 marks)

2.

(a)

1
On the same graph sketch the curves y = x and y = 3 x for values of x from 0 to 4 and
values of y from 0 to 4. Show your scales on your axes.
2

(4)

(b)

Find the points of intersection of these two curves.

(4)

(c)

(i)

1
Find the gradient of the curve y = 3 x in terms of x.

(ii)

Find the value of this gradient at the point (1, 2).

(4)

(d)

1
Find the equation of the tangent to the curve y = 3 x at the point (1, 2).
(3)
(Total 15 marks)

3.

A farmer wishes to enclose a rectangular field using an existing fence for one of the four sides.

E x is tin g fe n c e

y
(a)

Write an expression in terms of x and y that shows the total length of the new fence.
(1)

(b)

The farmer has enough materials for 2500 metres of new fence. Show that
y = 2500 2x
(1)

(c)

A(x) represents the area of the field in terms of x.

(i)

Show that
A(x) = 2500x 2x

(2)

(ii)

Find A'(x).
(1)

(iii)

Hence or otherwise find the value of x that produces the maximum area of the field.
(3)

(iv)

Find the maximum area of the field.

(3)
(Total 11 marks)

4.

A cylinder is cut from a solid wooden sphere of radius 8 cm as shown in the diagram. The
height of the cylinder is 2h cm.
D

E
A
(a)

Find AE (the radius of the cylinder), in terms of h.

(2)

(b)

Show that the volume (V) of the cylinder may be written as

2

V= 2h (64 h ) cm .
(2)

(c)

(i)

Determine, correct to three significant figures, the height of the cylinder with the
greatest volume that can be produced in this way.
(5)

(ii)

Calculate this greatest volume, giving your answer correct to the nearest cm .
(3)
(Total 12 marks)

5.

The velocity, vms , of a kite, after t seconds, is given by

3

v = t 4t + 4t,
(a)

0 t 4.

What is the velocity of the kite after

(i)

one second?

(ii)

half a second?
(2)

(b)

Calculate the values of a and b in the table below.

t

0.5

1.5

2.5

3.5

0.625

7.88

4
16
(2)

(c)

(i)
(ii)

dv
Find dt in terms of t. Find the value of t at the local maximum and minimum
values of the function.
Explain what is happening to the function at its local maximum point.
Write down the gradient of the tangent to its curve at this point.
(8)

(d)

On graph paper, draw the graph of the function v = t 4t + 4t, 0 t 4.

Use a scale of 2 cm to represent 1 second on the horizontal axis and 2 cm to represent
1
2 ms on the vertical axis.
(5)

(e)

Describe the motion of the kite at different times during the first 4 seconds.
Write down the intervals corresponding to changes in motion.
(3)
(Total 20 marks)

6.

A rectangular piece of card measures 24 cm by 9 cm. Equal squares of length x cm are cut from
each corner of the card as shown in the diagram below. What is left is then folded to make an
open box, of length l cm and width w cm.
x

24 cm

x
9 cm

(a)

Write expressions, in terms of x, for

(i)

the length, l;

(ii)

the width, w.
(2)

(b)

Show that the volume (B m ) of the box is given by B = 4x 66x + 216x.

(1)

(c)

dB
Find dx .
(1)

(d)

(i)

Find the value of x which gives the maximum volume of the box.

(ii)

Calculate the maximum volume of the box.

(4)
(Total 8 marks)

7.

Consider the function f (x) = 2x 3x 12x + 5.

(a)

(i)

Find f ' (x).

(ii)

Find the gradient of the curve f (x) when x = 3.

(4)

(b)

Find the x-coordinates of the points on the curve where the gradient is equal to 12.
(3)

(c)

(i)

Calculate the x-coordinates of the local maximum and minimum points.

(ii)

Hence find the coordinates of the local minimum.

(6)

(d)

For what values of x is the value of f (x) increasing?

(2)
(Total 15 marks)

8.

The height (cm) of a daffodil above the ground is given by the function h (w) = 24w 2.4w ,
where w is the time in weeks after the plant has broken through the surface (w 0).
(a)

Calculate the height of the daffodil after two weeks.

(2)

(b)

(i)

dh
Find the rate of growth, dw .
(2)

(ii)

The rate of growth when w = k is 7.2 cm per week. Find k.

(3)

(iii)

When will the daffodil reach its maximum height? What height will it reach?
(4)

(c)

Once the daffodil has reached its maximum height, it begins to fall back towards the
ground. Show that it will touch the ground after 70 days.
(3)
(Total 14 marks)

9.

A closed rectangular box has a height y cm and width x cm. Its length is twice its width. It has a
2
fixed outer surface area of 300 cm .

y cm

x cm
2x cm
(a)

Show that 4x + 6xy = 300.

(2)

(b)

Find an expression for y in terms of x.

(2)

(c)

Hence show that the volume V of the box is given by V =100x

4 3
x .
3
(2)

(d)

dV
Find dx .
(2)

(e)

(i)

Hence find the value of x and of y required to make the volume of the box a
maximum.

(ii)

Calculate the maximum volume.

(5)
(Total 13 marks)

10.
f(x )

C
A

y = f(x )
E

K
H

G
Given the graph of f (x) state
(a)

the intervals from A to L in which f (x) is increasing.

(1)

(b)

the intervals from A to L in which f (x) is decreasing.

(1)

(c)

a point that is a maximum value.

(1)

(d)

a point that is a minimum value.

(1)

(e)

the name given to point K where the gradient is zero.

(1)
(Total 5 marks)

11.

The cost of producing a mathematics textbook is $15 (US dollars) and it is then sold for $x.
(a)

Find an expression for the profit made on each book sold.

(1)

A total of (100 000 4000x) books is sold.

(b)

Show that the profit made on all the books sold is

2

P = 160 000x 4000x 1500 000.

(3)

(c)

(i)

dP
Find dx .
(2)

(ii)

Hence calculate the value of x to make a maximum profit

(2)

(d)

Calculate the number of books sold to make this maximum profit.

(2)
(Total 10 marks)