EXERCISES for Chapter 1

Calculus 1 with Dr Janet, Semester 2 2013/14.

Note: Questions marked * are old midterm exam questions

1. Consider the function in Figure 1 (above). State the slope of the graph at (a) x = 1, (b)
x = 3, (c) x = 5, (d) x = 7.
2.* [Dec09] Biologists have observed that the chirping rate of a certain insect is linearly
related to temperature. At a temperature of 150 C, the insect produces 47 chirps per minute,
and at 300 C produces 209 chirps per minute. (a) Sketch a graph of the chirping rate as a
function of temperature, and find the equation of the line. (b) State the slope of the line,
including its units, and explain its meaning to the biologists. (c) If the insects are chirping
at 236 chirps per minute, what is the temperature?
3. In a certain furniture factory it costs $570 to produce 60 chairs a day. The manager
estimates that for every 8 extra chairs produced daily, production costs will increase by $52.
Find an equation for the cost function (that is, the production cost as a function of number
of chairs produced). For $1000/day, how many chairs can be produced?
4. Find a formula for the area of an equilateral triangle as a function of the side length, x.
5. A rectangle has area 3 m2 . Express the perimeter of the rectangle as a function of the
length of one of its sides.
6. Consider a closed cylindrical can. If the height of the can is three times the radius r,
find an expression for the total surface area of the can as a function of r.
7. A taxi company charges 10,000 VND for travelling up to 500 m then an additional 1000
VND for every additional 100 m (or part). Write a formula for the total cost C (in VND)
as a function of the distance x traveled (in meters) for 0 < x < 1000, and sketch the graph
of this function. [Hint: This is a piecewise function.]
8-11. Sketch graphs of the following equations. (Do this not by plotting points but by
starting with the graph of a common function and applying appropriate transformations.)
Also state the domain and range of the function.
1
8. y = 1 x3 , 9. y = |x 2|, 10. y = , 11. y = 4 x2 .
(x + 1)2
12. (a) Write an equation for the piecewise function shown in Figure 1 (above) on [0, 8].
(b) Figure 2 shows a sinusoidal electrical voltage. Write an expression for V (t) where time t
is measured in milliseconds (ms). [Note: A sinusoidal function is a sine or cosine function.]
13. Write down an example of a piecewise function with domain R. Give your answer by
writing the formula and sketching the graph. [Do NOT use examples from the lectures!]
2
14. Is the given function is odd, even or neither? (a) f (x) = xex , (b) g(x) = x3 + 1.
15.* Let f (x) = x2 + 1 and g(x) = ln |x|. Find formulae for the composite functions f g
and g f and state their domains. Also find f (g(1)).
16. Express the function F (x) = sec3 (x) in the form f g h.

1
17. Consider each of the curves below. Does the graph represent a function of x? If it does,
is it a one-to-one function? Explain your answers.
(a) y = cosec x, (b) x = |y|, (c)* (x 1)2 + y 2 = 1 .
18. Given f (x) = 4x2 1, x > 0, find f 1 , and sketch the graphs of f and f 1 .
1 ex
19. Find the inverse of the function f (x) = .
1 + ex
20. Write down parametric equations: (a) for the line segment from (2, 0) to (5, 2),
(b) for the line segment from (4, 1) to (1, 2),
(c) to traverse the circle x2 + (y + 2)2 = 9 once in an anticlockwise direction.
21. A curve is defined parametrically by x = t2 , y = 5 sin( 2 t), 3 t 3. Using
a table of values, sketch the curve. Mark the direction of travel and the points where
t = 3, 2, 1, 0, 1, 2, 3.
22. A bullet is fired from ground level at time t = 0 and follows a trajectory x = 45t,
y = 60t 5t2 , 0 t 12 where x is horizontal distance and y is vertical height, both
measured in metres, after t seconds. Assuming the ground is flat, when and how far away
does the bullet hit the ground?
23-29. Find the limit or show that it does not exist.
4u x2 4 1 1
23. lim cos(x + sin x), 24. lim+ , 25. lim 3 , 26. lim[ 2 ].
x0 u4 |4 u| x2 x 8 t0 t t +t

x x3 x2 1 t2
27. lim , 28. lim , 29. lim .
x 2 + x2 x x3 + 3 t 3t2 + t + 1
x
e if x 0
30. Consider the function g(x) = sin(x/2) if 0 < x < 1
2x if x 1

(a) Find the limits: (i) lim g(x), (ii) lim+ g(x), (iii) lim g(x), (iv) lim g(x).
x0 x0 x0 x1
(b) At what value(s) of x is the function discontinuous? (c) Sketch the graph of g.
1
31. Use the Squeeze Theorem to prove that lim x2 cos = 0.
x0 x
32.* Find the horizontal and vertical asymptotes of the graph of the function

2x2 + 3
f (x) = .
4x + 4
 2
ax + 3 if x 2
33.* Find a such that the function f (x) = is continuous on (, ).
a2 x + 1 if x > 2
34. The gravitational force F of the Earth on a unit mass at a distance r (r 0) from
Earths centre is given below. M is the mass of Earth, R is the Earths radius and G is the
gravitational constant. Is F (r) a continuous function?
( GM r
R3
if r < R
F (r) = GM
r2
if r R

35.* Write down a function f such that f is defined on [1, 3] and is discontinuous at 2.
36. Use the intermediate value theorem to show that the equation f (x) = x3 + x 1 has
a root on the interval (0, 1).
2
37.* Prove that the equation ex +1 = x + 1 has a root in the interval (0, ).

2
 Calculus 1 Chapter 1 - Other Old Midterm Exam Questions

1. [2010/11 S3] Show that there exists a number x  (0, 2 ) such that cos x = x.
2. [2011/12 S1] Find the numbers at which f is discontinuous. At which of these numbers
is f continuous from the right, from the left, or neither?
2
x + 1 if x < 0
f (x) := ex1 if 0 x 1
3 x if x > 1

3. [2009/10 S2] Suppose a function f is continuous on [1, 5] and the only solutions of
f (x) = 6 are x = 1 and x = 4. If f (2) = 8, explain why f (3) > 6.
 2x2 5x3
x3
if x 6= 3
4. [2010/11 S3] Show that the function f (x) = is discontinuous
6 if x = 3
at x = 3. Sketch the graph of the function.
5. [2012/13 S1] Show that the following equation has at least two real roots:
x
x4 12.71x3 + 5x2 + 3 = 0.

6. [2011/12 S2] In January 1980 the world population was 4450 million people. In January
2000 it was 6070 million. Assume a linear model. (a) Find an expression for the world
population as a function of time. (b) State the slope of the function found in part (a),
including its units, and interpret its meaning. (c) According to this model, in what year
will the world population first exceed 7500 million?
7. [2009/10 S2] In some formulations of the theory of relativity, the mass of a particle with
m0
velocity v is m = q , where m0 is the mass of the particle at rest and c is the speed
v2
1 c2
of light. What happens as v c ?

Short Questions
8. Assume f (1 x) = x2 . Find f (x + 1).
x
9. What is the domain of the function y = ?
x2 x2
x3 1
10. Find the following limit (without using LHopitals rule): lim .
x1 x1

4 x if x < 0
11. Find lim f (x) where f (x) = 2 if x = 0
x0
x + 1 if x > 0

12. What curve is represented by the parametric equations x = cos t, y = sin t, 0 t ?