Differentiation
P1^
5
10 In his book Mathematician’s Delight, W.W. Sawyer observes that the arch of
Victoria Falls Bridge appears to agree with the curve
y=^11612021 x
–^2
taking the origin as the point mid-way between the feet of the arch, and
taking the distance between its feet as 4.7 units.
(i) Find d
d
y
x
.
(ii) Evaluate d
d
y
x
when x = −2.35 and when x = 2.35.
(iii) Find the value of x for which d
d
y
x
= −0.5.
11 (i) Use your knowledge of the shape of the curve y = x^1 to sketch the curve
y = (^1) x + 2.
(ii) Write down the co-ordinates of the point where the curve crosses the x
axis.
(iii) Differentiate y =^1 x + 2.
(iv) Find the gradient of the curve at the point where it crosses the x axis.
12 The sketch shows the graph of y = (^) x^42 + x.
x
y
–2.35 O +2.35
x
y
O