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9231 · 2.3

Differentiation — practice questions

Practice and worked examples for 9231 Differentiation. Short previews only — attempt the full question in MarkScheme against the official scheme.

Worked example 1

A curve C has the equation x3+y3−3xy=0x^{3} + y^{3} - 3xy = 0. Find the equation of the tangent to C at the point P(3/2, 3/2).

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First, we differentiate the equation implicitly with respect to xx. d/dx(x3)+d/dx(y3)−d/dx(3xy)=d/dx(0)d/dx(x^{3}) + d/dx(y^{3}) - d/dx(3xy) = d/dx(0)

3x2+3y2(dy/dx)−[3x(dy/dx)+3y(1)]=03x^{2} + 3y^{2}(dy/dx) - [3x(dy/dx) + 3y(1)] = 0 Note the use of the product rule on the 3xy term.

3x2+3y2(dy/dx)−3x(dy/dx)−3y=03x^{2} + 3y^{2}(dy/dx) - 3x(dy/dx) - 3y = 0

Now, we gather the dy/dx terms: (3y2−3x)(dy/dx)=3y−3x2(3y^{2} - 3x)(dy/dx) = 3y - 3x^{2}

Solve for dy/dx: dy/dx=(3y−3x2)/(3y2−3x)=(y−x2)/(y2−x)dy/dx = (3y - 3x^{2}) / (3y^{2} - 3x) = (y - x^{2}) / (y^{2} - x)

Next, find the gradient at the point P(3/2, 3/2): m=dy/dx∣(3/2,3/2)=((3/2)−(3/2)2)/((3/2)2−(3/2))m = dy/dx |_(3/2, 3/2) = ((3/2) - (3/2)^{2}) / ((3/2)^{2} - (3/2)) m=(3/2−9/4)/(9/4−3/2)=(−3/4)/(3/4)=−1m = (3/2 - 9/4) / (9/4 - 3/2) = (-3/4) / (3/4) = -1

The gradient of the tangent at P is -1.

Finally, use the point-gradient formula y−y1=m(x−x1)y - y_{1} = m(x - x_{1}): y−3/2=−1(x−3/2)y - 3/2 = -1(x - 3/2) y−3/2=−x+3/2y - 3/2 = -x + 3/2 y+x=3y + x = 3

The equation of the tangent is x+y=3x + y = 3.

Worked example 2

A curve is defined by the parametric equations x=2cos(t)x = 2cos(t) and y=sin(2t)y = sin(2t) for 0<t<π0 < t < \pi . (i) Find dy/dx in terms of tt. (ii) Find the coordinates of the stationary points. (iii) Find d²y/dx².

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(i) First, find the derivatives with respect to tt: dx/dt=−2sin(t)dx/dt = -2sin(t) dy/dt=2cos(2t)dy/dt = 2cos(2t)

Now, apply the formula for dy/dx: dy/dx=(dy/dt)/(dx/dt)=(2cos(2t))/(−2sin(t))=−cos(2t)/sin(t)dy/dx = (dy/dt) / (dx/dt) = (2cos(2t)) / (-2sin(t)) = -cos(2t) / sin(t) Using the double angle identity cos(2t)=1−2sin2(t)cos(2t) = 1 - 2sin^{2}(t): dy/dx=−(1−2sin2(t))/sin(t)=(2sin2(t)−1)/sin(t)=2sin(t)−csc(t)dy/dx = -(1 - 2sin^{2}(t)) / sin(t) = (2sin^{2}(t) - 1) / sin(t) = 2sin(t) - csc(t)

(ii) Stationary points occur when dy/dx=0dy/dx = 0. 2sin(t)−csc(t)=02sin(t) - csc(t) = 0 2sin(t)=1/sin(t)2sin(t) = 1/sin(t) 2sin2(t)=12sin^{2}(t) = 1 sin2(t)=1/2sin^{2}(t) = 1/2 sin(t)=±1/2sin(t) = \pm 1/\sqrt2

Since 0<t<π0 < t < \pi , sin(t) is positive. So, sin(t)=1/2sin(t) = 1/\sqrt2. This gives t=π/4t = \pi /4 and t=3π/4t = 3\pi /4.

For t=π/4t = \pi /4: x=2cos(π/4)=2(1/2)=2x = 2cos(\pi /4) = 2(1/\sqrt2) = \sqrt2 y=sin(2∗π/4)=sin(π/2)=1y = sin(2 * \pi /4) = sin(\pi /2) = 1 Point is (√2, 1).

For t=3π/4t = 3\pi /4: x=2cos(3π/4)=2(−1/2)=−2x = 2cos(3\pi /4) = 2(-1/\sqrt2) = -\sqrt2 y=sin(2∗3π/4)=sin(3π/2)=−1y = sin(2 * 3\pi /4) = sin(3\pi /2) = -1 Point is (-√2, -1).

The stationary points are (√2, 1) and (-√2, -1).

(iii) To find d²y/dx², we use the formula [d/dt(dy/dx)] / (dx/dt). We use the expression dy/dx=2sin(t)−csc(t)dy/dx = 2sin(t) - csc(t). d/dt(dy/dx)=2cos(t)−(−csc(t)cot(t))=2cos(t)+csc(t)cot(t)d/dt(dy/dx) = 2cos(t) - (-csc(t)cot(t)) = 2cos(t) + csc(t)cot(t)

We already know dx/dt=−2sin(t)dx/dt = -2sin(t). d2y/dx2=(2cos(t)+csc(t)cot(t))/(−2sin(t))d^{2}y/dx^{2} = (2cos(t) + csc(t)cot(t)) / (-2sin(t)) d2y/dx2=−(2cos(t)+(1/sin(t))(cos(t)/sin(t)))/(2sin(t))d^{2}y/dx^{2} = - (2cos(t) + (1/sin(t))(cos(t)/sin(t))) / (2sin(t)) d2y/dx2=−(2cos(t)+cos(t)/sin2(t))/(2sin(t))d^{2}y/dx^{2} = - (2cos(t) + cos(t)/sin^{2}(t)) / (2sin(t)) d2y/dx2=−(2cos(t)sin2(t)+cos(t))/(2sin3(t))d^{2}y/dx^{2} = - (2cos(t)sin^{2}(t) + cos(t)) / (2sin^{3}(t)) d2y/dx2=−cos(t)(2sin2(t)+1)/(2sin3(t))d^{2}y/dx^{2} = - cos(t)(2sin^{2}(t) + 1) / (2sin^{3}(t))