AP Calculus AB : Applications of Derivatives

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Calculus AB

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Example Questions

Example Question #11 : Interpretation Of The Derivative As A Rate Of Change

At any time t, the position of a body is given by the equation:

 

Find the body's acceleration at each time the velocity is zero. 

 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

We are given the position equation:

To find the acceleration when the velocity is equal to zero, we must first find the function to describe the velocity given a time "t".

We know that the velocity function is found by deriving the position function with respect to time

                                  

                                  

Thus, the velocity function is given by the equation: 

To find the acceleration when the velocity is equal to zero, we must set the velocity function equal to zero and solve for the times. 

 (multiply c factor by the a coefficient)

 (divide out the original a coefficient)

 

Thus, the velocity is zero at both 3 and 1 seconds. The question asks for the acceleration at these times. 

To do the next part, we must understand that the acceleration function is the derivative of the velocity function, with respect to time. We already know the velocity function:

So, if we derive this function with respect to time and plug in our times, we will know the acceleration when the velocity is equal to zero. 

                                  

                                  


Our derivation tells us that given any time "t", the acceleration of the body can be found by the function:

So, to find the acceleration at times 3 and 1, we simply plug in the values to our acceleration function above. 

 

So, the acceleration at time 1 is -6[m/s^2] and the acceleration at time 3 is 6[m/s^2].

 

Example Question #11 : Interpretation Of The Derivative As A Rate Of Change

Given the function describing an object's position with respect to time:

 

a) Find the function describing the object's velocity with respect to time

 

and

 

b) Find the function describing the object's acceleration with respect to time

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

This problem, although not technically complex, requires some understanding of the derivative and how it relates to elementary physics. 

 

For part a)

Given a function that returns an objects position at time t, we can take the derivative of the position function to find the velocity function

We are given the position function:

 

 

 

 

We can apply the general power rule for derivatives to find the derivative of this function:

And from our understanding that the derivative of the position function is the velocity function, we can make the substitution

Thus, our part a answer is:

 

For part b)

Furthermore, we can take the derivative of the velocity function to find our acceleration function.

We found the velocity function to be:

Thus, the derivative of the velocity function (the acceleration function) is simply:

 

The full answer should be:

 

 

Example Question #41 : Applications Of Derivatives

Given the position function:

 

 

Find the average velocity across the interval

 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To answer this question, we must first understand how to find average velocity:

           

We can figure out the position values by plugging in our final and initial times to our position equation as follows:

            

            

We can repeat this process at the first endpoint for the initial position:

             

 

Now that we have both the final position and the initial position, we simply plug in to find our average velocity:

         

         

         

Thus, the correct answer should be:

          

Example Question #21 : Interpretation Of The Derivative As A Rate Of Change

Given that h(t) represents the height of a frisbee as a function of time, find the equation which models the frisbee's velocity as a function of time.

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Given that h(t) represents the height of a frisbee as a function of time, find the equation which models the frisbee's velocity as a function of time.

To find the velocity function from a height or position function, we simply need to find the first derivative of the function.

Recall the power rule:

This states that we can find the derivative of any polynomial by taking each term, multiplying by its exponent, and then subtracting one from the exponent.

Doing so yields:

Notice that our 14 dropped out. Any constant terms will drop our while differentiating.

Change it to v(t) and we are all set

Example Question #23 : Interpretation Of The Derivative As A Rate Of Change

Given that h(t) represents the height of a frisbee as a function of time, find the  frisbee's acceleration function.

 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Given that h(t) represents the height of a frisbee as a function of time, find the  frisbee's acceleration function.

To find the acceleration function, we need to recall that velocity is the first derivative of position, and that acceleration is the first derivative of velocity. In other words, we need to find our second derivative.

Recall the power rule:

This states that we can find the derivative of any polynomial by taking each term, multiplying by its exponent, and then subtracting one from the exponent.

Doing so yields:

Notice that our 14 dropped out. Any constant terms will drop our while differentiating.

Change it to v(t) and we are almost there.

Next, find the derivative of v(t), again with the power rule.

Making our answer:

 

Example Question #21 : Interpretation Of The Derivative As A Rate Of Change

A fluid cools with time according to the equation

What is the cooling rate at a temperature of 29?

Possible Answers:

Not enough information given

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The equation given is the rate of change of temperature itself, so to find the cooling rate at a temperature (T) of 29, we simply plug this into the rate function:

Example Question #25 : Interpretation Of The Derivative As A Rate Of Change

Banana farmers notice a fungi is destroying bananas. They will use pesticides when the bananas die at a rate of 31 per day. What time will this occur if the amount of dead bananas at any time is given by 

, where t is time in days.

Possible Answers:

None of the other answers

Correct answer:

Explanation:

In order to find the time at which the banana death rate is 31, we must take the derivative of the function for dead bananas, whose rate of change - the death rate - is given by:

The derivative was found using the following rules:

To find the time at which the banana death rate is equal to 31, we set the derivative function equal to 31 and solve for t:

 

Example Question #26 : Interpretation Of The Derivative As A Rate Of Change

Find the velocity at t=3 given the position function 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The velocity is determined by taking the derivative of the position function, as velocity is the rate of change of position:

The derivative was found using the following rules:

Now, we simply plug in the given t value into the velocity function:

Example Question #27 : Interpretation Of The Derivative As A Rate Of Change

Find the time at which the rate of change of the function is equal to 3:

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To find the rate of change of the function at any instant, we must take its first derivative:

The derivative was found using the following rule:

Now, to find the value of t at which the rate of change is equal to 3, we use algebra:

The problem statement tells us that t cannot be negative, so our only answer is

Example Question #22 : Interpretation Of The Derivative As A Rate Of Change

Mass accumulates in a bag according to the function:

What is the rate of change of mass in the bag at t=1?

Possible Answers:

None of the other answers

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The rate of change of mass in the bag at any instant is given by the first derivative of the function:

which was found using the following rule:

Notice that the rate of change is a constant value, not dependent on t. (You can compare the original equation to a line which has a slope of 2; the rate of change of the line is always 2, regardless of the t value you are at!)

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