Calculus 1 : Calculus

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Calculus 1

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Example Questions

Example Question #171 : Spatial Calculus

A molecule moves with a very odd path, following the function 

Find the velocity of the molecule at .

Possible Answers:

Undefined

Correct answer:

Explanation:

This problem requires using the chain rule which states

 several times. 

First we take the derivative of the outside, and move inward. 

At , we get 

Example Question #171 : Calculus

The position of a particle is given by the function 

What is the particle's velocity at time  ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Velocity can be found by taking the time derivative of the position function:

Therefore, at 

Example Question #171 : How To Find Velocity

Find the acceleration of a particle whose position function is given by the formula:

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Acceleration can be found as the second time derivative of position:

Therefore, as position is

Acceleration is:

Example Question #172 : Velocity

Find the velocity at  for a particle whose position is given by the function:

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Velocity is the time derivative of position:

For a position function:

The velocity function is:

Therefore

Example Question #175 : Spatial Calculus

A particle's position is given by the function 

What is its velocity at time  ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Velocity can be found as the time derivative of the position function:

If the postion function is

Then the velocity function is subsequently:

Therefore at time 

Example Question #176 : Spatial Calculus

The position of a particle is given by the function .

What is its velocity at time  ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Velocity is the time derivative of position:

If position is:

Then the velocity is:

Example Question #177 : Spatial Calculus

Find the velocity function of a car if the position function of the car is given by

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The first derivative of the position function - the velocity function - is 

and was found using the following rules:

Example Question #178 : Spatial Calculus

A basketball has the following position equation:

What is the velocity of the basketball at time ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To find the velocity equation of the basketball, we need to take the derivative of the position equation:

We used the following rule to find the derivative:

Now, since we were asked to find the velocity at t=1, plug in t=1 into the velocity equation:

Example Question #174 : Calculus

The position of a particle is given by the function .

What is its velocity at time  ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Velocity is the time derivative of position.

For the position function:

For this function we will need to use the rules of exponents, the product rule, and the power rule to differentiate.

Rules of exponents: 

Product Rule: 

Power Rule: 

Applying these rules we find the velocity function to be:

Example Question #180 : Spatial Calculus

Find the velocity function of a train if its position function is  .

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The velocity function is the first derivative of the position function, or 

.

We will use the power rule, , where  is a constant,

and the constant rule, , where  is a constant, to find the derivative of this position function.

For this problem:

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