GMAT Math : Tangent Lines

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GMAT Math

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Example Questions

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Example Question #1 : Calculating The Slope Of A Tangent Line

Calculate the slope of the line tangent to the following curve at   :

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

First find the derivative of the function, and then plug in the given x coordinate, which will give the slope of the function at that location. The slope of the tangent line to a curve at a given location is equal to the slope of the function at that location:

Example Question #2 : Calculating The Slope Of A Tangent Line

Calculate the slope of the line tangent to the following curve at   :

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

First find the derivative of the function. The slope of the tangent line to a curve at a given point is equal to the slope of the function at that point, and the derivative of a function tells us its slope at any point. Plugging the given point into the equation for the derivative, we can calculate the slope of the function, and therefore the slope of the tangent line, at that point:

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