High School Math : High School Math

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for High School Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #2 : Using The Chain Rule

What is the first derivative of ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To solve for the first derivative, we're going to use the chain rule. The chain rule says that when taking the derivative of a nested function, your answer is the derivative of the outside times the derivative of the inside.

Mathematically, it would look like this: 

Plug in our equations.

Example Question #3 : Using The Chain Rule

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

For this problem we need to use the chain rule: 

Example Question #2 : Using The Chain Rule

Find the derivative of the following function:

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Use -substitution so that .

Then the function  becomes .

By the chain rule, .

We calculate each term using the power rule:

Plug in :

Example Question #1 : Specific Derivatives

An ellipse is represented by the following equation:

What is the slope of the curve at the point (3,2)?

Possible Answers:

undefined

Correct answer:

Explanation:

It would be difficult to differentiate this equation by isolating . Luckily, we don't have to.  Use to represent the derivative of  with respect to and follow the chain rule.

 

(Remember, is the derivative of  with respect to , although it usually doesn't get written out because it is equal to 1. We'll write it out this time so you can see how implicit differentiation works.)

 

Now we need to isolate by first putting all of these terms on the same side:

This is the equation for the derivative at any point on the curve. By substituting in (3, 2) from the original question, we can find the slope at that particular point:

Example Question #1 : Understanding Derivatives Of Exponents

Find the derivative for 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The derivative must be computed using the product rule.  Because the derivative of  brings a  down as a coefficient, it can be combined with  to give 

Example Question #61 : Derivatives

Give the instantaneous rate of change of the function  at .

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The instantaneous rate of change of  at  is , so we will find  and evaluate it at .

 for any positive , so 

Example Question #3 : Understanding Derivatives Of Exponents

What is  ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Therefore, 

 for any real , so , and

Example Question #4 : Understanding Derivatives Of Exponents

What is  ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Therefore, 

 for any positive , so , and

 

 

Example Question #62 : Derivatives

Find the derivative of the following function:

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The derivative of  is. It is probably best to memorize this fact (the proof follows from the difference quotient definition of a derivative).

Our function 

the factor of 3 does not change when we differentiate, therefore the answer is

Example Question #63 : Derivatives

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The derivative of a sine function does not follow the power rule. It is one that should be memorized.

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