Calculus 1 : How to find slope by graphing functions

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Calculus 1

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

← Previous 1 3

Example Question #1 :Slope

What is the slope of the tangent line of f(x) = 3x4– 5x3– 4x at x = 40?

Possible Answers:

768,000

None of the other answers

331,841

684,910

743,996

Correct answer:

743,996

Explanation:

The first derivative is easy:

f'(x) = 12x3– 15x2– 4

The slope of the tangent line is found by calculating f'(40) = 12 * 403– 15 * 402– 4 = 768,000 – 24,000 – 4 = 743,996

Example Question #2 :Slope

Find the slope of the line tangent towhenis equal to.

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To find the slope of a tangent line, we need to find the first derivative of the function at that point. In other words, we need y'(6).

Taking the first derivative using the Power Rulewe get the following.

Substituting in 6 for b and solving we get:

.

So our answer is 320160

Example Question #3 :Slope

Find function which gives the slope of the line tangent to.

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

找到一个切线的斜率,我们需要first derivative.

Recall that to find the first derivative of a polynomial, we need to decrease each exponent by one and multiply by the original number.

Example Question #1 :Slope

Find the slope of the line tangent toat.

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The slope of the tangent line can be found easily via derivatives. To find the slope of the tangent line at s=16, find b'(16) using the power rule on each term which states:

Applying this rule we get:

Therefore, the slope we are looking for is 454.

Example Question #2 :Slope

Find the slope ofat.

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To find the slope of the line at that point, find the derivative of f(x) and plug in that point.

Remember that the derivative ofand the derivative of

Now plug in

Example Question #6 :Slope

Find the slope ofatgiven. Assume the integration constant is zero.

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The first step here is to integratein order to get.

Here the problem tells us that the integration constant, so

Plug inhere

Example Question #7 :Slope

Consider the curve

.

What is the slope of this curve at?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The slope of a curve at any point is equal to the derivative of the curve at that point.

Remembering that the derivative ofand using the power rule on the second term we find the derivative to be:

.

Pluggin inwe find that the slope is.

Example Question #8 :Slope

Find the line tangent toat.

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Find the line tangent toat.

First, we find:

Next, we find the derivative:

Therefore, the slope atis:

.

Using point-slope form, we can write the tangent line:

Simplifying this gives us:

Example Question #9 :Slope

An isosceles triangle has one point at, one point atand one point on the-axis. What is the slope of the line between the point on the-axis and?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The other point of the triangle must be atas it must be equidistant from the other two points of the triangle. Since all points on the y-axis areunits away from the other points in thedirection, the third point must be equidistant in thedirection from bothand. The distance between these points is, so the third point must have a y-value of. The third point is now atso the slope of the line fromtois as follows.

Example Question #10 :Slope

What is the slope of the line tangent to the graph ofat?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

We must take the derivative of the function using the chain rule yielding.

The chain rule is.

Also remember that the derivative ofis.

Applying these rules we get the following.

Plugging in the value forwe getwhich is.

← Previous 1 3
Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors