Math 131 Exam 3 Spring 2016

Name:
ID:

• 16 multiple choice questions worth 4.5 points each.

• 2 hand graded questions worth 14 points each.
• Exam covers sections 4.1 through 4.7

• No graphing calculators!
Any non-graphing, non-differentiating, non-integrating scientific calculator is fine.
• For the multiple choice questions, mark your answer on the answer card.
• Show all your work for the written problems. Your ability to make your solution clear
will be part of the grade.

sin(A ± B) = sin A cos B ± sin B cos A cos(A ± B) = cos A cos B ∓ sin A sin B

tan A ± tan B 1 − cos A sin A

tan(A ± B) = tan(A/2) = =
1 ∓ tan A tan B sin A 1 + cos A
1 − cos A 1 + cos A
sin2 (A/2) = cos2 (A/2) =
2 2
1 1
sin A sin B = [cos(A − B) − cos(A + B)] cos A cos B = [cos(A − B) + cos(A + B)]
2 2
1
sin A cos B = [sin(A + B) + cos(A − B)]
2
       
A+B A−B A+B A−B
sin A + sin B = 2 sin cos sin A − sin B = 2 cos sin
2 2 2 2
       
A+B A−B A+B A−B
cos A + cos B = 2 cos cos cos A − cos B = −2 sin sin
2 2 2 2
sin A sin B sin C
Law of Cos: c2 = a2 + b2 − 2ab cos C Law of Sin: = =
a b c
d 1 d 1
sin−1 x = √ cos−1 x = − √



dx 1 − x2 dx 1 − x2
d 1 4
tan−1 x = VSphere = πr3


dx 1 + x2 2
1 1
VCone = πr2 h VPyramid = Bh
3 3
Math 131 Exam 3 Page 2 of 19
1
1. Find lim x x
x→∞
A. Does Not Exist
B. Limit exists but it is impossible to determine the limit
C. −∞
D. 0
1
E.
e
F. 1
G. e
H. ∞

Solution: After some algebra, use L’Hospital’s Rule:

1 1
lim x x = lim exp(ln(x x ))
x→∞ x→∞
1
= lim exp( ln x)
x→∞
 x 
ln x
=exp lim
x→∞ x
 
LH (1/x) ∞
= exp lim (of the form: )
x→∞ 1 ∞
 
1
=exp lim
x→∞ x

=exp(0) = e0 = 1

2. Let f (x) = x4 − 8x2 + 2.

Let m be the absolute minimum of f on the interval [1, 3]
Let M be the absolute maximum of f on the interval [1, 3]
Find M − m.
Math 131 Exam 3 Page 3 of 19

A. There is no absolute max or absolute min so M − m doesn’t make sense.

B. 0
C. 2
D. 7
E. 9

F. 19
G. 25
H. 28
I. ∞

Solution: Find all critical points by solving f 0 (x) = 0. f 0 (x) = 4x3 − 16x =
4x(x2 − 4) so critical points are x = −2, 0, 2. Plug in all critical points within the
interval and the endpoints:

x y
−2 −14 Not in interval
0 2 Not in interval
1 −5
2 −14 MIN
3 11 MAX

So M = 11 and m = −14 and M − m = 25.

Math 131 Exam 3 Page 4 of 19

2
3. Let f (x) = xeax . Find a so that x = 2 is a critical point of f
A. It is not possible to find such a value for a.
B. −1
C. −1/2

D. −1/4
E. −1/8
F. 0
G. 1/8
H. 1/4
I. 1/2
J. 1

Solution: We need to solve f 0 (2) = 0.

2
f 0 (x) =(2ax2 + 1)eax
f 0 (2) =(2a(2)2 + 1)e4a = 0
8a + 1 = 0
1
a=−
8

2x + 6
4. Find lim
x→−3 ln(x + 4)

A. The limit does not exist

B. −2
C. −1
D. 0
E. e−2
Math 131 Exam 3 Page 5 of 19

F. e−1

G. 1
H. 2
I. e
J. e2

Solution: This is a limit of the form 00 , so we use L’Hospital.

2x + 6 LH 2
lim = lim 1
x→−3 ln(x + 4) x→−3
x+4
= lim 2(x + 4) = 2
x→−3
Math 131 Exam 3 Page 6 of 19
√
5. Find the absolute maximum value of f (x) = x 4 − x2 on [−1, 2]
A. f has no absolute maximum on this interval.
B. −2
√
C. − 3
√
D. − 2
E. −1
F. 0
G. 1
√
H. 2
√
I. 3
J. 2

Solution:
4 − 2x2
f 0 (x) = √
4 − x2
√
Solving f 0 (x) = 0 gives x = ± 2.
Plug in all critical points within the interval and the endpoints:

√x y
− 2 −2
√ Not in interval
−1
√ − 3 MIN
2 2 MAX
2 0

e4x − 1 − 4x
6. Find lim
x→0 x2
A. Does not exist
Math 131 Exam 3 Page 7 of 19

B. 0
C. 2

D. 4
E. 8
F. 16
G. ∞

Solution:
e4x − 1 − 4x LH 4e4x − 4
lim = lim Form: 0/0
x→0 x2 x→0 2x
LH 16e4x
= lim Form: 0/0
x→0 2
=8
Math 131 Exam 3 Page 8 of 19

7. Find the absolute maximum of f (x) = esin x on the interval [0, π]

A. f has no absolute maximum on this interval.
B. 0
1
C. π
D. 1
√
E. e

F. 2
G. e
H. π
I. e2
J. π 2

Solution: f 0 (x) = (cos x)esin x . Solving f 0 (x) = 0 gives cos x = 0 and on our interval
we have the critical point x = π/2.
Plug in all critical points within the interval and the endpoints:

x y
0 1 MIN
π/2 e MAX
π 1 MIN

8. How many critical numbers does the function f (x) have?

f (x) = (x2 − 1)1/3

A. It is impossible to determine.
B. 0
C. 1
Math 131 Exam 3 Page 9 of 19

D. 2
E. 3
F. 4
G. 5
H. 6
I. ∞

Solution: f 0 (x) = 2x
3(x2 −1)2/3
. The critical numbers are x = 0, x = 1 and x = −1.
Math 131 Exam 3 Page 10 of 19

9. Find the limit

 x/2
6
lim 1 −
x→∞ x

A. The limit does not exist

B. 0
C. e−3
D. e−2
E. e−1
F. 1
G. 2
H. e
I. 3
J. e2
K. ∞

Solution: The given limit is of the form 1∞ .

 x/2  x/2 !
6 6
lim 1 − = lim exp ln 1 −
x→∞ x x→∞ x
  
x 6
= lim exp ln 1 −
x→∞ 2 x
  
x 6
=exp lim ln 1 − (this is of the form ∞ · 0)
x→∞ 2 x

!
ln 1 − x6
=exp lim (this is of the form 0/0)
x→∞ 2/x
1 2 !
6 · (6/x )
LH 1− x
= exp lim
x→∞ −2/x2
 
6x
=exp lim = exp (−3) = e−3
x→∞ −2(x − 6)
Math 131 Exam 3 Page 11 of 19

−2x2 + 5x + 1
10. Find an equation of the slant asymptote of y =
x−2
A. There is no slant asymptote for this function.
B. y = 2x
C. y = 2x + 1
D. y = 2x − 1

E. y = −2x
F. y = −2x + 1
G. y = −2x − 1

Solution: Long divide

−2x2 + 5x + 1 3
= (−2x + 1) +
x−2 x−2
So the slant asymptote is y = −2x + 1. We can check this by computing the limit:

−2x2 + 5x + 1 3
lim f (x) − (−2x + 1) = lim − (−2x + 1) = lim =0
x→∞ x→∞ x−2 x→∞ x − 2
Math 131 Exam 3 Page 12 of 19

11. Find the interval(s) on which f (x) = ln(x2 + 4) is increasing

A. The function f (x) is never increasing.
B. (−∞, ∞)

C. (−∞, 0)
D. (0, ∞)
E. (−2, 2)
F. (−2, 0)
G. (0, 2)
H. (−∞, 2) and (2, ∞)

Solution:

12. Suppose the derivative of a function f is f 0 (x) = (x − 1)2 (x − 4)7 (x + 3)8 . On what
intervals is f increasing?
A. f is never increasing
B. (∞, −3)
C. (−3, 1)

D. (1, 4)
E. (4, ∞)
F. (−∞, −3) ∪ (1, 4)
G. (−3, 1) ∪ (4, ∞)
H. (∞, ∞)

Solution: f 0 (x) = 0 when x = 1, 4, −3. We make a first derivative sign chart.

f0 − − − +
x < −3 −3 < x < 1 1 < x < 4 x > 4
Math 131 Exam 3 Page 13 of 19

13. Suppose f (2) = 5 and f 0 (x) ≥ 3 for 2 ≤ x ≤ 4.

With no further information, how small can f (4) possibly be?
A. It is impossible to say or f (4) could be infinitely small
B. 3
C. 4
D. 5
E. 6
F. 7
G. 8
H. 9

I. 10
J. 11.

Solution: Method 1: (intuitive, less rigorous approach, but completely fine):

f 0 measure how steep the graph can be. The steeper f is, the bigger f is. Thus,
to make f as small as possible, we want f 0 to be as small as possible. According to
what is know, the smallest f 0 can be is 3. Thus, if f 0 = 3 (and f is a line on the
interval (2, 4), with slope 3) then f (4) would be equal to 5 + 3 · 2 = 11.
Method 2: Mean Value Theorem:
For some c in (2, 4) we have:

f (4) − f (2) =f 0 (c)(4 − 2)

f (4) =f (2) + f 0 (c) = 5 + f 0 (c) · 2 ≥ 5 + 2 · 3 = 11

14. Let f (x) = x3 + ax2 − a3 x + 7. Find a so that f has an inflection point at x = 1.

A. There is no value of a that will give f an inflection point at x = 1.

B. a = −3
Math 131 Exam 3 Page 14 of 19

C. a = −2
D. a = −1
E. a = 0
F. a = 1
G. a = 2
H. a = 3

Solution: f 00 (x) = 6x + 2a. Solving f 0 (x) = 0 gives x = −a/3. If there is to be an

inflection point at x = 1 then we must have a = −3.
Technically, one should check that concavity actually changes otherwise the answer
“no value of a will give an inflection point” would be a correct answer. This is an
easy check and a = −3 is the correct answer.
Math 131 Exam 3 Page 15 of 19

15. Consider the following functions and intervals.

I. f (x) = x2/3 on [−2, 3]

II. f (x) = x5/6 on [5, 6]
p
III. f (x) = x(1 − x) on [0, 1]

Which of these functions satisfy the hypotheses of the Mean Value Theorem on the given
interval?
A. None
B. I only
C. II only
D. III only
E. I and II only

F. I and III only

G. II and III only
H. I, II and III

Solution: The main point here is that the function has to be differentiable on the
interval. This is only true for the functions II and III, not for I.

16. Suppose you know the following about the differentiable function f (x):

x 2 3
f (x) 4 0
f 0 (x) 0 2
f 00 (x) 2 1

Which of the following MUST be true.

I. f has a local maximum at x = 2.

II. f has a local minimum at x = 2.
III. f has a local maximum at x = 3.
IV. f has a local minimum at x = 3.

A. None must be true

B. I only
C. II only
D. III only
Math 131 Exam 3 Page 16 of 19

E. IV only
F. I and III only
G. I and IV only
H. II and III only
I. II and IV only

Solution: Since x = 2 is a critical point and f 00 (2) > 0, by the second derivative
test, x = 2 must be a local minimum.
Math 131 Exam 3 Page 17 of 19

Name:
ID:
Written Problem. You will be graded on the readability of your work.
Use the back of this sheet, if necessary.

17. Given f , f 0 and f 00 , graph the function f (x). Identify all important aspects of the
function (as discussed in class and in the text).

f (x) =x(6 − x)2/3

18 − 5x
f 0 (x) =
3(6 − x)1/3
10x − 72
f 00 (x) =
9(6 − x)4/3

Solution: Critical points: x = 18/5 = 3.6 and x = 6.

Possible Inflection Points: x = 6 and x = 36/5 = 7.2
We make a sign charts for these

f 00 − − − +
f0 + − + +
x < 3.6 3.6 < x < 6 6 < x < 7.2 x > 7.2

Get some y values and identify key points

x f (x)
18
5
6.45 Local Max
6 0 Local Min
36
5
8.13 Inflection Point

CD CD CD CU

8.13 Max IP
6.45
x
Min
3.6 6 7.2
Math 131 Exam 3 Page 18 of 19

Intervals of increasing and decreasing are obvious in the graph. The concavity is
pictured. If I were graphing this by hand, I would emphasize the concavity for
x > 6. It is labelled correctly, but it is just not obvious from the graph that is is
concave up/down (for these x-values, |f 00 (x)| is very small so it is difficult to see the
concavity in the graph).
There are no asymptotes to note.
Math 131 Exam 3 Page 19 of 19

Name:
ID:
Written Problem. You will be graded on the readability of your work.
Use the back of this sheet, if necessary.

18. Find the point on the parabola y = x2 that is closest to the point (0, 3). Be sure to
include why your answer is the closet point.

Solution: The function we want to maximize is the distance between (0, 3) and
(x, x2 ).
p
d = (x − 0)2 + (x2 − 3)2

The maximum and minimum of d will occur at the same points for the maximum
and minimum of d2 , so we’ll work with this easier function:

D =d2 = x2 + (x2 − 3)2 = x4 − 5x2 + 9

D0 =4x3 − 10x = 2x(2x2 − 5)
p
Thus we have critical point x = 0 and x = ± 5/2 ≈ ±1.58.
To determine which, if any, is a global minimum, we need to do the first derivative
test.
D0 −p p + −p +
p
x < − 5/2 − 5/2 < x < 0 0 < x < 5/2 x > 5/2
p
Thus we see that x = ± 5/2 are local minimums (and at least one will be a global
min) and x = 0 is a local maximum.

px D
− 5/2 11
4
Global Min
p0 9 Local Max
5/2 11
4
Global Min
p p
Thus the minimum occurs
p at two points (− 5/2, 5/2) and ( 5/2, 5/2) and the
minimum distance is 11/4.