SLOPE OF A LINE

TANGENT TO A
CURVE
 OBJECTIVES:
identify the slope of a line;
illustrate the tangent line to the graph of a
function at a given point;
solve the slope of the line tangent to a curve;
show accuracy and perseverance in solving
for the slope of the tangent line to the curve;
and
manifest patience and honesty in all activities.
 CALCULUS
Mathematics of change
Has two subfields;
Differential and Integral
Calculus
 TWO SUBFIELDS:
Differential Calculus
Concerned with the study of the
rates at which quantities change
Integral Calculus
Study of the area beneath a curve
 DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS
Differentiation
A process of finding a function that
outputs the rate of change of one
variable with respect to another
variable
Process of computing/solving for the
derivative
A function defined as the limit of a
difference quotient
 DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS
Derivative of a function
y= f(x) of a variable x is a measure
of the rate at which the value y of
the function changes with respect
to the change of the variable x
describe the rate of change of the
function near the input value
 SLOPE
Numerical expression of a
line’s steepness
𝑌2 −𝑌1
𝑚 = (slope of a line)
𝑋2 − 𝑋1
 TANGENT LINE
A line which touches the graph
at only one point
A line that passes through a
point of a curve
 SLOPE OF A LINE
TANGENT TO A CURVE
Limit of the difference quotient
Use to solve the derivative of a
function
𝑓 𝑥+ℎ −𝑓(𝑥)
m =
ℎ
 STEPS:
1. Evaluate f at (x+h). Change x to
(x+h)
2. Subtract f(x) from f(x+h)
3. Divide the difference of f(x+h)
and f(x) by h
4. Take the limit of the quotient as
h approaches 0.
 EXAMPLE:
1. Consider f(x) =2x2

a) Find the expression for the

slope of the curve
b) Identify the slope of the curve
where x=2
 EXAMPLE:
2
2. Consider f(x) = at x= -1
𝑥
a) Find the expression for the
slope of the curve
b) Identify the slope of the curve
where x=2
 EXAMPLE:
3. Consider f(x) = 2x2 -3x +4 at
x= 2
a) Find the expression for the
slope of the curve
b) Identify the slope of the curve
where x=2
DERIVATIVE OF A
FUNCTION
 DEFINITION:
The derivative of a f(x) with respect
to x is the function f’(x) where
𝑓 𝑥+ℎ −𝑓(𝑥)
f’(x) = lim
ℎ→0 ℎ
provided the limit exists. The domain
of f’ consists of all x in the domain
for which the limit exists.
 EXAMPLE:
1. Solve for the derivative of
f(x) = 2x 2

2
2. Solve for the derivative of f(x) =
𝑥
3. Solve for the derivative of
f(x) = 2x -3x +4 at x= 2
2
 EXAMPLE:
4. Solve for the derivative of
f(x) = 3x-5
5. Solve for the derivative of
f(x)= 4x +12x -9
2