Multiple-Choice Test

Background
Differentiation
COMPLETE SOLUTION SET

1. The definition of the first derivative of a function f (x) is

f ( x + x) + f ( x)
(A) f ' ( x) =
x
f ( x + x) f ( x)
(B) f ' ( x) =
x
f ( x + x) + f ( x)
(C) f ' ( x) = lim
x 0 x
f ( x + x) f ( x)
(D) f ' ( x) = lim
x 0 x

Solution
The correct answer is (D).
The definition of the first derivative of the function f (x) is

f ( x + x) f ( x)
f ' ( x) = lim
x 0 x

Choice (B) is incorrect as it is an approximate method to calculate the first derivative of a

function f (x) . In fact, choice (B) is the forward divided difference method of approximately
calculating the first derivative of a function.
 dy
2. Given y = 5e 3 x + sin x, is
dx
(A) 5e 3 x + cos x
(B) 15e 3 x + cos x
(C) 15e 3 x cos x
(D) 2.666e 3 x cos x

Solution
The correct answer is (B)

Use the sum rule of differentiation

d du dv
(u + v ) = +
dx dx dx
Re-write the function as
y =u+v
where
u = 5e3 x
v = sin x
du dv
Find and
dx dx
d d ax ax
(5e3 x ) = 15e3 x (e ) = ae
dx dx
d d
(sin x ) = cos x (sin x ) = cos x
dx dx
dy du dv
= +
dx dx dx
= 15e3 x + cos x
 dy
3. Given y = sin 2 x, at x = 3 is most nearly
dx
(A) 0.9600
(B) 0.9945
(C) 1.920
(D) 1.989

Solution
The correct answer is (C).

Using the chain rule

u = 2x
y = sin u
du
=2
dx
dy
= cos u
du
= cos 2 x
Since,
dy dy du
=
dx du dx
dy
= (cos 2 x ) 2
dx
At x = 3
dy
= (cos 6) 2 (Dont forget to use radians)
dx
= 0.9602 2
= 1.920
 dy
4. Given y = x 3 ln x, is
dx
(A) 3x 2 ln x
(B) 3x 2 ln x + x 2
(C) x 2
(D) 3 x

Solution
The correct answer is (B).

Using the product rule,

d
(uv ) = u dv + v du (1)
dx dx dx
u=x 3

v = ln x
du
= 3x 2
dx
dv 1
=
dx x
Substituting into Equation (1),
dy 1
= x 3 + ln x 3x 2
dx x
= x + 3x 2 ln x
2
 5. The velocity of a body as a function of time is given as (t ) = 5e 2t + 4 , where t is in
seconds, and is in m/s. The acceleration in m/s 2 at t = 0.6 s is
(A) -3.012
(B) 5.506
(C) 4.147
(D) -10.00

Solution
The correct answer is (A)

dv
a(t ) =
dt
=
d
dt
(
5e 2t + 4 )
d ax ax
= 10e 2t (e ) = ae
dx
a(0.6) = 10e 2( 0.6 )
= 3.012 m/s2
 dy
6. If x 2 + 2 xy = y 2 , then is
dx

x+ y
(A)
yx
(B) 2 x + 2 y
x +1
(C)
y
(D) x

Solution
The correct answer is (A).

d 2 d d
[ x ] + [2 xy ] = [ y 2 ]
dx dx dx
dy dy d dv du
2x + 2x + 2 y = 2 y (uv) = u + v
dx dx dx dx dx
dy
x + y = ( y x)
dx
dy x + y
=
dx y x