1.8.

1 The derivative as a rate of change

1.- If a ball is thrown into the air the position of the ball is given by the function 𝑠(𝑡) = 10𝑡 − 5𝑡 2 ,
where t these measure in seconds and s in meters.

a) Find the position of the ball at the 0.5 seconds

b) Find the average velocity on the interval [0, 0.5]
c) Complete the following table unfound instantaneous velocity At T equals 0.5 seconds

Time interval Change in Initial Final Position Change in Average

time Position position velocity
[0.5, 0.51]
[0.5, 0.501]
[0.5, 0.5001]
[0.49, 0.5]
[0.499, 0.5]
[0.4999, 0.5]

2.- The velocity of an object is given by 𝑣(𝑡) = −10𝑡 2 + 3, where t is measured in seconds and v
in meters per second.

a) What is instantaneous velocity at t=2 seconds?

b) What is the average acceleration of the object on the interval [0, 2]?
c) What is its instantaneous acceleration when t=2 seconds?

Time interval Change in Initial Final velocity Change in Average

time Velocity velocity acceleration

3.- A cake is removed from the oven with the temperature of 160 °C and it is placed on a table
were the room temperature is 25 °C. The temperatures of the cake can be modeled by the
equation T(t) = 160-12t + 0.1t 2 , where T is in °C and t in minutes.

a) What is the temperature of the cake at t= 5 minutes?

b) What is the average change in temperature of the cake on the interval [0, 5]?
c) What is its instantaneous change in temperature at t=5 minutes?

Note: since the rate of change of temperature does not have a specific name, you may use the
notation T’(t) to denotate it.
4.- The position equation for an object in free fall dropped near the surface of Mars is given by
h(t) = 1.86t 2 (h is in meters and t in seconds). a) How far from its starting point is the object after
3 seconds? b) What is the object’s average velocity on the interval [0, 3]? c) What is the object’s
instantaneous velocity at t= 3 s?

5.- A cup of coffee is placed in a microwave oven until it reaches a temperature of 80 ºC, it is then
removed from the oven and placed on a table where the temperature is 20 ºC. The temperatures
of the coffee can be modeled according to the equation T(t) = 80-3t + 0.16t 2 , where T is in ºC
and t is in minutes.

a) What is the coffee’s temperature at t=3 minutes?

b) What is the coffee’s average change in temperature of the coffee on the interval [0, 3]?
c) What is the coffee’s instantaneous change in temperature at t 5 3 minutes?

6.- The velocity off an object is given by 𝑣(𝑡) = −8𝑡 2 + 5, where t is measured in seconds and v in
meters per second.

a) What is instantaneous velocity at t=2 seconds?

b) What is the average acceleration of the object on the interval [0, 2]?
c) What is its instantaneous acceleration when t=2 seconds?

Answers

1.- a) 3.75m b) 7.5 m/s c) 5´m/s

2.- a) -37 m/s b) -20 m/s2 c) -40m/s2
3.- a) 102.5°C b) -11.5°C/min c) -11°C/min
4.- a) 16.74 m b) 5.58 m/s c) 11.16 m/s
5.- a) 72.4°C b) -2.52°C/min c) -2.04°C/min
6.- a) -27 m/s b) -16 m/s2 c) -32 m/s2