MEI A level Mathematics Differentiation

Section 2: The chain rule

Section test
1. The derivative of (2x + 1)4 is

(a) 4(2x + 1)3 (b) 52 (2 x + 1)5

(c) 8(2x + 1)3 (d) 15 (2 x + 1)5

2. The derivative of x 2 − 3 is

x x
(a) (b)
2 x2 − 3 x2 − 3
−1 3
(c) 12 ( x 2 − 3) 2 (d) 43 x( x 2 − 3) 2

1
3. Find the gradient of the curve y = at the point (1, −1).
1 − 2x

4. Find the equation of the tangent to the curve y = (3x − 2)3 at the point where x = 1 .

5. Find the equation of the normal to the curve y = 1 + x3 at the point (2, 3).

6. Find the turning points on the curve y = 2x − x 2 .

7. The gradient of the curve y = f(x) at the point (1, 2) is 3.

The inverse function of y = f(x) is y = f−1(x).
On the curve y = f−1(x), what is the corresponding point and its gradient?

1
8. Find the gradient of the curve x = y + at the point (2.5, 2).
y
100
9. When a light source is r cm from a point O, the light intensity at O is lux. If r = 5
r2
and the light source is moving away at a rate of 0.5 cm s−1, find the rate of change of the
light intensity.

10. The radius of a spherical balloon is 2 m and its volume is increasing at a rate of 0.1 m3
per minute. The volume V of a sphere of radius r is V = 4  r 3 . What is the rate at which
3
the radius is increasing?

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 A level Maths Differentiation 2 section test solutions

Section test solutions

du
1) Let u = 2 x + 1  =2
dx
dy
y = u4  = 4u3
du
dy dy du
Using the chain rule: = 
dx du dx
= 4u 3  2
= 8u3
= 8 ( 2 x + 1)
3

du
2) Let u = x 2 − 3  = 2x
dx
1 dy 1 − 21
y = u2  = u
du 2
dy dy du
Using the chain rule: = 
dx du dx
−1
= 21 u 2  2 x
− 21
= xu

( )
− 21
= x x2 − 3
x
=
x2 − 3

du
3) Let u = 1 − 2 x  = −2
dx
1 dy 1
y = = u−1  = −u−2 = − 2
u du u
dy dy du
Using the chain rule: = 
dx du dx
 1 2
=  − 2  x ( −2 ) =
 u  (1− 2x )
2

2
The gradient of the curve at the point x = 1: m = =2
(1− 2 1)
2

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 A level Maths Differentiation 2 section test solutions

du
4) Let u = 3x − 2  =3
dx
dy
y = u3  = 3u2
du
dy dy du
Using the chain rule: = 
dx du dx
= 3u2  3 = 9(3x − 2)2
The gradient of the curve at the point x = 1: m = 9  12 = 9
When x = 1, y = 1
y − y1 = m ( x − x1 )
y − 1 = 9 ( x − 1)
y − 1 = 9x − 9
y = 9x − 8

du
5) Let u = 1 + x 3  = 3x 2
dx
1 dy 1 − 21 1
y = u = u2  = 2u =
du 2 u
dy dy du
Using the chain rule: = 
dx du dx
1
=  3x 2
2 u
3x 2
=
2 u
3x 2
=
2 1+ x 3
3  22
The gradient of the curve at the point x = 2 : m = =2
2 1 + 23
Therefore the gradient of the normal is − 21 .
y − y1 = m ( x − x1 )
y − 3 = − 21 ( x − 2 )
2( y − 3) = −( x − 2)
2 y − 6 = −x + 2
2 y = −x + 8
y = − 21 x + 4

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 A level Maths Differentiation 2 section test solutions

du
6) Let u = 2 x − x 2  = 2 − 2x
dx
1 dy 1 − 21
y = u = u2  = u
du 2
dy dy du 1 − 21 1− x
Using the chain rule: =  = 2 u  (2 − 2x ) =
dx du dx 2 − 2x 2
dy
As we want the turning points, we want to know when =0
dx
1− x
=0
2 − 2x 2
1− x = 0
1= x
x =1
In the original equation, when x = 1, y = 2 (1) − (1) = 1 = 1 only
2

Therefore, the turning point is (1,1) .

7) The graph of the inverse of a function y = f ( x ) is found by reflecting the graph of

y = f ( x ) in the line y = x .
If you reflect the point (1,2) in the line y = x , the point becomes ( 2,1) .
The point ( 2,1) for y = f −1 ( x ) is a reflection of the point (1,2) of y = f ( x ) ,
therefore the gradient at the point ( 2,1) is 1
3
.

1
8) x = y + = y + y −1
y
dx 1
= 1 − y −2 = 1 − 2
dy y
dy  1 
= 1 1 − 2 
dx  y 
 1 4
When y = 2, = 1 1 − 2  = 1 3
=
 2 
4
3

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 A level Maths Differentiation 2 section test solutions

100
9) I =
r2
dI 200
=− 3
dr r
dr
When r = 5, = 0.5
dt
dI dr dI
Using the chain rule: = 
dt dt dr
 
200
= 0.5   − 3 
 ( ) 
 5 

= −0.8 lux.s-1

dv
10) = 0.1
dt
dv dr 1
v = 34  r 3  = 4 r 2  =
dr dv 4 r 2
dr dv dr
Using the chain rule: = 
dt dt dv
 1 
= ( 0.1)   2 
 4 r 
1
=
40 r 2
1
=
40 ( 2 )
2

1
=
160
= 0.00199m per min

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