Head to www.savemyexams.

com for more awesome resources

4.1 Differentiation
Question Paper

Course Edexcel International A Level Maths

Section 4. Differentiation
Topic 4.1 Differentiation
Difficulty Medium

Time Allowed 60
Score /50
Percentage /100

Page 1 of 8

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Question 1a
dy
For each of the following, find in terms of x:
dx
y = 4x 2 − 3x + 19
[1 mark]

Question 1b
y = x 3 − 5x 2 + 14x − 1
[2 marks]

Question 1c
3
y = 4x 2 − 3x −1
[2 marks]

Question 2
1 dy
Given that y = x + , x > 0, find .
x dx
[3 marks]

Page 2 of 8

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Question 3a
dy
For each of the following, find in terms of x:
dx
y = (2x + 3) (3x − 1)
[2 marks]

Question 3b
⎛ 1 2 3⎞
y = x 3 ⎜⎜ 3 − 2 + ⎟⎟
⎝x x x⎠
[2 marks]

Question 4a
The function f is defined by f (x) = 2x3 − x2 − 4x + 3 .

Find f ' (x ) .
[2 marks]

Question 4b
Solve the equation f ' (x ) = 0.

[2 marks]

Page 3 of 8

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Question 5a
A curve has the equation y = 3x − 4x −2, x ≠ 0 .
dy
Find .
dx

[2 marks]

Question 5b
Find the coordinates of the point on the curve where the gradient is 2.

[2 marks]

Question 6a
The function f is defined by f (x) = x3 − 6x2 − cx + 12 .

Find f ' (x) .

[2 marks]

Question 6b
Given that the equation f ' (x) = 0 has exactly one real solution, find the value of c.

[2 marks]

Page 4 of 8

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Question 7a
y
A curve is described by the equation = x 2 + 1.
x−3
Make y the subject of the equation.

[1 mark]

Question 7b
dy
Hence find .
dx

[1 mark]

Question 7c
Find the coordinates of the point on the curve where the gradient is − 2 .
[2 marks]

Question 8a
The curve with equation y = ax 2 + bx + c has a gradient of −7 at the point (−1, 13) , and a gradient of −3 at the
point (1,3) .
dy
By considering show that 2a + b = − 3 and −2a + b = − 7 .
dx
[2 marks]

Page 5 of 8

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Question 8b
Hence find the values of a and b .

[1 mark]

Question 8c
By considering a point that you know to be on the curve, find the value of c .
[2 marks]

Question 9a
The curve C has equation y = 2x 3 − 3x 2 + 4x − 3 .

Show that the point P (2,9) lies on C .

[1 mark]

Question 9b
dy
Show that the value of at P is 16.
dx

[3 marks]

Page 6 of 8

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Question 9c
Find an equation of the tangent to C at P .

[2 marks]

Question 10a
4
The curve C has equation y = 3x 2 − 6 + . The point P (1,1) lies on C .
x
dy
Find an expression for .
dx

[2 marks]

Question 10b
Show that an equation of the normal to C at point P is x + 2y = 3 .

[3 marks]

Page 7 of 8

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Question 10c
This normal cuts the -axis at the point Q .

Find the length of PQ , giving your answer as an exact value.

[2 marks]

Question 11a
Given that y = 2x 3 − 8 x , find
dy
dx
[2 marks]

Question 11b
d2 y
dx 2
[2 marks]

Page 8 of 8

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers