Les 4 Difference Quotient.

notebook

Minds On:
Construct the graph of a piecewise function that
meets the following criteria:
• jump discontinuity at x = 3.
• removable discontinuity at x = ‐1.
• f (‐1) = 5 .
• f (3) does not exist.

Feb 11­4:09 PM

Lesson 4
The Difference Quotient
By the end of today's class, I will be able to
• evaluate a function using the difference
quotient
• relate the slope of a secant line to the difference
quotient
• apply limits to the difference quotient to apply it
to the slope of a tangent line

Feb 11­4:06 PM

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Les 4 Difference Quotient.notebook

Pairs, Share:
Discuss with the person beside you what the
following terms represent.
• secant line
• tangent line
• tangent point

Feb 11­4:09 PM

Recall from Advanced Functions:

(1) Average Rate of Change

The average rate of change represents the slope

of the secant over the interval
Average
Rate of Change
(2) Instantaneous Rate of Change

The instantaneous rate of change represents the slope of the

tangent to the curve at the point x = a.

To determine the instantaneous rate of change at a point, we

need to choose really small intervals on either side of x = a.

Feb 11­4:10 PM

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Secant Lines P(a+h, f (a+h))

Slope of the secant line from a to a+h is

Q(a, f (a))

This is referred to as
the Difference
Quotient.

Feb 11­4:11 PM

Example 1
Using the method you learned in Advanced Functions, determine the slope of
the tangent to the graph of the parabola f(x) = x2 at P (2,4).

Feb 11­4:11 PM

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Objective: To determine the equation of a tangent to a curve at a given point.

Notation for a limit: lim f(x)

h 0

https://www.desmos.com/calculator/8ubngtz3ei

Feb 11­4:19 PM

The Slope of a Tangent at an Arbitrary Point

We have looked at how we can generalize our strategy of determining the slope of
a secant (determine average rate of change between two points) and how to
extend this thinking to determining the slope of a tangent to a curve at a specific
point (instantaneous rate of change of the function at a point, x=a).

Feb 11­4:30 PM

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Tangent Lines P(a+h, f (a+h))

The tangent line at a
occurs as the distance
between the two points
approaches 0. That is, Q(a, f (a))
as h approaches 0.
That is, when we
take the limit as h
approaches 0 of the
Difference Quotient.

This is referred to as First Principles and

is the basis for Derivatives .

Feb 11­4:32 PM

Example 1: For the function,

determine the slope of the secant line between x=a

A)
and x=a+h using the difference quotient.

B) use the slope of the secant line from Part A) to determine

the slope of the secant line from
x=2 to x=5 .
C) determine the slope of the tangent line at
x=a using the difference quotient.
use the slope of the tangent line from Part C) to determine
D)
the slope of the tangent line at x=2 .

Feb 11­4:36 PM

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Les 4 Difference Quotient.notebook

Example 1: For the function,

A) determine the slope of the secant line between x=a

and x=a+h using the difference quotient.

Feb 11­4:39 PM

Example 1: For the function,

use the slope of the secant line from Part A) to determine

B) the slope of the secant line from
x=2 to x=5.

Feb 11­4:48 PM

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Les 4 Difference Quotient.notebook

Example 1: For the function,

C) determine the slope of the tangent line at x=a using the

difference quotient.

Feb 11­4:49 PM

Example 1: For the function,

D) use the slope of the tangent line from Part C) to determine

the slope of the tangent line at x=2 .

Feb 11­4:52 PM

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Les 4 Difference Quotient.notebook

Example 2: Determine the instantaneous rate of

change between x=a for the function

Feb 11­4:53 PM

Example 3:
Find the slope of the tangent to a curve
at the point a=1. Use the limits formula

Feb 11­4:57 PM

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Homework

1.2 # 3 ‐ 5, 8, 9, 11, 13

Feb 11­4:55 PM