DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS

UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS
MATH 131, Fall 2009
Exam 1

Your Name:

The exam consists of 5 multiple choice questions and 4 long answers. Each problem is
worth the indicated number of points. On this exam you may use a page of your own
handwritten notes, but no books and no calculators. The last page is left blank for you
to use as scrap paper.

There are multiple versions of the exam, so please do not try to look on a neighbor’s
paper. Turn off and do not attempt to use your cellphone at anytime during the exam.

You do not need to justify your answers to the multiple choice questions, but you must
show your work in the exam booklet to receive credit for the four long answer problems.
Partial credit will be awarded based on your work. Be prepared to show your UMass ID
when you turn in the exam.

1-5: (25 points)

6: (20 points)

7: (15 points)

8: (20 points)

9: (20 points)

TOTAL: (100)

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Multiple choice. Circle the correct answer. (5 points each).

1. A function f (x) is continuous everywhere. It satisfies

f (1) = 10, f (2) = 3, f (3) = −5, and f (4) = −18.

The intermediate value theorem says that the equation

(a) f (x) = 8.675309 has a solution for some x between 1 and 2.
(b) f (x) = 8.675309 has a solution for some x between 2 and 3.
(c) f (x) = 8.675309 has a solution for some x between 3 and 4.
(d) f (x) = 8.675309 has a solution for some x with x < −18.
(e) It cannot be determined from the information whether f (x) = 8.675309 has a
solution.

2. Let
x2 +1


 x−1
if x<0
f (x) = 2x − 1 if 0≤x≤3
 √

x + 1 if x>3

Then
(a) f (x) is continuous for all real numbers.
(b) f (x) is continuous for all real numbers except when x = 0.
(c) f (x) is continuous for all real numbers except when x = 3.
(d) f (x) is continuous for all real numbers except when x equals 0 or 3.
(e) f (x) is continuous for all real numbers except when x equals 0, 1 or 3.

3. The squeeze theorem can be used to show that

1
 
lim x cos = 0.
x→0 x
To do so, you would need to use which of the following facts:
 
1
(a) That 0 ≤ x cos x
≤ x2 for all real numbers x 6= 0.
 
1
(b) That −x2 ≤ x cos x
≤ x2 for all real numbers x 6= 0.
 
1
(c) That 0 ≤ x cos x
≤ x for all real numbers x 6= 0.
 
1
(d) That −x ≤ x cos x
≤ x for all real numbers x 6= 0.
 
1
(e) That −|x| ≤ x cos x
≤ |x| for all real numbers x 6= 0.

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4. The rational function
x2 − ax − a − 1
f (x) =
(x − 2)(x + 4)
has two vertical asymptotes except when the constant a is equal to
(a) 2 and −4
(b) 1 and −5
(c) 1 and 2
(d) −4 and −5
(e) none of the above

5. Let f (x) = 10x − 3. Then

lim f (x) = 7
x→1

because for any number ε > 0, we can choose a δ such that if 0 < |x − 1| < δ, then
|f (x) − 7| < ε.

For ε = 0.1, what is the biggest δ that you could choose?

(a) δ = 10
(b) δ = 1
(c) δ = 0.1
(d) δ = 0.01
(e) δ = 0.001

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Long answer. Show all work necessary to justify your answers.
6. Evaluate the limit, if it exists. If the limit goes to positive or negative infinity, say
so (5 points each).
x3 − 1
(a) lim
x→1 2x − 2

x
(b) lim
x→−2 x2 −x+8

x−5
(c) lim+
x→4 x2 − 8x + 16

√
2− 4 + 2012t
(d) lim
t→0 t

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 4x3 + 1
7. Let f (x) = .
(x − 3)2 (x + 5)
(a) Find the vertical asymptotes of f (x). For each vertical asymptote x = a that
you find, calculate the left-hand and right-hand limit of f (x) at a. (7 points)

(b) Calculate all relevant limits to decide whether f (x) has any horizontal asymp-
totes. What are the horizontal asymptote(s)? (5 points)

(c) Sketch the function and its asymptotes using the information about the limits
that you just computed. (3 points)

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8. Using the definition of the derivative, calculate f 0 (a) in each case. (10 points each)
√
(a) f (x) = 2x + 3 + 1

3x
(b) f (x) =
1−x

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9. Let f (x) = 2x2 + x + 3.
(a) Calculate f 0 (a) using the definition of the derivative. Be sure to keep your limit
sign around until the end of your calculation! (10 points)

(b) Find the equation of the tangent line to the curve y = f (x) at the point (−2, 9).
(5 points)

(c) Find value(s) of x on the curve y = f (x) where the tangent line has slope equal
to 13 at (x, f (x)). (5 points)

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