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Limits and Short Form Derivatives (Solutions)

Benjamin E. Swerdlow

6 x + h + 4(x + h)2 6 x 4x2

1) lim
h0
h
a) Remember that the limit definition of the derivative is
f (x + h) f (x)
h
Therefore, limit is taking the derivative of the terms in the numerator that
do not contain (x+h) and multiplied by 1. Therefore, the function were
lim

h0

looking for is

f (x) = 1(6 x 4x2 ) = 6 x + 4x2

b) f (x) = 6 x + 4x2
1

= 6x 2 + 4x2
 
1
1
0
x 2 1 + 4(2)x21
f (x) = 6
2
1

= 3x 2 + 8x
3
= + 8x
x
Solve 2 and 3 using the limit definition of the derivative:


d 6x2 + 7x
2)
dx
4x + 9
See (1a) for the limit definition of a derivative. Plug in the above equation in
the definition of the derivatvie and, since we get an indeterminate answer
initially, solve by getting at least one h in every term and then canceling the
h in every term with the h on the bottom.
lim

6(x+h)2 +7(x+h)
4(x+h)+9

6x2 +7x
4x+9

h


1 6(x + h)2 + 7(x + h) 6x2 + 7x
= lim

h0 h
4(x + h) + 9
4x + 9
 2

2
1 6x + 12xh + 6h + 7x + 7h 6x2 + 7x
= lim

h0 h
4(x + h) + 9
4x + 9


2
2
1 (6x + 12xh + 6h + 7x + 7h)(4x + 9) (6x2 + 7x)(4x + 4h + 9)
= lim

h0 h
(4(x + h) + 9)(4x + 9)
(4x + 9)(4(x + h) + 9)


2
2
1 ((6x + 7x) + 12xh + 6h + 7h)(4x + 9) (6x2 + 7x)((4x + 9) + 4h)
= lim
h0 h
(4(x + h) + 9)(4x + 9)

h0



1 (6x2 + 7x)(4x + 9) + (12xh + 6h2 + 7h)(4x + 9) (6x2 + 7x)(4x + 9) (6x2 + 7x)(4h)
h0 h
(4(x + h) + 9)(4x + 9)


2
1 (12xh + 6h + 7h)(4x + 9) (6x2 + 7x)(4h)
= lim
h0 h
(4(x + h) + 9)(4x + 9)

= lim

We now have an h in every term on the top so now we can cancel with the h on
the bottom (that we pulled out earlier).
(12x + 6h + 7)(4x + 9) (6x2 + 7x)(4)
h0
(4(x + h) + 9)(4x + 9)
2
48x + 24xh + 28x + 108x + 54h + 63 24x2 28x
= lim
h0
(4(x + h) + 9)(4x + 9)
2
24x + 24xh + 108x + 54h + 63
= lim
h0
(4(x + h) + 9)(4x + 9)
Plugging in h=0 we can now get an answer that is not indeterminate.
= lim

24x2 + 24x(0) + 108x + 54(0) + 63

(4(x + 0) + 9)(4x + 9)
2
24x + 108x + 63
=
(4x + 9)2
=

d
(sin(x))
dx
See (1a) for the limit definition of a derivative. Plug in the above equation in

3)

the definition of the derivatvie and, since we get an indeterminate answer

initially, solve by getting the h on the bottom to cancel with something (h
or otherwise) on the top
sin(x + h) sin(x)
h
Use the trigonometric identity sin(A + B) = sin(A) cos(B) + cos(A) sin(B)
lim

h0

sin(x) cos(h) + cos(x) sin(h) sin(x)

h0
h
sin(x)(cos(h) 1) + cos(x) sin(h)
= lim
h0
h
sin(x)(cos(h) 1)
cos(x) sin(h)
= lim
+ lim
h0
h0
h
h




cos(h) 1
sin(h)
+ cos(x) lim
= sin(x) lim
h0
h0
h
h
cos(h) 1
sin(h)
Since lim
= 0 and lim
= 1, then the above expression
h0
h0
h
h
= cos(x)
lim

f (x) = x3 + 4x2 + 15x + 7

4 7)

(x) = f (g(x) + 5x )

g(x) = 5x + 3

(x) = g (f (x) + 3x)

(x) = g(f 2 (x) + 3x)

NOTE: Simplification past the line marked with ** is usually not needed to be
marked correct on a free response question; however, for multiple choice further
simplification may be necessary to get your answer to match one of the available
answer choices, so simplification to addition of variables and constants is shown.
4) f 0 (x + 3)
f (x + 3) = (x + 3)3 + 4(x + 3)2 + 15(x + 3) + 7
f 0 (x + 3) = 3(x + 3)31 (1) + 4(2)(x + 3)21 (1) + 15(x + 3)11 (1)
f 0 (x + 3) = 3(x + 3)2 + 8(x + 3) + 15
5)0 (x)
(x) = f (g(x) + 5x)
0 (x) = f 0 (g(x) + 5x)(g 0 (x) + 5)
0 (x) = [3(g(x) + 5x)2 + 8(g(x) + 5x) + 15](5 + 5)
0 (x) = [3(5x + 3 + 5x)2 + 8(5x + 3 + 5x) + 15](10)
0

(x) = 30(10x + 3)2 + 80(10x + 3) + 150

0 (x) = 30(100x2 + 60x + 9) + 800x + 240 + 150

0 (x) = 3000x2 + 1800x + 270 + 800x + 390

0 (x) = 3000x2 + 3600x + 660
6) 0 (x)
(x) = g 2 (f (x) + 3x) = [g(f (x) + 3x)]2
0 (x) = 2[g(f (x) + 3x)]21 [g 0 (f (x) + 3x)][f 0 (x) + 3]
0 (x) = 2[5(f (x) + 3x) + 3][5][3x2 + 8x + 15 + 3]
0

(x) = 10[5(x3 + 4x2 + 15x + 7 + 3x) + 3][3x2 + 8x + 18]

0 (x) = 10[5x3 + 20x2 + 90x + 38][3x2 + 8x + 18]

0 (x) = 10[15x5 + 100x4 + 510x3 + 1194x2 + 1924x + 684]

0 (x) = 150x5 + 1000x4 + 5100x3 + 11940x2 + 19240x + 6840
7) 0 (x)
(x) = g(f 2 (x) + 3x)
0 (x) = g 0 (f 2 (x) + 3x)[2f 21 (x)f 0 (x) + 3]
0

(x) = 5[2(x3 + 4x2 + 15x + 7)(3x2 + 8x + 15) + 3]

0 (x) = 10(x3 + 4x2 + 15x + 7)(3x2 + 8x + 15) + 15

0 (x) = 10(3x5 + 20x4 + 92x3 + 201x2 + 281x + 105) + 15
0 (x) = 30x5 + 200x4 + 920x3 + 42010x2 + 2810x + 1065

8)Findh0 (x)
35

9
2
5
4
h(x) = (x + 48) + 7x + 3 + 17
x
 2
35
h(x) = (x + 48)5 + 7x4 + 9x3 + 17

351  2

h0 (x) = 35 (x2 + 48)5 + 7x4 + 9x3 + 17
5(x + 48)51 (2x) + 28x3 27x4

34 

9
27
h0 (x) = 35 (x2 + 48)5 + 7x4 + 3 + 17
10x(x2 + 48)4 + 28x3 4
x
x
9)Findr0 ()
r() =

23
4
2
(2 15)3
( + 3 + 2)5

r() = 23(2 15)3 4(2 + 3 + 2)5

r() = 23(3)(2 15)31 (2) 4(5)(2 + 3 + 2)51 (2 + 3)
r() = 138(2 15)4 + 20(2 + 3 + 2)6 (2 + 3)
r() =

138
20(2 + 3)
2
(2 + 3 + 2)6
( 15)4

(8(x + h)7 3(x + h)5 + 11(x + h)2 )5 (8x7 3x5 + 11x2 )4

h0
h
The easiest method to solve this limit is to use the limit definition of

10) lim

the derivative. Remember that the limit definition of the derivative is

f (x + h) f (x)
h
Therefore, limit is taking the derivative of the terms in the numerator that
lim

h0

do not contain (x+h) and multiplied by 1. Therefore, the function were

looking for is


f (x) = (1) (8x7 3x5 + 11x2 )4
f (x) = (8x7 3x5 + 11x2 )4
f 0 (x) = 4(8x7 3x5 + 11x2 )41 (56x6 15x4 22x3 )
f 0 (x) = 4(8x7 3x5 + 11x2 )3 (56x6 15x4 22x3 )
Therefore, the above limit = 4(8x7 3x5 + 11x2 )3 (56x6 15x4 22x3 )

c
Benjamin
E. Swerdlow, 2012