Techniques and Application of Differentiation

AJC/I/Q7
A capsule made of two similar hemispheres of radius r cm, one at each end of a cylinder, is
inscribed into a fixed cone of height 12 cm and base radius 9 cm. The two figures have a
common axis of symmetry and the cross-section is shown below.

(i)

Show that the height of the cylinder of the capsule, x cm, is related to the radius of
8
the hemisphere through the equation, x = 12 r .
[3]
3
(ii)
Given that, when r = 2 cm, x is decreasing at a rate of 0.1 cms-1, find the rate of
change at this instant of the volume of the capsule.
[4]
4 3
[Given: Volume of sphere = r ]
3
AJC/I/Q12
The parametric equations of a curve C are
x = ln(2t ), y = tan 1 (2t ) , where t > 0
(i)

Sketch the curve C, showing clearly the asymptotes and the axial intercepts.
[2]
1
[3]
(ii) Show that the gradient of C at the point where y = p is sin 2 p .
2
Hence find the area of the triangle bounded by the x-axis, the tangent and normal

to C when p = .
[5]
4
ACJC/I/Q6

The parametric equations of a curve are x = ln(cos ), y = ln(sin ), 0 < < . Find the
2

equation of the tangent to the curve at the point where = , leaving your answer in the
4
form of y = ax + b where a and b are exact values to be found.
[4]
Explain, using an algebraic method, why the tangent will not meet the curve again.
[2]

CJC/I/Q7
A curve C has the following parametric equations:
x = k + sin t ,
y = k cos t where k is a fixed positive integer, t ..
dy
in terms of k and t.
(i) Express
dx
(ii) State the exact values of t at the points when the tangents are parallel to the y-axis
and the points when the tangents are parallel to the x-axis.

(iii) The normal of the curve at the point where t = has a y-intercept of -1.
4
Find the value of the constant k.
(iv) The normal intersects the curve at another point P.
Using k = 1, find the intersection point.
DH/I/Q12
x
y
The diagram shows a sketch of the curve y = x .
e

y=

x
ex

(i)
(ii)

Find, by differentiation, the exact maximum value of y.

Hence show that ln x x 1 for all positive values of x.

[3]
[3]

x
is concave upwards.
ex
(iv) Another curve has equation y 2 = k ( x 1) , k 0. Find the range of values of k such that
(iii) Determine the range of values of x for which the graph of y =

x
the equation x = k ( x 1) has (a) 1 real root, (b) 2 real roots.
[3]
e
HCI/I/Q3
A right circular cone with radius 3 cm and height 9 cm is initially full of water. Water is

leaking from the circular base of the cone at a rate of 2 cm3 s1, find the exact rate of change of
the depth of water when the depth of water is 6 cm.
7

[5]

HCI/I/Q4(i)
Prove that

d 1 2x

e (2 x 1) = xe 2 x .

dx 4

[2]

HCI/I/Q11
The parametric equations of a curve C are
x = 1 t 2 and y = ln(2 t ) ,

t < 2.

(i)

Sketch the curve C, showing clearly the axial intercepts.

[2]

(ii)

Find the equations of the normal to the curve at ( 1, ln 2) and the tangent to the
curve at ( 5, 2 ln 2) .

(iii)

(iv)
9

[6]

Find exactly the coordinates of the point of intersection of the tangent and the
normal.

[2]

Find, in radians, the acute angle between the tangent and the normal.

[2]

IJC/I/Q5
A curve is given parametrically by
x = cos 1 2t ,
y=

t
1 4t 2

1
.
2
dy
Find
in terms of t.
[4]
dx
Find the equation of the normal to the curve at the point where the curve cuts the xaxis, giving your answer in exact form.
[3]

where | t |<
(i)
(ii)

10 IJC/I/Q6
As part of an Art Project, a student designed a letterbox in the form of a prism. The crosssection forms a pentagon with two vertical sides of equal height, y cm, and two slant edges
of equal length, 5x cm. The remaining faces are rectangles. A rectangular sheet of cardboard,
ABCD, of area 1500 cm2, is folded to make the surface ABCD of the prism as shown in the
diagram. The front, back and bottom surfaces are made of another material.
If the length of the letterbox is 30 cm and the width is 6x cm,

5x

5x

y
y
D

6x

30

(i)

show that the volume, V cm3, enclosed by the letterbox is given by

V = 4500 x 540 x 2 ,
[3]

(ii)

determine the maximum value of V.

[4]

11 JJC/I/Q4
Consider the function f ' ( x ) =

( x 6 )( x 1)

+ 1 , x \, x > 1.

(i)

Sketch the graph of y = f ' ( x ) showing all asymptotes and intercepts clearly.

[4]

(ii)

State the x-coordinate of any stationary points of f ( x ) .

[1]

(iii)

Deduce the range of values of x for which f '' ( x ) < 0 .

[2]

12 JJC/I/Q12
A curve has parametric equations
y = 4 + 3 cos .

x = 1 + 2 sin ,

Find the equations of the tangent and normal at the point P where =

(a)

.
6
Hence, find the area of the triangle bounded by the tangent and normal at P, as well as
the y-axis.
[6]

(b)

Determine the rate of change of xy at =

if x increases at a constant rate of 0.1 units

per second.

[4]

13 MI/I/Q6(a)
(i)
Find the numerical value of the derivative of lg x3 when x = 10.
(ii)

Hence find the equation of the normal to the graph of y = lg x3 at the

point where x = 10, giving your answer in the form y = mx + c.

14 MI/I/Q10
(a)

[1]

B
17 + x
.
Express f(x) in partial fractions where f(x) =
(
4 3 x )(1 + 2 x )
x
Given that, when x = 0.25, x increases at a constant rate of 1.5 unit/s,
find the rate of change of f(x) at this instant.
A

[3]
C

[6]
x

x
E

(b)

The diagram above shows a pentagon ABCDE of fixed perimeter P cm.

Its shape is such that ABE is an equilateral triangle and BCDE is a rectangle.
If the length of AB is x cm,
(i)

3 3 2
1
x + Px ,
show that the area of ABCDE denoted by S is

(ii)

find the value of

P
for which S is a maximum, leaving your answer
x

in surd form.
15

16

MJC/I/Q13

[6]

d
cos 1 1 4 x 2 .
dx

[3]

(a)

Find

(b)

A piece of wire of length d units is cut into two pieces. One piece is bent to form a
circle of radius r units, and the other piece is bent to form a regular hexagon.
Prove that, as r varies, the sum of the areas enclosed by the two shapes is a
minimum when the radius of the circle is approximately 0.076d units.
[7]

NYJC/I/Q8
(a) A petrol tanker is damaged in a road accident, and petrol leaks onto a flat section of a
motorway. The leaking petrol begins to spread in a circle of thickness 2 mm. Petrol is
leaking from the tanker at a rate of 0.0084 m3s1. Find the rate at which the radius of the
circle of petrol is increasing at the instant when the radius of the circle is 3 m, giving your
answer in m s1 to 2 decimal places.
(b) A curve is defined parametrically by x =

17

[4]
2t
t2
. Find the equation of the normal
,y=
t +1
t +1

1
to the curve at the point P 1, . The normal at P meets the curve again at Q. Find the
2
exact coordinates of Q.
[8]
NJC/I/Q2

35 m

50 m
In the above diagram, not drawn to scale, a man in a boat at B is 35 m from A, the nearest point
on a straight shore AC. He intends to disembark from his boat at the point P and runs along the
shore to point C which is 50 m from A. He can row at 3 m s 1 and run at 4 m s 1 along straight
paths.
(i)

If x denote the distance, in metres, between A and P, and t denote the total time, in
seconds, required to travel from B to C, show that t =

(ii)

18

1225 + x 2 50 x
+
.
3
4

[2]

Find the exact value of x such that the man is able to travel from B to C in the shortest
possible time. You may assume that the time taken to disembark from the boat is
negligible.
[3]

PJC/I/Q11
1
1
A curve has parametric equations x = sec , y = ln sec , where < < . Show
2
2
1
[3]
that, at the point with parameter , the gradient of the curve is cos .
2

(a)

(b)

Find the equation of the normal to the curve at =

Determine the rate of change of x if the gradient of the curve at =

[3]

is decreasing at

a rate of 0.4 units per second.

[5]

19

RJC/I/Q11
(a)
The curve C has the equation 2 y = x . The point A on C has x-coordinate a where
a > 0.
dy
1
at A and find the equation of the tangent to C at A.
[3]
Show that
=
a ln 2
dx

(b)

Hence find the equation of the tangent to C which passes through the origin.

[2]

The straight line y = mx intersects C at 2 distinct points.

Write down the range of values of m.

[1]

A movie theatre screen which is 5 m high, has its lower edge 1 m above an observers
eye. The visual angle of the observer seated x m away is as shown in the diagram
below.

(i)
(ii)
(iii)

6
1
[1]
Show that = tan 1 tan 1 .
x
x
Find the exact distance the observer should sit to obtain the largest visual angle.
[You need not establish that the distance gives the largest visual angle.]
[4]

Suppose that the observer is situated between 2 m and 15 m from the screen. Find,
to the nearest degree, the smallest visual angle.
[2]

20

SAJC/I/Q6
The diagram below shows a tank with dimensions 5y m , 1.2 m , 0.4 m and 1.6 m as
indicated. A liquid is poured into the tank at a rate of 0.05 m 3 /s . At time t seconds, the
liquid in the tank has a depth of y m and surface width of x m.
1.2 m

x
1.6 m

5y m
0.4 m

y2
y
+ 0.4 and hence show that V =
( 5 y + 8) ,
2
4
where V is the volume of liquid in the tank at time t.
[4]

(i) Using similar triangles, show that x =

(ii) Initially, the tank is filled with 0.5 m 3 of liquid. Find the rate of change of the liquid
depth at time t = 55s .
[4]
(iii) Hence find the rate of change of the surface width of the liquid at time t = 55s .
21

[2]

SRJC/I/Q6
The diagram below shows the cross-section of a cylinder of radius x that is inscribed in a sphere
of fixed internal radius R. Show that A2 = 16 2 x 2 ( R 2 x 2 ) , where A is the curved surface area
of the cylinder. Prove that, as x varies, the maximum value of A is obtained when the height of
the cylinder is equal to its diameter.

x
[8]

R
8

22

TPJC/I/Q2
A curve has parametric equations x = sin and y = 1 cos .
Without the use of graphic calculator, show that the gradient of the tangent at the point where

[5]
= is 1. Hence find the equation of normal at the same point.
2

23

TJC/II/Q1
A curve C is defined parametrically by the equations
1
x = t 2 5 and y =
+ 5 , t 2.
t2
dy
(i)
Find
in terms of t.
dx

24

(ii)

Find the equation of the normal to C at P(4,6).

(iii)

Find the other values of t at the points where the normal at P cuts C.

[2]
[3]
[3]

VJC/I/Q10
A curve is defined by the parametric equations
x = 2at 2 ,

y = 3at ,

where a is a nonzero constant. Show that the tangent to the curve at any point with parameter t
has equation yt =

3
4

x + at 2 .

[3]

Find the range of values of p such that the line l with equation 2 x py + a = 0 intersects the
curve at two distinct points.
[3]
Given that l is a tangent to the curve, show that 4t 2 + st + 1 = 0 , where the values of s are to be
determined.
[2]
25

YJC/II/Q4
The parametric equations of a curve are x = t + ln t and y = t + e t , t > 0 .
(i)

Sketch the curve, indicating clearly all intercepts and asymptotes.

(ii)

Show that, for all the points on the curve,

[3]

dy t (1 + e t )
. Hence, deduce that the curve
=
dx
t +1

does not have any turning points.

(iii)

[3]

Find, in exact form, the equation of the normal of the curve at the point where t = 1 .[3]

Answer
S/No
1
2
3

Answers
(ii) 3.77 cm 3s -1
5 2
(ii)
64
y = x ln 2
dy
(i)
= k tan t
dx

(ii) For tangents parallel to y-axis, t =

4

,
2 2
For tangents parallel to x-axis, t = ,0,
(iii) k = 1
1
1

(iv) 1
,

2
2

1
(i) Max y =
e
(iii) x 2
(iv) (a) k > 0; (b) k < 0
2
cm s 1

x 5
+ 2ln 2
16 16
(iii) (16 ln 2 5, ln 2)
(iv) = 0.0624
dy
1
(i)
=
dx
2 1 4t 2

(ii) y = ln 2 ; y =

10
11

12

13
14

(ii) y = 2 x
25
(ii) x =
or 4.167
6
(ii) 1.21 , 5.79
(iii) 3.50 < x < 6 or x > 6
1
13
3
y = 2x +
y = x+
2;5
2
2;
(a)
9
(b) 20
(i) 0.130,
(ii) y = -7.68x + 79.8
(a)

5
4 3x

3
1 + 2x

, -1.87 unit/s

10

15

(b)(ii) 6 - 3
2
2
(a)
, (for x 0)
, (for x < 0)
and, 1 4 x 2
1 4x2
(a)

0.22ms1

(b)

49

14,

6 y + 4x = 7 ;
6

16
17
18

19

20
22

23

24
25

(ii) x = 15 7
2
2 4
y=
x + ln
+ 3
3
3

(a)
(b) 0.8
1
1
ln a
y=
x+

a ln 2
ln 2 ln 2 ;
1
y=
x
e ln 2 ;
1

<m<0
e ln 2
-1
(ii) 0.00645ms ; (iii) 0.00323

y = x+ 2
dy
1
(i) dx = 2t(t 2)2
(ii) y = 6x 18
(iii) t = 2.97 or t = 1.97
4
4
p> ,p<
3
3 , s = 4
2
2
y=
x+
+1+ e
1+ e
1+ e
(iii)

11