Math 122 Midterm 2 Solutions

Problem 1. (21 points) Find the derivatives of the following functions:

(A) h(x) = x4 · ln(x)
Solution: Since h(x) = f (x)g(x) with f (x) = x4 and g(x) = ln(x), we use the product
rule. So,
h0 (x) = f 0 (x)g(x) + f (x)g 0 (x)
1
= 4x3 ln(x) + x4 ·
x
3 3
= 4x ln(x) + x
= x3 (4 ln(x) + 1)

ex
(B) h(x) = 2
x +1
Solution: Since h(x) = f (x)/g(x) with f (x) = ex and g(x) = x2 + 1, we use the quotient
rule. Thus
f 0 (x)g(x) − f (x)g 0 (x)
h0 (x) =
(g(x))2
ex (x2 + 1) − ex 2x
=
(x2 + 1)2
ex (x2 − 2x + 1)
=
(x2 + 1)2
ex (x − 1)2
=
(x2 + 1)2

3
(C) h(x) = ex +x
Solution: In this case, h(x) = f (g(x)) with f (x) = ex and g(x) = x3 + x, so we use the
chain rule. Thus
h0 (x) = f 0 (g(x))g 0 (x)
3 +x
= ex (3x2 + 1)
 Problem 2. (12 points) Find the second derivative of f (x) = x5 − 4x3 + 2x2 + x − 20.
Solution: We use the sum rule and the power rule several times:
f 0 (x) = 5x4 − 12x2 + 4x + 1.
Taking the derivative again, we find that
f 00 (x) = 20x3 − 24x + 4.

Problem 3. (15 points)

(A) Let f (x) = x2 + 1. What is the slope of the tangent line to f (x) at x = 2?
Solution: We first compute that f 0 (x) = 2x. Then we see that f 0 (2) = 4. Since the
derivative of f at x = 2 is the slope of the tangent line, this is our answer.

(B) Draw the tangent line on the pictured graph:

(C) Write the equation for this tangent line.

Solution: We already know the slope of the tangent line, and we know that (2, f (2)) =
(2, 5) is a point on the line. Using the point slope formula for a line, we get the equation
y = 4(x − 2) + 5.
 Problem 4. (12 points) Evaluate the following limits:
(x + h)2 − x2
(A) lim
h→0 h
Solution: We have to simplify algebraically under the limit:
(x + h)2 − x2 x2 + 2xh + h2 − x2
lim = lim
h→0 h h→0 h
2xh + h2
= lim
h→0 h
= lim 2x + h
h→0
= 2x

1
− 12
2+h
(B) lim
h→0 h
Solution: Same game, new claim:
1 1 2 2+h
2+h
− 2 4+2h
− 4+2h
lim = lim
h→0 h h→0 h

2−2−h
4+2h
= lim
h→0 h

−h
4+2h
= lim
h→0 h
−1
= lim
h→0 4 + 2h
1
=−
4
Problem 5. (10 points)
(A) Find the derivative of the function f (x) = (x2 + 1)5 .
Solution: It is best to use the chain rule here, since f (x) = g(h(x)) with g(x) =
x5 and h(x) = x2 + 1. The chain rule gives us
f 0 (x) = g 0 (h(x)) · h0 (x) = 5(x2 + 1)4 · (2x) = 10x(x2 + 1)4 .

(B) Does the value of f 0 (1) tell you that f (x) is increasing or decreasing at x = 1?
Solution: Plugging in x = 1, we find that
f 0 (1) = 10(12 + 1)4 = 10 · 24 = 160.
Since the derivative is positive, f (x) is increasing.

Problem 6. (10 points) Here is the graph of a function f (x):

Draw a sketch of the derivative of f (x) on the following axis.

 Problem 7. (10 points) √
Consider the function h(x) = x2 + 1.
(A) Find functions f (x) and g(x) so that h(x) = g(f (x)). √
Solution: We should take our ‘outer’ function g(x) to be g(x) = x. Then we
should take our ‘inner’ function f (x) to be the expression inside the square root,
so f (x) = x2 + 1.

(B) Find the derivative of h(x).

Solution: The chain rule gives
1 x
h0 (x) = g 0 (f (x)) · f 0 (x) = √ · 2x = √
2 x2 + 1 x2 + 1

Problem 8. (10 points) Use the limit definition to find the derivative of f (x) =
2x + 1. Recall that
f (x + h) − f (x)
f 0 (x) = lim .
h→0 h
Solution: Using the given formula,
2(x + h) + 1 − (2x + 1)
f 0 (x) = lim
h→0 h
2x + 2h + 1 − 2x − 1
= lim
h→0 h
2h
= lim
h→0 h
2
= lim
h→0 1
= 2.
Observe that this agrees with our power law formula for this derivative.