Derivative As A Slope 1
Derivative As A Slope 1
Derivative As A Slope 1
What is the equation for the slope of the line tangent
to the curve at point A using points A and B?
y f (a )
slope of line
x a
What is the equation for the slope of the line tangent
to the curve f(x)=x2+1 at point A using points A and
B?
y f (a ) y 2
slope of line
x a x 1
What is another way to find the slope of this line?
The DERIVATIVE!!!!
f ' (a )
What is another way to find the slope of this line?
f '( x ) 2x
f ' (a) f ' (1) 2(1) 2
Both ways give you the slope of the tangent to
the curve at point A.
y 2 y f (a)
f ' (a) 2
x 1 x a
That means you can set them equal to each other:
y 2
2 y 2 2( x 1)
x 1
Therefore,
y 2 2( x 1)
Is the slope of the tangent line
for f(x)=x2+1
y-f(a)=f’(a)(x-a)
Step 1: Find the point of contact
by plugging in the x-value in f(x).
This is f(a).
y 39 22( x ( 3))
y 39 22( x 3)
Find the equation of the tangent to y=x3+2x
at:
x=2
x=-1
x=-2
f’(x)=0
Step 1: Find the derivative, f’(x)
Step 2: Set derivative equal to zero and
solve, f’(x)=0
Step 3: Plug solutions into original
formula to find y-value, (solution, y-
value) is the coordinates.
Note: If it asks for the equation then you
will write y=y value found when you
plugged in the solutions for f’(x)=0
What do you notice about
the labeled minimum and
maximum?
This is called a
sign diagram
Where is the graph decreasing?
{x| -3<x<1}
What is the ‘sign’ of the
derivative for this interval?
+ – +
-3 1
What can we hypothesize
about how the sign of the
derivative relates to the
graph?
f’(x)=+, then graph increases
f’(x)= – , then graph decreases
We can see this:
When the graph is increasing
then the gradient of the
tangent line is positive
(derivative is +)
Stationary Point