Derivatives
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AP Calculus BC › Derivatives
Evaluate .
Explanation
To find , substitute
and use the chain rule:
Plug in 3:
Explanation
Evaluate the limit using L'Hopital's Rule.
Undefined
Explanation
L'Hopital's Rule is used to evaluate complicated limits. The rule has you take the derivative of both the numerator and denominator individually to simplify the function. In the given function we take the derivatives the first time and get
.
This still cannot be evaluated properly, so we will take the derivative of both the top and bottom individually again. This time we get
.
Now we have only one x, so we can evaluate when x is infinity. Plug in infinity for x and we get
and
.
So we can simplify the function by remembering that any number divided by infinity gives you zero.
Explanation
Evaluate .
Explanation
To find , substitute
and use the chain rule:
Plug in 3:
Explanation
Evaluate the limit using L'Hopital's Rule.
Undefined
Explanation
L'Hopital's Rule is used to evaluate complicated limits. The rule has you take the derivative of both the numerator and denominator individually to simplify the function. In the given function we take the derivatives the first time and get
.
This still cannot be evaluated properly, so we will take the derivative of both the top and bottom individually again. This time we get
.
Now we have only one x, so we can evaluate when x is infinity. Plug in infinity for x and we get
and
.
So we can simplify the function by remembering that any number divided by infinity gives you zero.
Evaluate .
Explanation
To find , substitute
and use the chain rule:
Plug in 3:
Evaluate the limit using L'Hopital's Rule.
Undefined
Explanation
L'Hopital's Rule is used to evaluate complicated limits. The rule has you take the derivative of both the numerator and denominator individually to simplify the function. In the given function we take the derivatives the first time and get
.
This still cannot be evaluated properly, so we will take the derivative of both the top and bottom individually again. This time we get
.
Now we have only one x, so we can evaluate when x is infinity. Plug in infinity for x and we get
and
.
So we can simplify the function by remembering that any number divided by infinity gives you zero.
Let on the interval
. Find a value for the number(s) that satisfies the mean value theorem for this function and interval.
Explanation
The mean value theorem states that for a planar arc passing through a starting and endpoint , there exists at a minimum one point,
, within the interval
for which a line tangent to the curve at this point is parallel to the secant passing through the starting and end points.

In other words, if one were to draw a straight line through these start and end points, one could find a point on the curve where the tangent would have the same slope as this line.
Note that the value of the derivative of a function at a point is the function's slope at that point; i.e. the slope of the tangent at said point.
First, find the two function values of on the interval
Then take the difference of the two and divide by the interval.
Now find the derivative of the function; this will be solved for the value(s) found above.
Multiple solutions will solve this function, but on the interval , only
fits within, satisfying the MVT.