Another application of the derivative is the Mean Value Theorem (MVT). This theorem is very important. One of its most important uses is in proving the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus (FTC), which comes a little later in the year. See last Fridays post Foreshadowing the MVT for an a series of problems that will get…
The Mean Value Theorem (MVT) is proved by writing the equation of a function giving the (directed) length of a segment from the given function to the line between the endpoints as you can see here. Since the function and the line intersect at the endpoints of the interval this function satisfies the hypotheses of Rolle’s…
As you’ve probably noticed, different authors use different definitions based on how they plan to present topics later in their texts. So, the same concept seems to have different definitions. A definition in one book is a theorem in another. Students should be aware of this; looking at different definitions and related theorems about the…
Another application of the derivative L’Hospital’s Rule Locally Linear L’Hospital’s Demonstration of the proof L’Hospital Rules the Graph Good Question An AP Exam question that can be used to delve deeper into L’Hospital’s Rule (2008 AB 6) Revised from a post of November 7, 2017 There will be two extra posts this week! Check tomorrow for some…
Why “scaling” is necessary No teacher can make two tests on the same topics equal in difficulty. No two teachers, even if they collaborate, can make two tests on the same topic equal in difficulty. No two teachers in different schools, districts, or states can make two tests on the same subject equal in difficulty.…
Graphing and the analysis of graphs given (1) the equation, (2) a graph, or (3) a table of values of a function and its derivative(s) makes up the largest group of questions on the AP exams. Most of the other applications of the derivative depend on understanding the relationship between a function and its derivatives.…
I got to thinking about grading the other day after seeing a question on Facebook. We’ll get to that question in a minute, but first I want to try to outline a grading scheme I used towards the end of my teaching career. It is based on how free-response question on AP Calculus exams are…
This series of posts reviews and expands what students know from pre-calculus about inverses. This leads to finding the derivative of exponential functions, ax, and the definition of e, from which comes the definition of the natural logarithm. Inverses Graphically and Numerically The Range of the Inverse The Calculus of Inverses The Derivatives of Exponential Functions…
Often a relation (an expression in x and y), that has a graph but is not a function, needs to be analyzed. But the relation is not or cannot be solved for y. What to do? The answer is to use the technique of implicit differentiation. Assume there is a way to solve for y and differentiate using…
Most of the function students are faced with in beginning calculus are compositions of the Elementary Functions. The Chain Rule allows you to differentiate composite functions easily. The posts listed below are ways to introduce and use the Chain Rule. Experimenting with a CAS – Chain Rule Using a CAS to discover the Chain Rule…
So, no one wants to do complicated limits to find derivatives. There are easier ways of course. There are a number of quick ways (rules, formulas) for finding derivatives of the Elementary Functions and their compositions. Here are some ways to introduce these rules; these are the subject of this week’s review of past posts. Why…
Difference quotients are the path to the definition of the derivative. Here are three posts exploring difference quotients. Difference Quotients I The forward and backward difference quotients Difference Quotients II The symmetric difference quotient and seeing the three difference quotients in action. Showing that the three difference quotients converge to the same value. Seeing Difference…
