Background Exercises Answers/Solutions

The solutions below are only an outline. The graphs for questions 2.1, 2.4, 2.5, 3.1, 4.1
and 8.2 are shown in the Maple Graphics File.

2. To factor the expressions in the examples, x2 − 5x + 6 = (x − 2)(x − 3)

3x2 + 14x − 5 = (3x − 1)(x + 5) x3 − 1 = (x − 1)(x2 + x + 1)

The expression x2 + x + 1 is an irreducible quadratic. It cannot be factored over the real

numbers.
To factor P (x) = x3 − 2x2 − 5x + 6, look for integer roots of P (x) = 0. These must
divide the constant term 6. Try x = 1 (by substituting the value in the polynomial).
P (1) = 0. Hence 1 is a root, and (x − 1) is a factor of P (x). By long division, one obtains
P (x) = (x − 1)(x2 − x − 6), then factoring the quadratic, P (x) = (x − 1)(x + 2)(x − 3).

(2.1) See the Maple Graphics File.

The points of intersection can also be found algebraically by solving 4 − x2 = 2x + 1 for x

to find x = −3 or x = 1. Then substitute into either equation to find the corresponding
values of y. The points of intersection are (−3, −5), (1, 3).

(2.2)
(2 + 5x)4 = 24 + (4)23 (5x) + (6)22 (5x)2 + (4)2(5x)3 + (5x)4
= 16 + 160x + 600x2 + 1000x3 + 625x4
¡ 2 ¢3
x − 4/x = (x2 )3 + (3)(x2 )2 (−4/x) + (3)x2 (−4/x)2 + (−4/x)3
= x6 − 12x3 + 48 − 64x−3

(2.3) Solving for p as a function of q, 2p = 155 − 0.4q ⇒ p = 77.5 − 0.2q,

Π(q) = (77.5−0.2q)q−(q 2 −10q+300) = 77.5q−0.2q 2 −q 2 +10q−300 = −1.2q 2 +87.5q−300

(2.4) Solutions using algebra. (a) Multiply the first equation through by 2, and then
subtract the second equation from the first to eliminate x,
½ ½
x + 2y = 4 2x + 4y = 8
=⇒ =⇒ 5y = 5 =⇒ y = 1
2x − y = 3 2x − y = 3

Substitution of y = 1 in either equation gives x = 2.

This system has the unique solution x = 2, y = 1.

1
 ½ ½
x + 2y = 4 2x + 4y = 8
(b) Using the same method, =⇒ =⇒ 0 6= 4
2x + 4y = 4 2x + 4y = 4
These equations are inconsistent, so the system has no solution.
½ ½
x + 2y = 4 2x + 4y = 8
(c) same method again, =⇒
2x + 4y = 8 2x + 4y = 8
These two equations are the same, so any point on the line x + 2y = 4 is a solution.
This system has infinitely many solutions. If x is any real number, say x = t, then
x = t, y = 2 − 12 t is a solution for any t ∈ R.

For solutions using the graphs see the Maple Graphics File.
Each set of equations represents two straight lines in the xy-plane. A solution is a set of
points which is on both lines. The graphs are shown in the corresponding Maple file.
(a) The equations represent two lines which intersect in a unique point.
(b) The equations represent two lines which are parallel, so there are no points on both of
the lines.
(c) The equations represent the same line, which has an infinite number of points.

(2.5) Your plan here should be to spot a root of the equation. Here x = 1 is evidently a
solution to P (x) = 0, and that guarantees that (x − 1) is a factor of P (x). Dividing out
gives P (x) = (x − 1)(x2 + x − 6) = (x − 1)(x + 3)(x − 2).
You should know the rough shape of this cubic function. It has zeros at x = −3, 1, 2, and
as x gets large and positive, so does P (x). The graph is in the Maple file.
To give a better sketch of the graph of P (x), you also need to find the points where the
derivative of P (x) is zero: these are the maxima and minima of the function (see §8).
p
The solutions of P 0 (x) = 0 are x = ± 7/3. There is also an inflection point, a point
where P 00 (x) = 0, at x = 0. You can see these features in the sketch in the Maple file.

a
3. (3.1) (a) 6ab − (b2 − 4bc) = 6ab − ab + 4ac = 5ab + 4ac = a(5b + 4c)
b
µ ¶
49x−2 4xy 2 7 4xy 2 7 1 1 7 1 9 1
(b) − 3
= 2
− 3 3 = 2
− 2 = 2 − =
35y (2xy) 5x y 8x y 5x y 2x y x y 5 2 10 x2 y

5 2 5 2
(3.2) − =0 ⇒ =
3s + 1 s + 1 3s + 1 s+1
=⇒ 5(s + 1) = 2(3s + 1) ⇒ 5s + 5 = 6s + 2 ⇒ s=3

(3.3) To simplify, first multiply each side of the equations by 2b. Then rewrite them as
(
2bx + by = a − c
bx + 2by = a − c − f

2
 Multiply the first equation by 2 and then subtract the second equation from the first:
(
4bx + 2by = 2a − 2c a−c+f
=⇒ 3bx = a − c + f =⇒ x=
bx + 2by = a − c − f 3b

a − c − 2f
Obtain y in the same way, or by substituting in one of the equations, y= .
3b
Adding x and y,

a−c+f a − c − 2f 2a − 2c − f
x+y = + =
3b 3b 3b

(Note: this last result can be obtained directly form the original equations for x and y.)

4. (4.1) For the graphs, see any calculus text or the Maple Graphics File.
(4.2) e0 = 1, ln 0 is undefined, ln 1 = 0
³a´
(4.3) ln = ln a + ln b−1 = ln a + (−1) ln b = ln a − ln b.
b
(4.4) ln x5 −2 ln x+ln y 3 = 5 ln x−2 ln x+3 ln y = 3 ln x+3 ln y = 3(ln x+ln y) = 3 ln(xy)
The simplified form could be either 3 ln(xy) or ln((xy)3 ).
In order to answer the question about when the expression is positive, the best form of
your answer is 3 ln(xy). This is positive exactly when ln(xy) is positive, which in turn
is exactly when xy > 1.

5. (5.1) The graphs of sin x, cos x, and tan x can be found in a calculus text or look at the
Maple Graphics File, which contains the graph of 2 cos 3x.

(5.2) Hints for these: Use the formulas for the sum of two angles to obtain formulas for
sin 2x and cos 2x (three expressions for cos 2x).
Divide the equation sin2 x + cos2 x = 1 by cos2 x to obtain the equation for sec2 x and
tan2 x. Divide it by sin2 x to get an analogous equation for csc2 x and cot2 x.
sin 2x
Use tan 2x = to deduce the formula given.
cos 2x
Add formulas for sin(x + y) and sin(x − y) to obtain the last result.

π π π
√ in the (x, y) plane: a right triangle with angles 2 , 3 , π6
(5.3) Draw appropriate triangles
and sides in proportion 1, 2, √ 3; and an isosceles right triangle (equal acute angles 4 )
with sides in proportion 1, 1, 2. Using these

π −π √ 5π 1 11π 3π 1
sec =2 cot( )=− 3 sin = −√ cos = cos = −√ .
3 6 4 2 4 4 2

3
 d ¡ −3x ¢ d −2
6. (6.1) Using the chain rule, (a) e = −3e−3x (b) ln(5−2x) =
dx dx 5 − 2x

(c) Using the product rule,

d ¡ −3x ¢ (−2)e−3x
e ln(5 − 2x) = −3e−3x ln(5 − 2x) +
dx 5 − 2x

(d) You could use the chain rule for this, and then simplify your answer afterwards. How-
ever, as is often the case, it is easier and more revealing to simplify before differentiating:
d d 2
ln(1/x2 ) = (−2 ln x) = − .
dx dx x

(e) Using the quotient rule,

µ ¶
d xex (ex + xex )(2x2 + 1) − xex (4x) ex (2x3 − 2x2 + x + 1)
= =
dx 2x2 + 1 (2x2 + 1)2 (2x2 + 1)2

(f) Using the chain rule,

d ³ 2 1
´ 1 1 3x
(3x − 1) 2 = (3x2 − 1)− 2 · 6x = √
dx 2 3x2 − 1

d d
(g) tan 3x = 3 sec2 (3x) (h) sin(x2 − 5) = 2x cos(x2 − 5)
dx dx

7. (7.1) To find the equation of the tangent line to the curve y = 2x3 − 9x2 − 38x + 21
at the point where x = 1,

f (1) = −24, f 0 (x) = 6x2 − 18x − 38 ⇒ f 0 (1) = −50

The equation of the tangent line to the curve is then

y + 24 = −50(x − 1) or 50x + y = 26

8. (8.1) The stationary points of the graph of the function y = 2x3 − 9x2 − 38x + 21
are given by

f 0 (x) = 6x2 − 18x − 38 = 0 or 3x2 − 9x − 19 = 0

By the quadratic formula, the points are

p √
9 ± 81 + (19)(12) 9 ± 309
x= =
6 6
4
 Now f 00 (x) = 12x − 18, so
à √ ! à √ !
9 + 309 √ 9 − 309 √
f 00 = 18 + 2 309 − 18 > 0 and f 00 = 18 − 2 309 − 18 < 0
6 6
√ √
9 + 309 9 − 309
Hence x = gives a local minimum and x = gives a local maximum.
6 6

(8.2) In order to sketch the graph find the y-intercept (when x = 0), the x-intercepts
(when y = 0), the stationary points and the local maxima and minima.
For the intercepts, y = f (x) = x3 − 3x2 = x2 (3 − x) so f (x) = 0 at x = 0 and x = 3.
f 0 (x) = 3x2 − 6x. For stationary points, set f 0 (x) = 0 = 3x2 − 6x = 3x(x − 2)
=⇒ There are stationary points at x = 0 and x = 2.
f 00 (x) = 6x − 6 ⇒ f 00 (0) = −6 , f 00 (2) = 6
Thus f has a local maximum at x = 0 and a local minimum at x = 2.
Note that f 00 (x) = 0 when x = 1, so this is an inflection point. Using this information,
you can now sketch the graph of f (x) = x3 − 3x2 . Check your graph with the Maple
Graphics File.
To find the maximum and minimum values on the given intervals you need to look at the
endpoints as well as the local maxima and minima. On the interval [0, 3] the maximum
value of f is 0, and it occurs at x = 0 and x = 3. The minimum value is f (2) = −4. On
the interval [0, 4] the maximum value is f (4) = 16 and the minimum is f (2) = −4.

9. In the following solutions, C is an arbitrary constant.

¸ π4
R R π
(9.1) (a) sin 3x dx = − 31 cos 3x+C (b) 4
0
sec2 x dx = tan x = tan π4 −tan 0 = 1
0
Z
1
(c) 2
dx by partial fractions,
x − 5x + 6
1 1 A B
2
= = +
x − 5x + 6 (x − 2)(x − 3) x−2 x−3
Set 1 = A(x − 3) + B(x − 2)
Let x = 2, and so A = −1.
Let x = 3, and so B = 1. Hence
Z Z µ ¶ ¯ ¯
1 1 1 ¯x − 3¯
dx = − ¯
dx = ln |x − 3| − ln |x − 2| = ln ¯ ¯+C
x2 − 5x + 6 x−3 x−2 x − 2¯

Z
x
(d) dx. Either first use the substitution u = x − 1, or rewrite the integral as
x−1
Z Z Z Z
x x−1+1 x−1 1 1
dx = dx = + dx = 1 + dx = x + ln |x − 1| + C
x−1 x−1 x−1 x−1 x−1

5
 Z Z
x sin 2x sin 2x x sin 2x cos 2x
(e) By parts, x cos 2x dx = − dx = + +C
2 2 2 4

(f) By parts,
R 2 x R R
x e dx = x2 ex − 2xex dx = x2 ex − 2xex + 2 ex dx = x2 ex − 2xex + 2ex + C
Z
dt
(g) x(x2 − 2)4 dx by substitution. Let t = x2 − 2 so that = 2x
dx
Z Z
2 4 t4 t5 (x2 − 2)5
x(x − 2) dx = dt = = +C
2 10 10

Z
2 dt
(h) (2x + 2)ex +2x+3
dx. Let t = x2 + 2x + 3 so that = 2x + 2
dx
Z Z
x2 +2x+3 2
(2x + 2)e dx = et dt = ex +2x+3
+C

10. (10.1) x2 + 6x + 11 = (x2 + (3)(2x) + 32 ) − 32 + 11 = (x + 3)2 + 2

2x2 − 4x + 7 = 2(x2 − 2x + 1) − 2 + 7 = 2(x − 1)2 + 5

b c
(10.2) ax2 + bx + c = 0 x2 + x + = 0
or
a a
Hence à µ ¶2 ! µ ¶2
b b b c
x2 + 2x + = −
2a 2a 2a a

Then µ ¶2
b b2 c b2 − 4ac
x+ = 2− =
2a 4a a 4a2
µ ¶ √
b b2 − 4ac
x+ =±
2a 2a
√
−b ± b2 − 4ac
x=
2a