MATH 181 Review Questions

Limits
1. Calculate the limits of the following functions.
a. lim 2𝑥 3 − 2𝑥 + 5√𝑥 + 2
𝑥→2
𝑥 2 +𝑥−6
b. lim
𝑥→3 13𝑥−26

c. lim 3𝑒 𝑥−5
𝑥→5
𝑎𝑥 2+2𝑥+2
d. lim (a is a non-zero constant)
𝑥→−2 3𝑥−2
𝑎𝑥 3−3𝑥 2+3
e. lim 4𝑥 3+1
(a is a non-zero constant)
𝑥→−1
a𝑥−3
f. lim b𝑥 2−1 (a and b are non-zero constants)
𝑥→3

2. Calculate the limits of the following rational functions.

3 𝑥 3 −3
a. lim −13x3 −4𝑥 2 −2
𝑥→∞
7 𝑥 2 −5
b. lim 19x3 −3𝑥 −7
𝑥→∞
−9 𝑥 5+5
c. lim
𝑥→∞ 12x3 −3𝑥 −7
−3
d. lim
𝑥→∞ 11𝑥 3
−3𝑥 3
e. lim
𝑥→∞ 11
𝑎𝑥 3−3𝑥+1
f. lim (a and b are non-zero constants)
𝑥→−∞ 𝑏𝑥 3−𝑥 2
𝑎𝑥 4+𝑥−100
g. lim (a and b are positive non-zero constants)
𝑥→−∞ 𝑏𝑥 3−3𝑥+3
𝑎𝑥 3+9
h. lim (a and b are non-zero constants)
𝑥→∞ 𝑏𝑥 6−10𝑥
5𝑎𝑥 3 −4𝑐𝑥+1
i. lim −8𝑥 2+10𝑏𝑥 3 (a, b, and c are non-zero constants)
𝑥→∞
𝑥−14
3. Calculate the limit: lim
𝑥→0 𝑥−7

4. Calculate the limit: lim 2𝑒 −𝑥

𝑥→+∞

5−8 𝑥 2
5. Calculate the limit: lim
𝑥→∞ 7−9𝑥−4𝑥 2
 4−8 𝑥 2
6. Calculate the limit: lim
𝑥→ −∞ 2𝑥+6

3−2 𝑥 2
7. Calculate the limit: lim 2−4𝑥−𝑥 2+𝑥 5
𝑥→∞

8. The amount of drug (in milligrams) in the blood after an IV tube is inserted is given by 𝑚(𝑡) = 40 ∗ 0.62𝑡 , where
𝑡 is the number of hours after it was injected.
Compute lim 𝑚(𝑡), then interpret the result.
𝑡→+∞

1500
9. The population of a colony of squirrels is given by 𝑝(𝑡) = 3+2𝑒 −0.1𝑡 , where 𝑡 is the time in years since 1975.
Compute lim 𝑝(𝑡), then interpret the result.
𝑡→+∞
10. The following models approximate the popularity of Twitter and LinkedIn among social media sites from 2008 to
2013, as rated by statecounter.com:

Twitter 𝑊(𝑡) = 0.33𝑡 2 − 2𝑡 + 8.7 percentage points

LinkedIn 𝐿(𝑡) = 0.04𝑡 2 − 0.26𝑡 + 0.67 percentage points

where 𝑡 is the number of years since the start of 2008.

a) Compute lim 𝑊(𝑡), then interpret the result.
𝑡→+∞
𝑊(𝑡)
b) Compute lim , then interpret the result.
𝑡→+∞ 𝐿(𝑡)
Differentiation

1. Find the derivative of each function using differentiation rules.

a) 𝑓(𝑥) = 4𝑥 2 + 2
b) 𝑓(𝑥) = 8 − 2𝑥
c) 𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 2 + 6𝑥 − 7
9
d) 𝑓(𝑥) = − 4𝑥 4
8 4
e) 𝑓(𝑥) = −𝑥
√𝑥
2
f) 𝑔(𝑥) = 3𝑥 2 + 8𝑥 − 𝑥 6 − 5𝑥 2.3 + 7.95

g) ℎ(𝑥) = 8𝑥(3𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 + 9)
3𝑥+2
h) 𝑘(𝑥) = 4𝑥

i) 𝑚(𝑥) = (−5𝑥 2 + 7𝑥 −1 )(𝑥 −2 − 7)

2𝑥−1
j) 𝑣(𝑥) = 4𝑥+8
𝑥 2+1
k) 𝑝(𝑥) = 𝑥 3−2𝑥

2. Suppose 𝑓(𝑥) is a differentiable function such as 𝑓(9) = −5 and 𝑓 ′ (9) = 10. Let 𝑔(𝑥) be a function that is defined
as 𝑔(𝑥) = (𝑥 2 )𝑓(𝑥). Compute 𝑔′(9).

3. Suppose 𝑓(𝑥) is a differentiable function such that 𝑓(4) = 16 and 𝑓 ′ (4) = −8. Let 𝑔(𝑥) be a function that is
defined as 𝑔(𝑥) = (√𝑥)𝑓(𝑥). Compute 𝑔′(4).

4. Suppose 𝑓(𝑥) and 𝑔(𝑥) are two differentiable functions such that: 𝑓(2) = −2, 𝑓 ′ (2) = 11, 𝑔 (2) = 3, and 𝑔′ (2) =
−3.
a) Let ℎ(𝑥) be a function that is defined as ℎ(𝑥) = 𝑔(𝑥)𝑓(𝑥). Compute ℎ′(2).
𝑓(𝑥)
b) Let 𝑘(𝑥) be a function that is defined as 𝑘(𝑥) = 𝑔(𝑥) (𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑔(𝑥) ≠ 0). Compute 𝑘′(2).
Applications to Derivatives

1. Find the equation of the tangent line to the graph of 𝑓(𝑥) = 3𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 + 6 at 𝑥 = 2.

2. Find the equation of the line tangent to the graph of 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 2 at (3, 7).

3. Find the slope of the tangent line to the graph of 𝑓(𝑥) = 5𝑥 3 + 2𝑥 + 4 at 𝑥 = 1

1. Assume that the distance, s (in meters), traveled by a car moving in a straight line is given by the function
𝑠(𝑡) = 𝑡 2 − 3𝑡 + 5, where 𝑡 is measured in seconds.
a) Find the average velocity of the car during the time period from 𝑡 = 1 to 𝑡 = 4.
b) Find the instantaneous velocity of the car at time 𝑡 = 3 seconds.

1. Assume that your monthly profit (in dollars) from selling homemade cookies is given by 𝑃(𝑥) = 8𝑥 − 2√𝑥,
where x is the number of boxes of cookies you sell in a month.
a) Determine the marginal profit function, MP(x).

b) Determine value of marginal profit if you are selling 25 boxes of cookies per month and interpret.

2. Find the marginal cost, the marginal revenue, and the marginal profit functions, where the cost and revenue
functions, respectively, are 𝐶(𝑥) = 8𝑥 2 , and 𝑅(𝑥) = 4𝑥 3 + 2𝑥 + 10.

3. Assume that your monthly profit (in dollars) from selling books is given by 𝑃(𝑥) = 5𝑥 2 + 6𝑥 − 2 ,
where x is the number of books you sell in a month. If you are currently selling 𝑥 = 50 books per month, find
your profit and your marginal profit.

4. Your monthly cost (in dollars) from selling homemade candles is given by
𝐶(𝑥) = 150 + 0.1𝑥 + 0.002𝑥 2 , where x is the number of candles you sell in a month. The revenue from selling
𝑥 candles is 𝑅(𝑥) = 7𝑥.

a) Write a function 𝑃(𝑥) for your monthly profit of producing and

selling x candles.
b) Calculate 𝑃(100). Include units.
c) Write a function for your marginal profit.
d) Calculate your marginal profit if you produce and sell 100 candles. Include units and interpret your answer.
Chain Rule
1. Find the derivative 𝑦′ of each function.
(a) 𝑦 = 0.4(3𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 − 8)5
(b) 𝑦 = √𝑥 3 − 50𝑥
(c) 𝑦 = (6𝑥 + 1)4/3
25
(d) 𝑦 = (𝑥2+𝑥+2)4

Derivative of Logarithmic and Exponential Function

1. Find the derivative 𝑦′ of each function.
(a) 𝑦 = 9 ln(2𝑥)
(b) 𝑦 = ln(5𝑥 3 + 𝑥 2 + 4)
(c) 𝑦 = ln|𝑥 3 − 8𝑥|
(d) 𝑦 = 𝑥 − 𝑥 ln 𝑥
5−3𝑥
(e) 𝑦 = 4𝑒 𝑥
(f) 𝑦 = (𝑥 2 − 2𝑥)𝑒 2𝑥+3
(g) 𝑦 = 𝑒 5/𝑥
(h) 𝑦 = 8𝑒 −2𝑥
3+2𝑥
(i) 𝑦 = 5𝑒 3𝑥
Maxima and Minima
1. The function of a function 𝑓 on [−3, 3] is given below.
(a) 𝑓 has a relative minimum at 𝑥 =
(b) 𝑓 has an absolute maximum at 𝑥 =
(c) 𝑓 has an absolute minimum at 𝑥 =
(d) 𝑓′ is zero at 𝑥 =
(e) 𝑓′ is positive on interval(s):
(f) 𝑓′ is negative on interval(s):

2. The graph of a function 𝑓 is given below.

(a) 𝑓′ is zero at 𝑥 =
(b) 𝑓 has a relative max at 𝑥 = and has a relative min at 𝑥 =
3. Find all critical points of the function. Use the First Derivative Test to determine whether 𝑓 has a relative
minimum, a relative maximum or neither at the critical point.
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 − 2 ln 𝑥 , 𝑥 > 0

4. Consider the function 𝑓(𝑥) = 8𝑥 3 − 24𝑥 + 12.

(a) Find all critical points of 𝑓.
(b) Find the absolute extrema of 𝑓 on interval [−3, 2].

5. Consider the function 𝑓(𝑥) = 3𝑥 4 + 4𝑥 3 − 12𝑥 2 defined on [−3, 0.5].

(a) Find all critical point(s) of 𝑓. Write your answer as a list of ordered pairs.
(b) Find the coordinates of the endpoints of 𝑓. Write your answer as a list of ordered pairs.
(c) Find the location of the absolute and relative extrema of 𝑓 on the interval [−3, 0.5].

6. Consider the function 𝑔(𝑥) = (𝑥 − 2)2/3,

(a) Find any critical points of 𝑔.
(b) Find the absolute max and absolution min of 𝑔 over [0, 5].

7. For the function 𝑘(𝑥) = 4𝑥 3 − 24𝑥 2 + 36𝑥 − 20,

(a) Find any critical points of 𝑘.
(b) For what 𝑥 values is the function 𝑘 increasing? decreasing?
(c) Find any relative and absolute extrema of 𝑘 on [−1, 5].

8. For the function ℎ(𝑥) = 𝑒 𝑥 − 𝑥 defined on [−2, 3],

(a) Find any critical points of ℎ.
(b) For what 𝑥 values is the function ℎ increasing? decreasing?
(c) Find any relative and absolute extrema of ℎ.

9. Suppose 𝑓(𝑥) is continuous on (−∞, ∞) and 𝑓 has two critical points at 𝑥 = −1 and 𝑥 = 2. If we know
𝑓 ′ (−2) < 0, 𝑓 ′ (0) > 0, and 𝑓 ′ (3) < 0, determine whether each statement is True or False.
(a) T or F 𝑓 has a relative minimum at 𝑥 = −1 because 𝑓 is decreasing on the left side of 𝑥 = −1 and increasing
on the right side of 𝑥 = −1.
(b) T or F 𝑓 has a relative maximum at 𝑥 = 2 because 𝑓′ is positive on the left side of 𝑥 = 2 and negative on the
right side of 𝑥 = 2.
(c) T or F 𝑓 is decreasing on the interval [−1, 2].
(d) T or F 𝑓 is decreasing on the interval (2, ∞).

10.

Suppose 𝑓(𝑥) is continuous on (−∞, ∞) and 𝑓 has two critical points at 𝑥 = 0 and 𝑥 = 4. If 𝑓 ′ (−1) < 0,
𝑓 ′ (1) < 0, and 𝑓 ′ (5) > 0, then

(a) 𝑓 has (relative minimum/relative minimum/no relative extrema) at 𝑥 = 0.

(b) 𝑓 has (relative minimum/relative minimum/no relative extrema) at 𝑥 = 4.
(c) 𝑓 is increasing on interval(s):
(d) 𝑓 is decreasing on interval(s):
Optimization: Applications to Maximum and Minimum
1. You are running a business selling homemade bread. Your weekly revenue from the sale of 𝑞 loaves bread is
𝑅(𝑞) = 68𝑞 − 0.1𝑞2 dollars, and the weekly cost of making 𝑞 loaves of bread is 𝐶(𝑞) = 23 + 20𝑞.
(a) Find the weekly profit function 𝑃(𝑞).
(b) Find the production level 𝑞 that maximizes the weekly profit.
(c) Find the maximum profit.
2. Suppose 𝐶(𝑥) = 0.02𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 + 4000 is the total cost for a company to produce 𝑥 units of a certain product.
𝐶(𝑥)
Find the production level 𝑥 that minimizes the average cost 𝐶̅(𝑥) = .
𝑥
3. I would like to create a rectangular orchid garden that abuts my house so that the house itself forms the northern
boundary. The fencing for the southern boundary costs $3 per foot, and the fencing for the east and west sides costs
$5 per foot. If I have a budget of $120 for the project, what are the dimensions of the garden with the largest area
I can enclose?
4. I need to create a rectangular vegetable patch with an area of exactly 162 square feet. The fencing for the east and
west sides costs $4 per foot, and the fencing for the north and south sides costs only $2 per foot. What are the
dimensions of the vegetable patch with the least expensive fence?
5. Worldwide annual sale of a product in 2013-2017 were projected to be approximately 𝑞 = −10𝑝 + 4220 million
units at a selling price of 𝑝 dollars per unit. What selling price would have resulted in the largest projected annual
revenue? What would be resulting revenue?
3. The graph of a function 𝑓(𝑥) is given. Fill in the blank.
(a) The graph is concave (up/down) on interval (−∞, 2), concave (up/down) on interval (2, 3),
and concave (up/down) on interval (3, ∞).
(b) The second derivative 𝑓 ’’ is positive on: and negative on: .
(c) List the points of inflection: 𝑥 =
(d) Does 𝑓 have any relative extrema?
(e) Does 𝑓 have any absolute extrema?

4. Suppose the position of a particle moving on a straight line is 𝑠(𝑡) = √𝑡 + 4𝑡 2 . Find the particle’s acceleration as
a function of time 𝑡.

5. Let 𝑠(𝑡) = 4𝑒 𝑡 − 8𝑡 2 + 3 be the position function of a particle moving in a straight line, where 𝑠 is measured in
feet and 𝑡 is measured in seconds. Find its acceleration when 𝑡 = ln 6 seconds.
Indefinite Integral
1. Find the indefinite integrals.
(a) ∫ 2𝑥 4 − 4𝑥 −2 + 5𝑥 −5 + 3 𝑑𝑥
7 1
(b) ∫ 𝑥 + 3𝑥 7 𝑑𝑥
2
(c) ∫ 𝑥 2 − 5√𝑥 𝑑𝑥
(d) ∫ 𝑒 𝑥 − 𝑥 −0.3 𝑑𝑥
(e) ∫(𝑥 + 3)(𝑥 − 2)𝑑𝑥
𝑥 2+5𝑥−2
(f) ∫ 𝑑𝑥
𝑥
2. Find 𝑓(𝑥) if 𝑓(0) = −1 and the derivative 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = 9𝑒 𝑥 + 9.

3. The velocity of a particle moving in a straight line is 𝑣(𝑡) = 𝑡 2 + 6. Find the expression for the position, 𝑠(𝑡), of
the particle at time 𝑡, if 𝑠(3) = 0.
4. Suppose the function 𝐶(𝑥) gives the total cost (in dollars) of producing 𝑥 units of a certain product. The marginal
1
cost of producing the 𝑥th unit is 𝐶′(𝑥) = 0.5𝑥 + 𝑥. If the cost to produce the first unit is 5 dollars, find the cost
function 𝐶(𝑥).
Definite Integral
1. Evaluate the definite integrals. Show all your work step by step.
Give the exact value. You may use your calculator to check your final answer only.
1
(a) ∫0 (6𝑥 5 + 15𝑥 4 − 9𝑥 2 + 1) 𝑑𝑥
7 5
(b) ∫2 (𝑥 + 𝑥) 𝑑𝑥
10 1
(c) ∫1 𝑑𝑥
𝑥2
6 −𝑥+6
(d) ∫0 𝑒 𝑑𝑥
1
(e) ∫−1 5𝑒 3𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑒5 2
(f) ∫𝑒 3 𝑥 𝑑𝑥
ln 5
(g) ∫ln 3 𝑒 2𝑥 𝑑𝑥

2. Assume that 𝑏 is a positive number, solve the following equation for 𝑏.

𝑏
∫2 (2𝑥 − 4) 𝑑𝑥 = 9

3. Calculate the left Riemann sum for the function 𝑓(𝑥) = 3𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 − 3 over the interval [1, 3], with 𝑛 = 5.

4. Use a left Riemann sum to estimate the definite integral with 𝑛 = 4 subintervals.
3
1
∫ 𝑑𝑥
2 1 + 2𝑥