Study Unit 5 : Calculus

Chapter 6: Sections 6.1, 6.2.1, 6.3.1

Chapter 8: Section 8.1, 8.2 and 8.5

• In Business world the study of change important

Example: change in the sales of a company; change in the
value of the rand; change in the value of shares; change in
the interest rate etc.

• Equally important is the rate at which these changes take

place.
Example: If the sales of a company increased by
R2 000 000,00, it is important to know whether this change
occurred over one year, two years or ten years.

• Rate of change: changes over time, change in costs for

different production quantities in a production process, etc.

• Change consists of two components: size and direction.

Let’s look at linear function : y = mx + c.

• Slope (m) is the change in y which corresponds to change

change in y y2 − y1
of one unit in the value of x: = .
change in x x2 − x1
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• Slope => indication of rate of change = constant

• Value of the slope => size of the change

• Sign of the slope => direction of the change.

• positive sign – an increase;

• negative sign – a decrease.

Let’s look at a non-linear function, for example a quadratic

function

The size and direction are not constant, but change

continuously.

Use the mathematical technique of Differentiation to

determine the rate of change.
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1. Differentiation

• Slope of a curve = change in y / change in x = rate

curve change

• Use differentiation to get slope at a given point

• dy/dx = f ’(x) derivative of y with respect to x

• Pronounce this as ”dee-y-dee-x.”

• Use rules of differentiation to obtain the derivative

• Many rules of differentiation –look at just 1 namely

Power Rule:
d n
If f(x) = xn, then f '(x) or= (x ) nx n−1for n ≠ 0
dx
For example

• n integer and positive

d 4
= x 4−1 4 x 3
(x ) 4=
dx

• n integer and negative

d −3 3
−3x −3−1 =
(x ) = −3x −4 =
− 4
dx x
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• n is a fraction and positive

d 12 1 12 − 1 1 − 12 1 1
(=
x ) x = x= = 1
dx 2 2 2 x
2x 2

• n is a fraction and negative

d − 12 1 − 12 −1 1 − 23 1 1 1
(x ) =
− x =
− x = − 3 = − 1
=
−
dx 2 2 3 2 x 3
2x 2
2(x ) 2

Note:
1. The derivative of any constant term say a, that is a term
which consists of a number only, is zero:

da
= 0 , where a is a constant.
dx

Example: f(x) = 4 then f '(x) = 0.

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d
2. a f ( x )  = a f '(x).
dx
Example: f(x) = 7x5 then f '(x) = 7 × 5x4 = 35x4.

3. If f=
( x) g ( x) + h( x) , then f=
'( x) g '( x) + h '( x) .

Example: f(x) = 7x5 + 2x3 then f '(x) = 35x4 + 6x2

Example: f(x) = 4 + 8x2 then f '(x) = 0 + 16x

Steps:
1. First we need to simplify the given expression so that
we can use the basic rule of differentiation.
2. Secondly we differentiate the new expression using the
d
=
basic rule x n nx n −1 where n ≠ 0 of differentiation
dx
For example:
d 1 d 3
1. ( 3 ) =(x −3 ) =
−3x −3−1 =
−3x −4 =
− 4
dx x dx x
d d 12 1 12 − 1 1 − 12 1 1
2. =
x (=
x ) x = x= = 1
dx dx 2 2 2 x
2x 2

Discussion class example 19

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Question 19
Differentiate the following expression
x3 − 4 x 2 + 4 x
x−2
Solution
• First we need to simplify the given expression so that we can use
the basic rule of differentiation.
x 3 − 4 x 2 + 4 x x( x 2 − 4 x + 4)
=
x−2 x−2

x( x − 2)( x − 2)
=
x−2

= x( x − 2)

= x2 − 2x
• Next we can differentiate the new expression using the basic
d n
=
rule x nx n −1 where n ≠ 0 . Therefore
dx
d  x3 − 4 x 2 + 4 x  d 2
 =  ( x − 2 x)
dx  x−2  d x

= 2 x 2−1 − 2 x1−1

= 2x − 2
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• Application :
 Minimum or maximum, vertex, turning
point => slope = 0 => dy/dx = 0

Discussion class example 14 (c) using

differentiation

 Also called rate of change because slope is

rate of change
 Slope of a tangent line at a given point –
derivative at that point.
 Marginal analysis

• Marginal revenue : MR = dTR/dQ

• Marginal cost : MC =dTC/dQ

Discussion class example 20

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Question 20
What is the marginal cost when Q =10 if the total cost is given
by:
TC = 20Q4 – 30Q2 + 300Q + 200?

Solution
The marginal cost function is the differentiated total cost
function. Thus by differentiating the total cost function we can
determine the marginal cost function. Now if the total cost
function is

TC = 20Q4 – 30Q2 + 300Q + 200

then the marginal cost function is

dTC
MC = = 80Q 3 − 60Q + 300 .
dQ

Now the marginal cost function’s value when Q is equal 10 is

MC = 80(10)3 – 60(10) + 300 = 80 000 – 600 + 300 = 79 700.

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2. Integration

• Is the reverse of differentiation

d(y)/dx
y d(y)

∫ d(y)
o Indefinite integral : different rules
Steps:

• Simplify function before you integrate – write it so that

you can apply the integration rule for example

o ∫ (ax + b)= ∫ ax + ∫ b
1
1
o ∫ x
= ∫ x2

• Apply basic integration rule

x n+1
∫ x= + c where n ≠ −1
n
dx
n +1
ax 0+1
∫ a dx = 1 + c = ax + c where a is a constant
Discussion class example 21 and 22

• Hint : test your answer: differentiate answer, must be

equal to function integrated.
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Question 21
Evaluate the following

∫ + 2 x + 3)dx
2
( x

Solution
To integrate the function we make use of the basic rule of
x n +1
∫ x n + 1 + c when n ≠ −1. Therefore:
integration namely = n

∫ (x + 2 x + 3)d= ∫x dx + ∫ 2 x dx + ∫ 3dx
2 2
x

x 2+1 2 x1+1 3 x 0+1

= + + +c
2 +1 1+1 0 +1
x3 2 x 2 3x
= + + +c
3 2 1
x3
= + x 2 + 3x + c
3
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Question 22
Q +1
Determine ∫ Q dQ
Solution
First simplify the function to be integrated:
Q + 1 (Q + 1)
= 1
Q
Q2
1
−
= (Q + 1)Q 2

1 1
−
= Q +Q 2 2

x n +1
∫ x n + 1 + c when n ≠ −1
Integrate the function using rule =
n

1 1 1 1
− −
∫ (Q 2 2
∫Q + ∫Q
+ Q ) dQ = 2 2

1 1
+1 − +1
2 2
Q Q
= + +c
1 1
+1 − +1
2 2
3 1
2 2
Q Q
= + +c
3 1
2 2
2 2
= Q3 x + Qx + c
3 1

2 Q3
= +2 Q +c
3
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Definite integral : area under a given curve between two

points a and b:
b x n+1 x n+1
∫a x dx = (x =
b) − (x =
n
a)
n +1 n +1

 Steps :
1. Simplify the function
2. Integrate the function by applying the
basic rule of integration
3. Calculate the value of the integrated
function at the value a – substitute the
values a into the integrated function –
answer 1
4. Calculate the value of the integrated
function at the value b – substitute the
values b into the integrated function –
answer 2
5. Subtract answer 2 from answer 1

Discussion class example 23

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Question 23
Evaluate
1

∫ ( z + 1) dz
−1

Solution
x n +1
Integrate the function using the basic rule = ∫ x n + 1 + c when
n

n ≠ −1 and substitute the values into the integrated function:

1
1
∫ ( z + 1)dz = z +z 1+1 1
−1
−1 2

2
z
= ( + z) 1
−1
2

 (−1) 
2 2
1
= ( + 1) −  + (−1) 
2  2 

1 1
= 1 − ( − 1)
2 2

1 1
= 1 − (− )
2 2

1 1
= 1 + = 2
2 2