Calculus with Applications (10th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321749006
ISBN 13: 978-0-32174-900-0

Chapter 3 - The Derivative - 3.4 Definition of the Derivative - 3.4 Exercises - Page 176: 31

Answer

$$ f(x)=-\frac{2}{x} $$ Now use the rules for limits to get $$ \begin{split} f^{\prime}(x) &=\lim\limits_{h \to 0} \frac{f(x +h)- f(x)}{h}\\ &=\lim\limits_{h \to 0}\frac{-\frac{2}{x+h}+\frac{2}{x} }{h}\\ &=\lim\limits_{h \to 0} \frac{\frac{-2 x+2(x+h)}{(x+h) x}}{h}\\ &=\lim\limits_{h \to 0}\frac{2 h}{h(x+h) x}\\ &=\lim\limits_{h \to 0}\frac{2 }{(x+h) x}\\ &=\frac{2 }{x^{2}} \end{split} $$ Use this result to find $$ f^{\prime}(2)=\frac{2 }{(2)^{2}}=\frac{1}{2}, $$ $$ f^{\prime}(16)=\frac{2 }{(16)^{2}}= \frac{2}{256}=\frac{1}{128} $$ and $$ f^{\prime}(-3)=\frac{2 }{(-3)^{2}}= \frac{2}{9} $$

Work Step by Step

$$ f(x)=-\frac{2}{x} $$ Go through the four steps to find $f^{\prime}(x)$ Step 1 Find $f(x+h)$ by replacing $x$ with $x +h$ $$ f(x +h)=-\frac{2}{x+h} $$ Step 2 $$ f(x +h) -f(x)=-\frac{2}{x+h}+\frac{2}{x} $$ Step 3 $$ \frac{f(x +h)- f(x)}{h}= \frac{-\frac{2}{x+h}+\frac{2}{x} }{h} $$ Step 4 Now use the rules for limits to get $$ \begin{split} f^{\prime}(x) &=\lim\limits_{h \to 0} \frac{f(x +h)- f(x)}{h}\\ &=\lim\limits_{h \to 0}\frac{-\frac{2}{x+h}+\frac{2}{x} }{h}\\ &=\lim\limits_{h \to 0} \frac{\frac{-2 x+2(x+h)}{(x+h) x}}{h}\\ &=\lim\limits_{h \to 0}\frac{2 h}{h(x+h) x}\\ &=\lim\limits_{h \to 0}\frac{2 }{(x+h) x}\\ &=\frac{2 }{x^{2}} \end{split} $$ Use this result to find $$ f^{\prime}(2)=\frac{2 }{(2)^{2}}=\frac{1}{2}, $$ $$ f^{\prime}(16)=\frac{2 }{(16)^{2}}= \frac{2}{256}=\frac{1}{128} $$ and $$ f^{\prime}(-3)=\frac{2 }{(-3)^{2}}= \frac{2}{9} $$
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