University Calculus: Early Transcendentals (3rd Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321999584
ISBN 13: 978-0-32199-958-0

Chapter 2 - Section 2.1 - Rates of Change and Tangents to Curves - Exercises - Page 57: 14

Answer

The slope of the tangent line of the curve at $P$ is $0$. The $Ox$ line is the tangent line of the curve at $P$

Work Step by Step

$$y=x^3-3x^2+4\hspace{1cm} P(2,0)$$ 1) First, take $Q(2+h,y)$ to be a nearby point of $P$ on the graph of the function. $$y=(2+h)^3-3(2+h)^2+4$$ $$y=(8+3\times4h+3\times2h^2+h^3)-3(4+4h+h^2)+4$$ $$y=8+12h+6h^2+h^3-12-12h-3h^2+4$$ $$y=3h^2+h^3$$ So $Q(2+h,3h^2+h^3)$ 2) Find the slope of the secant $PQ$: $$\frac{\Delta y}{\Delta x}=\frac{3h^2+h^3-0}{2+h-2}=\frac{3h^2+h^3}{h}=3h+h^2$$ 3) Find out what happens if $Q$ approaches $P$ As $Q$ approaches $P$, $2+h$ will gradually approach $2$, while $3h^2+h^3$ approaches $0$. Both of these mean that $h$ will approach $0$ and hence secant slope $3h+h^2$ will approach $0$ as well. So we take $0$ to be the slope of the tangent line of the curve at $P$. 4) The equation of the tangent line at $P$ would have this form: $$y=0x+b$$ $$y=b$$ Replace the coordinates of $P$ here to find $b$: $$b=0$$ Therefore, the equation of the tangent line of the curve at $P$ is $y=0$, which is the $Ox$ line.
Update this answer!

You can help us out by revising, improving and updating this answer.

Update this answer

After you claim an answer you’ll have 24 hours to send in a draft. An editor will review the submission and either publish your submission or provide feedback.