Math 50 PHy

Quiz Bee

Easy Round

1. True or False: Consider the function f defined by f (x) = x3 −3x2 −9x−1. The function f is decreasing
on the interval (3, ∞). (False)

Solution: To solve this, we first find the first derivative of f . We have f 0 (x) = 3x2 − 6x − 9. We find
a test point c on the interval (3, ∞), say c = 4. If f 0 (c) < 0, the function f is decreasing on the interval
(3, ∞). If f 0 (c) > 0, the function f is increasing on the interval (3, ∞). Now, f 0 (4) = 3(4)2 − 6(4) − 9 =
15 > 0. Hence, the function f is increasing on the interval (3, ∞).
2. True or False: Given f (x) = (x − 1)2 (x + 2), x = −2 is a critical number. (False)

Solution: To get the critical numbers just find the first derivative of f and then solve for f 0 (x) = 0.

f 0 (x) = (x − 1)2 (x + 2)0 + (x + 2)((x − 1)2 )0

= (x − 1)2 + (x + 2)(2(x − 1))
= (x − 1)[x − 1 + 2(x + 2)]
= (x − 1)(3x + 1) = 0
1
x=1 or x = −
3
Thus, x = −2 is not a critical number.
x2
3. True or False: The function f 0 (x) = has critical points at x = 0, x = −1, and x = 1.
1 − x2

Answer: Note that for a rational function, the critical numbers are the value of x where the derivative
of f is zero and undefined. When f 0 (x) = 0, we have x = 0. The numbers that makes zero undefined is
what makes the denominator zero. We have 1 − x2 = 0. We have x = 1 and x = −1. Thus, the critical
numbers are x = 0, 1and − 1.

4. The point in a continuous function at which concavity changes is known as . (con-

cavity)
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5. True or False: The absolute minimum of f (x) = x2 − 3x 3 over the interval 0 ≤ x ≤ 2 is 0. (False)
Solution:
Step 1: Find the critical number.
2
f (x) = x2 − 3x 3
 
0 2 1
f (x) = 2x − 3 x− 3
3
1
= 2x − 2x− 3 = 0
4
2x(1 − x− 3 ) = 0
x=0 or x = 1
2
Step 2: Next step is we substitute the critical values and the endpoints to f . We have f (0) = 02 −3(0) 3 =
2 2
0, f (1) = 12 − 3(1) 3 = −2, f (x) = 22 − 3(2) 3 = −0.76. Hence the smallest function value is -2. So 0
is not the absolute minimum.
6. We say that c is a of f if f 0 (c) = 0 or f 0 (c) is undefined. (critical number)

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 7.

From the figure above, we can say that we have three relative extremum points. (False)
Explanation: Note that relative extremum points only occurs when the direction changes from one
interval to the next. Hence from the figure, we can conclude that x = −1 and x = 1 corresponds to a
relative extremum but x = 0 does not correspond to a relative extremum. Hence, from the figure, we
only have two relative extremum points.
1
x− x22
8. True or False: We can apply L’Hopital’s rule in evaluating lim . (False)
x→∞ 13 − x3 + 2x
x
Solution:
1 2
1
− x22 lim − lim 2 0−0 0
x x→∞ x x→∞ x
lim = = = = 0.
x→∞ 13 3
− x + 2x 1 3
limx→∞ x3 − limx→∞ x + lim 2x 0 − 0 + ∞ ∞
x x→∞

Hence we don’t need to apply L’Hopital’s rule.

9. True or False: Relative extrema occur at critical points, and critical points corresponds to a relative
extrema. (False)
Solution: Number 8 is an example that disproves this statement.
10. True or False: The average cost is minimized at the level of production where average cost equals
marginal cost that is A(q) = C 0 (q). (False), by Marginal Analysis Criterion for Minimal Average Cost

Average Round

1. Given the demand function q = 500 − 10p. At what price p is the demand of unit elasticity.
A. 10 B. 15 C. 25 D. None of the above
Solution: Let q = D(p).

p dq
E(p) = −
q dp
p
=− (−10)
500 − 10p
−10p
=
500 − 10p
−p
=
50 − p
−p
1=
50 − p
50 − p = −p
2p = 50
p = 25

At price p = 10, the demand is of unit elasticity.

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2. Consider the derivative of the function f given by f 0 (x) = −(x − 1)2 (x − 3)(x + 3). The critical number
x = 1 corresponds to:
A. relative minimum B. relative maximum C. neither
Solution: The critical numbers of f are x = −3, x = 1 and x = 3. We divide the number line with
these critical values and we obtain the intervals (−∞, −3), (−3, 1), (1, 3), (3, ∞). To know if what
x = 1 corresponds to, we have to find the direction of the interval (−3, 1) and (1, 3). At (−3, 1) with
test point c = 0, we have f 0 (0) = 9 > 0 (so its increasing or going up). At (1, 3) with test point c = 2,
we have f 0 (2) = 5 > 0 (so its increasing or going up). Note that the direction from interval (−3, 1) to
the interval (1, 3) did not change. Hence, the critical number does not correspond to a relative extrema.
t2
3. Evaluate the limit: lim √
t→∞ ln t
A. 0 B. ∞ C. 1 D. None of the above
Solution:

t2 lim t2 ∞
t→∞
lim √ = √ =
t→∞ ln t lim ln t ∞
t→∞

∞
Since, the limit is of indeterminate form , we can apply L’Hospital’s rule. We have
∞
d 2
t2 (t ) 2t
lim √ = lim dt = lim = lim t → ∞4t = 4 · ∞ = ∞
t→∞ ln t t→∞ d 1 t→∞ 1 1
(ln t )
2 ·
dt 2 t

dy
4. Find by implicit differentiation where 3x2 + y 2 = xy.
dx
dy y − 6x dy 2y − x dy y − 6x
A. = B. = C. =− D. none of the above
dx 2y − x dx y − 6x dx x
Solution: Let y = f (x).

3x2 + (f (x))2 = xf (x)

df (x) df (x)
6x + 2f (x) =x + f (x)(1)
dx dx
df (x) df (x)
2f (x) −x = f (x) − 6x
dx dx
dy dy
2y −x = y − 6x
dx dx
dy
(2y − x) = y − 6x
dx
dy y − 6x
=
dx 2y − x

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5. Which of these graphs is a sketch of a possible graph with the given characteristics on the left.

Solution: By observing the figure, we look at the sign of f 0 (x), from (−∞, 0), f is increasing. Note that
only letter d follows the direction. From the interval (−∞, 0), only the sketch in letter d is increasing.
Hence, from here we can already conclude that letter d is the answer.

Difficult Round

1. DIMINISHING RETURNS OF PRODUCTION

An efficiency study of the morning shift at a factory (8:00 AM to 12 noon) indicates that an average
worker who arrives on the job at 8:00 AM will have produced Q units t hours later, where
Q(t) = −t3 + 6t2 + 15t. When during the morning shift does the worker’s production reach the point
of diminishing returns?
A. 9:00 AM B. 10:00 AM C. 11:00 AM D. 12:00 AM
A. 8:00 AM B. 9:00 AM C. 10:00 AM D. 12:00 AM
Solution: To find the point of diminishing returns for production, we just need to find the inflection
point of Q(t). First,we need to find the second derivative of Q and then equate it to zero. We have

Q0 (t) = −3t2 + 12t + 15

Q00 (t) = −6t + 12 = 0
−6(t − 2) = 0
t=2

We have 2 intervals of concavity t < −2 and t > 2. At t < −2, with test point 0, Q00 (0) = 12 > 0
meaning it is concave upward in this interval. At t > 2, test point is 3,Q00 (3) = −6 < 0 meaning it is
concave downward . Hence concavity changes, thus t = 2 corresponds to an inflection point. At t = 2,
it is 10:00 AM.

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2. COST ANALYSIS It is estimated that the cost of constructing an office building that is n floors high
is C(n) = 2n2 + 600n + 450 thousand dollars. How many floors should the building have to minimize
the average cost per floor?
A. 18 B. 30 C. 15 D. none of the above
Solution:
C(n) 450
First, we find the first derivative o the Average cost A(n) = = 2n + 600 + and then equate
n n
it to zero to find the critical points.
450
A0 (n) = 2 − =0
n2
2n2 − 450 = 0
√ √
n = 225 or n = − 225

We only choose the positive number n = 15 Since we only have one critical point, we can use Second
derivative Test for Absolute Extrema,
900
A00 (n) = 3
n
900
A00 (15) = 3 > 0.
15
Thus n = 15 is an absolute minimum. That is we should have 15 floors to minimize the average cost
per floor.
3. ELASTICITY OF DEMAND When a particular commodity is priced at p dollars per unit, con-
sumers demand q units, where p and q are related by the equation q 2 + 3p = 22. For a unit of $3,
determine the level of elasticity.

Which of the following statement is true?

A. When the price is p = 10, a 1% increase in price will produce a decrease in demand of approximately
0.34 %.
B. When the price is p = 10, a 1% increase in price will produce an increase in demand of approximately
0.34 %.
C. When the price is p = 10, a 1% increase in price will produce a decrease in demand of approximately
1.56 %.
D. When the price is p = 10, a 1% increase in price will produce an increase in demand of approximately
1.56 %.

√ 1 dq
Solution: We find q. q = D(p) = 22 − 3p = (22 − 3p) 2 . Solve for .
dp
dq 1 1
= (22 − 3p)− 2 (−3)
dp 2
−3
= √
2 22 − 3p
p dq
E(p) = −
q dp
 
p −3
= −√ √
22 − 3p 2 22 − 3p
3p
=
2(22 − 3p)
3(3)
E(3) =
2(22 − 3(3))
9
E(3) = = 0.34 < 1
26

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 1
4. Solve for lim (1 + 3x) x
x→0
Solution: 1 1
lim (1 + x) x = (1 + 0) 0 = 1∞ .
x→0

Hence, this is an indeterminate of the form 1∞ . So we cannot yet apply L’Hopital’s rule. We apply ln
both sides.
1
y = lim (1 + 3x) x
x→0
ln(1 + 3x) 0
= lim (an ideterminate of the form )
x→0 x 0
3
1+3x
= lim
x→0 1
3
= lim
x→0 1 + 3x
3
=
1+0
ln y = 3
eln y = e3
y = e3

A. 3 B.e C. e3 D. none of the above

5. During the recession, Congress decides to stimulate the economy by providing funds to hire unemployed
workers for government projects. Suppose that t months after the stimulus program begins, there are
N (t) = −t3 + 45t2 + 408t + 2023. What is the maximum number of unemployed individual workers?
A. 25,675 B. 28, 611 C. 30,355 D. none of the above
Solution: Get the critical values t, where t ∈ [0, +∞].
N 0 (t) = −3t2 + 90t + 408 = −3(t2 − 30t − 136) = −3(t − 34)(t + 4) = 0
Hence, t = 34 only since we only want nonnegative values for t.
This value t = 34 divides the interval [0, +∞] into two.

Intervals Test Number (c) N’(t) Direction

t < 34 30 408 > 0 N is increasing
t = 34 relative maximum at t = 34
t > 34 35 -117 < 0 N is decreasing

Hence the maximum number of unemployed employees occur at t = 34. Therefore, the maximum
number of unemployed employee is N (34) = 28, 611.