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Student ID

MATH 1010 – Calculus I, Fall 2022

Midterm Examination
Calculators and an A4 page (both sides) of handwritten notes are permitted

Examination information

ˆ Exam duration: 60 minutes

ˆ State all answers correct to three decimal places, unless otherwise instructed

ˆ Use black or blue pen

ˆ You may use a sharp dark pencil for diagrams

Total points: 40

Be sure you have a complete exam, for no credit can be given for work that is not done.
Show your work; little or no credit will be given for unsupported answers. Finally, before
you start to work a problem, be sure that you understand what is being asked and that you
are following instructions.
College of Engineering and Computer Science, Vin University, Hanoi, Vietnam
 9
1. (7 points) Figure 1 shows the graph of y = f (x), where f (x) = .
2x2+1
 
1
A chord is shown on the graph between points A1 − , 8 and B(1, 3).
4

Figure 1: Graph of y = f (x)

(a) Find the slope of chord A1 B. (2 points)

(b) Using the limit definition of derivative, find the slope of the tangent to the graph
of y = f (x) at B. (3 points)

If a chord was drawn between A2 and B, chord A2 B would have a slope of −6.
A student makes the following statement:
‘On a curved function g(x), the slope of chord AB always approaches the slope
of the tangent to g(x) at B when A is moved closer to B’.

(c) By considering the slopes of chords A1 B and A2 B, and the slope of the tangent
to the graph of y = f (x) at B, discuss the accuracy of this statement. (2 points)
2. (14 points) Figure 2 shows the graphs of y = f (x) and y = g(x) for 0 ≤ x ≤ 7.

Figure 2: Graph of y = f (x) and y = g(x)

The graph of each function has exactly one stationary point; it is located at x = 2.

(a) Determine whether the stationary point for the graph of y = f (x) at x = 2
corresponds to a local max, a local min, or an inflection point. (1 point)

(b) Figure 3 shows the sign diagram for the second derivative of the function g(x).

Figure 3: Sign diagram for g ′′ (x)

Determine whether the point that is located at x = 2 on the graph of y = g(x)

corresponds to a local max, a local min, or an inflection point. (1 point)
(c) The graph of y = f (x) in Figure 2 has one point of inflection at x = 5. Determine
the interval(s) for which f ′ (x) is increasing. (2 points)

(d) i. For 0 < x < 2, which one of the following statements is true? Round the
correct statement, and justify your answer. (2 points)

f ′ (x) < g ′ (x) f ′ (x) = g ′ (x) f ′ (x) > g ′ (x)

Justification:

ii. For 0 < x < 2, which one of the following statements is true? Round the
correct statement, and justify your answer. (2 points)

f ′′ (x) < g ′′ (x) f ′′ (x) = g ′′ (x) f ′′ (x) > g ′′ (x)

Justification:

iii. For 2 < x < 7, given that the value of f (x) − g(x) is increasing,which one of
the following statements is true? Round the correct statement, and justify
your answer. (2 points)

f ′ (x) < g ′ (x) f ′ (x) = g ′ (x) f ′ (x) > g ′ (x)

Justification:
(e) Figure 4 shows the graph of y = f ′ (x) for 0 ≤ x ≤ 7. On the axes in Figure 4,
sketch a graph of y = g ′ (x) for 0 ≤ x ≤ 7. (4 points)

Figure 4: Graph of f ′ (x)

3. (10 points) When a forest is planted the owner needs to have some idea of how long it
will take before the forest should be cut down and sold as wood.

At time t (years) after a certain forest is planted, the volume of wood available V (t)
(in thousands of cubic meters) can be modeled by
60
V (t) = 86e1− t , t > 0.

(a) Find and interpret the meaning of V ′ (40). (2 points)

(b) Find V ′′ (t). (2 points)

(c) Determine the time period for which the change in the volume of wood available
is decreasing. (2 points)

Let the value of the wood available T (t) (in thousands of dollars) in the forest t
years after planting be given by T (t) = 100V (t).

Let the cost of cutting down the forest t years after planting be a fixed cost C (in
thousands of dollars). Hence, if the forest is cut down, the income from the wood
t years after planting will be 100V (t) − C.

One way to determine when the forest should be cut down is to increase by r%
(to take inflation into account) the income t years after planting, and find when
this amount is equal to the income t + 1 years after planting.

Assume the cost of cutting down the forest t + 1 years after planting is also C (in
thousands of dollars).
(d) If r = 5% and C = 50, show that T (t + 1) = 1.05T (t) − 2.5. (2 points)
(e) Using the model given in part (d), write an exponential equation that can be used
to determine when the forest should be cut down. You do not have to solve the
equation as it might not be possible without the aid of a graphical calculator. (2
points)
4. (9 points) The blood vascular system consists of blood vessels (arteries, arterioles,
capillaries, and veins) that convey blood from the heart to the organs and back to the
heart. This system should work so as to minimize the energy expended by the heart
in pumping the blood. In particular, this energy is reduced when the resistance of the
blood is lowered. One of Poiseuille’s Laws gives the resistance R of the blood as
L
R=K
r4
where L is the length of the blood vessel, r is the radius, and K is a positive constant
determined by the viscosity of the blood. The figure shows a main blood vessel with
radius r1 branching at an angle θ into a smaller vessel with radius r2 .

(a) Use Poiseuille’s Law to show that the total resistance of the blood along the path
ABC is  
a − b cot θ b csc θ
R=K +
r14 r24
where a and b are the distances shown in the figure. (4 points)
 r24
(b) Prove that this resistance is minimized when cos θ = . (3 points)
r14

(c) Find the optimal branching angle (correct to the nearest degree) when the radius
of the smaller blood vessel is two–thirds the radius of the larger vessel.(2 points)