Avon High School Name ______Solutions___________

AP Calculus AB
Period _____ Score ______ / 10
Skill Builder: Topics 2.1-2.3 – The Definition of the Derivative
Compute the derivative function, f ¢(x) , using the definition of derivative for each of the following.
Use proper notation.
1. f (x) = 3x 2 +1 2. f (x) = 2
f ( x + h) − f ( x ) ( 2) − ( 2)
f ( x + h) - f ( x ) êë úû (
é3( x + h )2 + 1ù - 3x 2 + 1
) lim
h→0
= lim
h→0
lim = lim h h
h®0 h h®0 h

= lim ë ( ) ( )
é3 x 2 + 2xh + h2 ù - 3x 2
û = lim
( ) ( )
3x 2 + 6xh + 3h2 - 3x 2
= lim
( 2) − ( 2) = 0
h®0 h h®0 h h→0 h

= lim
(6xh + 3h 2
)
= lim
(6x + 3h) = 6x
h®0 h h®0 1

3
3. f (x) =
x +1
é 3 ù æ 3 ö
ê ú-ç
êë ( x + h ) + 1 úû è x + 1ø
÷
f ( x + h) - f ( x ) 3( x + 1) - 3( x + h + 1) 3x + 3- 3x - 3h - 3
= lim = lim = lim
h ( x + h + 1) ( x + 1) ( )( )
lim
h®0 h h®0 h h®0 h®0 h x + h + 1 x + 1

-3h -3 -3
= lim = lim =
h®0 h ( x + h + 1) ( x + 1) h®0
( x + h + 1)( x + 1) ( x + 1)2

4. f (x) = 3x +1
f ( x + h) - f ( x ) 3( x + h ) + 1 - 3x + 1
lim = lim
h®0 h h®0 h
é 3( x + h ) + 1 - 3x + 1 ù é 3( x + h ) + 1 + 3x + 1 ù
ê
= lim ë
úû êë úû
= lim ë
( )
é 3( x + h ) + 1 - ( 3x + 1) ù
û
h ê 3( x + h) + 1 + 3x + 1 ú
é ù h ê 3( x + h ) + 1 + 3x + 1 ùú
é
h®0 h®0
ë û ë û
é( 3x + 3h + 1) - ( 3x + 1) ùû
= lim ë
3h
= lim
h éê 3( x + h) + 1 + 3x + 1 ùú h éê 3( x + h ) + 1 + 3x + 1 ùú
h®0 h®0
ë û ë û
3 3
= lim =
êë 3( x + h ) + 1 + 3x + 1 úû
h®0 é ù 2 3x + 1
Compute f '(c) for each of the following using the alternate form of the definition of the derivative.

5. f (x) = 3x +1, c = 1 4
6. f (x) = x + , c = 4
f (1+ h ) - f (1) x
f ¢ (1) = lim
f ( 4 + h) - f ( 4)
f ¢ ( 4 ) = lim
h®0 h
3(1+ h ) + 1- ( 4 ) 3+ 3h + 1- 4 h®0 h
= lim = lim
h h é 4 ù
ê( 4 + h ) + ú - (5)
h®0 h®0

= lim
3h 3
= lim = 3 = lim
êë ( 4 + h ) úû
h®0 h h®0 1 h®0 h
é( 4 + h ) + 4 ù - (5) ( 4 + h )
2

ê úû
= lim ë
h®0 h ( 4 + h)
é( 4 + h )2 - 5h - 16 ù
ê úû
= lim ë
h®0 h ( 4 + h)
éë16 + 8h + h2 - 5h - 16 ùû
= lim
h®0 h ( 4 + h)
éë 3h + h2 ùû é3+ h ùû 3
= lim = lim ë =
( ) h®0 ( 4 + h) 4
h®0 h 4 + h

For Problem 7 & 8, the given limits represent an f '(c) for a function f (x) and a number c. Find f and c.

é5 - 3(1+ Dx) ùû - 2 ( -2 + Dx )
3

7. lim ë
+8
8. lim
Dx®0 Dx Dx®0 Dx
()
f x = 5- 3x c =1 f ( x) = x 3
c = -2
For Problems 9 and 10, consider the sketch of the function, f (x), to the right.

9. a.) Find f (1) and f (4). b.) Calculate f (4) - f (1).

()
f 1 =2 ()
f 4 =5 ( ) ()
f 4 - f 1 =3

f (4) - f (1)
c.) What does the equation y = (x -1) + f (1) represent?
4 -1
This is the equation of the secant line joining the two points (1, 2) and
(4, 5).

10. Insert the proper inequality symbol (< or >) between the given quantities. If you need help, draw the
represented line in the picture above

f (4) - f (1) f (4) - f (3) f (4) - f (1)

a.) > b.) < f ¢(1)
4 -1 4-3 4 -1

11. The table shows the margin of error in degrees for tennis serves hit at 100 mph with various amounts of
topspin (in units of revolutions per second). Topspin (rps) (x) 20 40 60 80 100
Margin of error f(x) 1.8 2.4 3.1 3.9 4.6

a.) Estimate the derivative of f at x = 70 rps. b.) Estimate the derivative of f at x = 40rps. Label
Label correctly. correctly.

( )
f ¢ 70 »
( )
f 80 - f 60 ( ) ( )
f ¢ 40 »
( )
f 60 - f 20 ( )
80 - 60 60 - 20

=
( ) ( )
3.9 - 3.1 0.8
= = 0.04 =
( ) ( )
3.1 - 1.8 1.3
= = 0.0325
20 20 40 40