Before starting, check that you can manipulate indices and find a straight-line equation.
Differentiation practice questions with answers
Try these original MathLab examples before revealing the solutions. They sample this stage; the worksheet list above shows the wider practice available in the app.
Foundation: apply the power rule
Differentiate .
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Get MathLabWorked answer: differentiate term by term
The derivative of is , that of is , and a constant has derivative zero. Therefore . The exponent drops by one after multiplying by its original value.
Standard: find a tangent
Find the equation of the tangent to at .
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Get MathLabWorked answer: find both the point and the gradient
At , . Differentiating gives , so the tangent’s gradient is . Hence , or . Substituting into this line returns as required.
Reasoning: a zero gradient
For , the gradient is zero at . Does this make the origin a maximum or minimum? Explain.
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Get MathLabWorked answer: inspect the gradient on each side
is positive for both and . The curve is increasing on both sides, so the origin is neither a local maximum nor a local minimum. It is a stationary point of inflection. A zero derivative identifies a stationary point but does not, by itself, classify it.