Table of contents
- 0. Functions7h 52m
- Introduction to Functions16m
- Piecewise Functions10m
- Properties of Functions9m
- Common Functions1h 8m
- Transformations5m
- Combining Functions27m
- Exponent rules32m
- Exponential Functions28m
- Logarithmic Functions24m
- Properties of Logarithms34m
- Exponential & Logarithmic Equations35m
- Introduction to Trigonometric Functions38m
- Graphs of Trigonometric Functions44m
- Trigonometric Identities47m
- Inverse Trigonometric Functions48m
- 1. Limits and Continuity2h 2m
- 2. Intro to Derivatives1h 33m
- 3. Techniques of Differentiation3h 18m
- 4. Applications of Derivatives2h 38m
- 5. Graphical Applications of Derivatives6h 2m
- 6. Derivatives of Inverse, Exponential, & Logarithmic Functions2h 37m
- 7. Antiderivatives & Indefinite Integrals1h 26m
- 8. Definite Integrals4h 44m
- 9. Graphical Applications of Integrals2h 27m
- 10. Physics Applications of Integrals 2h 22m
2. Intro to Derivatives
Tangent Lines and Derivatives
Problem 3.17
Textbook Question
The line tangent to the graph of f at x=5 is y = 1/10x-2. Find d/dx (4f(x)) |x+5

1
Step 1: Understand the problem. We need to find the derivative of the function 4f(x) at x = 5. The tangent line equation y = \frac{1}{10}x - 2 gives us information about the derivative of f(x) at x = 5.
Step 2: Recall that the slope of the tangent line to the graph of f at x = 5 is the derivative of f at that point, f'(5). From the equation y = \frac{1}{10}x - 2, the slope is \frac{1}{10}. Therefore, f'(5) = \frac{1}{10}.
Step 3: Use the constant multiple rule for derivatives. The derivative of 4f(x) with respect to x is 4f'(x).
Step 4: Substitute x = 5 into the derivative expression. We have 4f'(5).
Step 5: Substitute the value of f'(5) from Step 2 into the expression from Step 4. This gives us 4 \times \frac{1}{10}.

This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above
Video duration:
2mPlay a video:
Was this helpful?
Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Tangent Line
A tangent line to a curve at a given point is a straight line that touches the curve at that point without crossing it. The slope of the tangent line represents the instantaneous rate of change of the function at that point, which is given by the derivative. In this case, the equation of the tangent line provides the slope and y-intercept needed to understand the behavior of the function f near x=5.
Recommended video:
Slopes of Tangent Lines
Derivative
The derivative of a function measures how the function's output changes as its input changes. It is defined as the limit of the average rate of change of the function over an interval as the interval approaches zero. In this problem, we need to find the derivative of 4f(x) at x = -5, which involves applying the rules of differentiation to the function f.
Recommended video:
Derivatives
Chain Rule
The chain rule is a fundamental theorem in calculus used to differentiate composite functions. It states that if a function y = f(g(x)) is composed of two functions, the derivative can be found by multiplying the derivative of the outer function by the derivative of the inner function. In this context, understanding how to apply the chain rule will be essential for differentiating 4f(x) effectively.
Recommended video:
Intro to the Chain Rule
Watch next
Master Slopes of Tangent Lines with a bite sized video explanation from Nick
Start learningRelated Videos
Related Practice