Applications of Derivatives Questions with Solutions

This topic uses derivatives to solve practical and geometric problems. It covers the equations of tangents and normals to a curve, the rate of change of quantities (such as how fast the area of a circle grows as its radius increases), approximations using differentials, and increasing and decreasing functions. It also covers maxima and minima, using the first derivative test and the second derivative test, and word problems on optimisation such as finding the largest area for a fixed perimeter. Rolle's theorem and the mean value theorem are included as well. For maxima and minima, set f'(x) = 0 to find the critical points, then check f''(x): a negative value means a maximum and a positive value means a minimum. Remember that the slope of the tangent at a point is f'(x) and the slope of the normal is -1/f'(x). Practise the applications of derivatives questions below, each with a step-by-step solution.