Implicit differentiation - AP Calculus AB

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Question

Let $f(x)=x^2$$-$\frac{1}{1-x^2$}$. Which of the following gives the equation of the line normal to f(x) when ?

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Answer

We are asked to find the normal line. This means we need to find the line that is perpendicular to the tangent line at . In order to find the tangent line, we will need to evaluate the derivative of at .

$f(x)=x^2$$-$\frac{1}{1-x^2$$}$=x^2$$-(1-x^2$$)^{-1}$

$f'(x)=2x-(-1)(1-x^2$$)^{-2}$(-2x)

$f'(x)=2x-2x(1-x^2$$)^{-2}$

$f'(2)=2(2)-2(2)(1-2^2$$)^{-2}$

f'(2)=4-4($\frac{1}{9}$)=\frac{32}{9}$

The slope of the tangent line at is . Because the tangent line and the normal line are perpendicular, the product of their slopes must equal .

(slope of tangent)(slope of normal) =

We now have the slope of the normal line. Once we find a point through which it passes, we will have enough information to derive its equation.

Since the normal line passes through the function at , it will pass through the point . Be careful to use the original equation for , not its derivative.

$f(2)=2^2$$-(1-4)^{-1}$=4-(-$\frac{1}{3}$)=\frac{13}{3}$

The normal line has a slope of and passes through the piont . We can now use point-slope form to find the equation of the normal line.

y-$\frac{13}{3}$=-$\frac{9}{32}$(x-2)

Multiply both sides by .

96y-416=-27(x-2)

27x + 96y = 470

The answer is 27x + 96y = 470.

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