Wednesday, April 8th, 2015

Name: Phillip Rafuse

Subject Area: Calculus
Grade Level: 12
Lesson Title: Applications of Derivatives
Required Time: 90 minutes
Outcome(s):
- Students will learn how to sketch the graph of a function using information
from its first and second derivatives.
Materials & Resources:
- Smart Board
- Calculus: Graphical, Numerical, Algebraic (Fourth Edition)
- Scientific calculator
Assessment: Demonstration of solutions for Activities 2-3
Activities:
1. Attendance & Greeting (5 min)
a. Record student attendance and greet class
2. Instructional Time: Sketching a Graph (25 minutes)
a. Explain to students that many of the functions discussed in Calculus
are difficult to graph because they are not linear, parabolic, or wellknown trigonometric functions. Graphing technology makes the feat of
sketching such graphs easier, but it is also possible to sketch graphs
using information from the first and second derivatives of a function.
i. On the Smart Board, write down f(x) = x3 3x2. Ask students if
there are any restrictions on x (they should answer no).
ii. Take the derivative of the function, which is f(x) = 3x2 6x.
Discover extreme values by assessing where it does not exist
(this is not applicable) and where it equals 0 (x = 0 and x = 2).
Evaluate f(x) at those points to show that (0, 0) and (2, -4) are
points on the graph.
iii. Draw a line on the Smart Board with the following four points of
interest: x -, (0, 0), (2, -4), and x . Use test points to
show that the function increases in the first interval, decreases
in the second interval, and increases again in the third interval.
As such, f(x) has a local maximum at (0, 0) and a local minimum
at (2, -4).

iv. Take the second derivative of the function, which is f(x) = 6x

6, to perform the Concavity Test. The function has an inflection
point at (1, -2). Draw another line to show that it is concave
down in the interval x < 1 and concave up in the interval x > 1.
v. Ask students to name other points that might be useful to plot.
They should name the x-intercept(s) and y-intercept(s). It has
already been discovered that when x = 0, y = 0, so (0, 0) is the
y-intercept. Solving for x when f(x) = 0 a process that requires
factoring reveals that both (0, 0) and (3, 0) are x-intercepts.
vi. Using all information gathered from the first and second
derivatives, sketch a graph of f(x) = x3 3x2 on the Smart Board.
It should resemble this one:

vii. Demonstrate a more difficult example using the function f(x) =

sin x - 3 cos x for x in [0, 2]. Its derivative is f(x) = cos x + 3
sin x. Solving for x when f(x) = 0 requires converting (sin x/cos
x) to tan x and taking tan-1 (-1/3). Doing so produces a decimal
number. To write it in terms of , solve /Ans on a scientific
calculator. The quotient is -6, therefore it can be written as -/6.
viii. At that point, remind students that x is restricted to the domain
[0, 2]. Ask students to open their textbooks to p. 46 and look at
the graph of y = tan x. Since tan x repeats all of its values on
intervals of , add to -/6 to find the first extreme value within
the given domain (x = 5/6). Adding once more reveals
another extreme value that lies within the given domain (x =
11/6).
ix. Remind students that since the function includes endpoints,
they must be taken into consideration. Evaluate the function at
its endpoints and its extreme values to find (0, -3), (5/6, 2),

(11/6, -2), and (2, -3). Draw a line to show where the function
increases and decreases.
1. Ask students to identify the absolute maximum and
absolute minimum points of the function. They should say
(5/6, 2) and (11/6, -2), respectively.
x. Take the second derivative of the function, which is f(x) = cos x
+ 3 sin x. Since it is the sum of two continuous functions, there
is no point at which it does not exist. However, it equals 0 when
tan x = 3. Solving for x reveals that it equals 0 when x = /3.
This lies within the given domain, as does 4/3. Draw another
line to show that the function is concave up on the interval
between (0, -3) and (/3, 0), concave down between (/3, 0)
and (4/3, 0), and concave up between (4/3, 0) and (2, -3).
1. Ask students to identify which two points are inflection
points. They should name (/3, 0) and (4/3, 0).
xi. Identify the x-intercept(s) and y-intercept(s) of the function.
Finally, sketch a graph of f(x) using all of the information found
from its first and second derivatives. It should resemble this one:

3. Activity Time: Practice (25 min)

a. Ask students to do detailed graphing for f(x) = x3(x-2)2. Remind them
of the quadratic formula, which is ([-b (b 2 4ac)]/2a). Their graph
should resemble this one:

b. Circulate to assess comprehension and provide assistance.

c. After 15-20 minutes, review the problem as a class. Ask for student
input where possible. There are no restrictions on x; f(x) = x2(x 2)(5x
6); extreme values occur at (0, 0), (6/5, 3456/3125 1.11), and (2,
0); the second point is a local maximum while the other two points are
local minimums; the second derivative is f(x) = 4x (5x 2 12x + 6);
inflection points occur at (0, 0), ([6 6]/5, approx. 0.6), and [6 +
6]/5, approx. 0.46); the function is concave up on the first and third
intervals and concave down on the second interval, and; the xintercepts occurs at x = 0 and x = 2 and the y-intercept occurs at y =
0.
4. Wrap-Up & Reflection (5 minutes)
a. Tell students that all exercises from this lesson were found online at
https://www.math.ucdavis.edu/~kouba/CalcOneDIRECTORY/graphingdir
ectory/Graphing.html. Write the website address on the Smart Board
for students who wish to attempt other problems and gain additional
practice.
b. Invite students to see you if they have any questions.
Differentiation:
- Infinite Calculus TM (published by KUTA Software) could be used to generate
modified worksheets, although it is unnecessary to do so for this class.
Reference(s):
https://www.math.ucdavis.edu/~kouba/CalcOneDIRECTORY/graphingdirectory/Gr
aphing.html

Section 1.6 of Calculus: Graphical, Numerical, Algebraic (Fourth Edition)