A Field of Slopes ACTIVITY NOTES

SKETCH AND INVESTIGATE

In Q1 and Q2, the trace of the segment will be close to horizontal when the
y-value of f is closest to 0 or where f has a root. The trace of the segment
will be closest to vertical where f has a maximum or minimum. You can find
the exact slope of any segment by finding the y-value of the function at that
x-value in the slope field. Where the differential equation is strictly a
function of x, all the segments in a column will have the same slope. In Q3,
since the slope field pictured consists of positive segments with identical
slopes, f (x) must be constant, and in this case, positive.

Segment RQ is constructed to have a slope equal to f 冢xR冣; you can follow

this segment to reveal the graph of F, a particular solution to the differential
equation. This will give you a sense of how to sketch a solution curve with
paper and pencil.

In Q4, you can substitute the values of 9 and 7 into the function
F(x)  cos(x)  C, to arrive at the equation F(x)  cos(x)  7  cos(9).
In Q5, any other initial point will produce a vertical translation of the
function F(x)  cos(x)  C.

In Q6 through Q8, the segments in the slope field will have positive slopes
where x  0, and negative slopes where x  0. At any value of x, the slope
of the segments in the field will be x, so the slopes of the segments will
increase as you move away from 0 in the positive direction, and decrease as
you move away in the negative direction. Because f (x)  x, the slope field
will define the set of parabolas {y  1/2x 2  C | C is any real number}. (If
your students don’t have access to a printer, make copies of the Q7 and Q10
diagrams at the end of these Activity Notes.)

In Q9Q12, the slope field has segments with a slope close to 0 near the
x-axis, with positive and increasing slopes as you move up in the coordinate
plane and negative and decreasing slopes as you move down. The particular
solutions are exponential functions. The actual equation for the solutions
is y  e xC, or Ae x, because y ′  Ae x  y. Or in words, the slope of this
function is equal to the y-value of the function at any point. y  0 is also a
solution, which the slope field suggests.

© 2008 Key Curriculum Press 1

A Field of Slopes ACTIVITY NOTES
continued

EXPLORE MORE
The slope field for dy/dx  0.5y is similar to the one for dy/dx  y, in that
all the segments on any horizontal line are the same. On each horizontal
line, however, the slopes are only half what they were for dy/dx  y. The
solution to the differential equation dy/dx  ky is y  Ce kx, which you
can show by taking the derivative of this function. The derivative of y is
Cke kx  k 冢Ce kx冣  ky. The function y  0 is also a solution, as before.

The slope field for dy/dx  y  2 is similar to the one for on dy/dx  y, in
that all the segments on any horizontal line are the same. The entire field will
be shifted vertically by 2. This suggests that the solution to the differential
equation is y  Ae x  2, which you can confirm by taking the derivative. We
have y ′  Ae x  0  Ae x and y  2  冢Ae x  2冣  2  Ae x. So y ′  y  2.
The equation y  2 is also a solution, as the slope field suggests.

EXTENSION
You can also construct a slope field on page 2 with an additional locus—
besides the locus of grid points. In this way, the slope field will update when
you edit the expression SlopeAtR. With point R merged to the locus of grid
points, select point R and the segment and choose Construct 円 Locus.
You may need to increase the number of samples in the locus to see the
whole field.

For any differential equation whose denominator never equals 0, you can
split point R from the locus and press the Move R→Q button to create
a trace of a particular solution. Note that the trace of the solution will only
go in one direction, and will behave incorrectly if the slope field has vertical
segments. For a more flexible slope field and tracer, see the activity
Stepping Through the Field.

© 2008 Key Curriculum Press 2

A Field of Slopes ACTIVITY NOTES
continued

Q7 f (x)  x Q10 dy /dx  y

6 6

R 4 R 4

2 2

-5 5 -5 5

-2 -2

-4 -4

-6 -6

© 2008 Key Curriculum Press 3