Chapter 3: Problem 2
Let \(f(x)=17 x+11 .\) Use the definition of the derivative to calculate \(f^{\prime}(x)\).
Short Answer
Expert verified
The derivative \( f'(x) \) is 17.
Step by step solution
01
Recall the Definition of the Derivative
The derivative of a function \( f(x) \) with respect to \( x \), denoted as \( f'(x) \), is defined as the limit: \[ f'(x) = \lim_{{h \to 0}} \frac{{f(x+h) - f(x)}}{h} \] Our task is to use this definition to find the derivative of the function \( f(x) = 17x + 11 \).
02
Substitute into the Derivative Definition
Substitute the given function \( f(x) = 17x + 11 \) into the formula: \[ f'(x) = \lim_{{h \to 0}} \frac{{(17(x+h) + 11) - (17x + 11)}}{h} \] Simplify the expression inside the limit.
03
Simplify the Expression
First distribute \(17\) in the term \(17(x+h)\): \[ 17(x+h) = 17x + 17h \]Now substitute and simplify the expression:\[ f'(x) = \lim_{{h \to 0}} \frac{{(17x + 17h + 11) - (17x + 11)}}{h} \]Cancel like terms:\[ f'(x) = \lim_{{h \to 0}} \frac{17h}{h} \]
04
Simplify and Evaluate the Limit
Cancel \( h \) in the fraction:\[ f'(x) = \lim_{{h \to 0}} 17 \] Since \( 17 \) is a constant, the limit simplifies to:\[ f'(x) = 17 \]
05
Conclusion
The derivative of the function \( f(x) = 17x + 11 \) is \( f'(x) = 17 \). For a linear function \( f(x) = mx + b \), the derivative is simply the slope \( m \), which confirms our calculation was correct.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Definition of the Derivative
In calculus, the concept of a derivative is a cornerstone for understanding how functions change. The derivative of a function at a point gives you the rate at which the function is changing at that point. Mathematically, the derivative of a function \( f(x) \) is written as \( f'(x) \) and is defined using a limit:
- \( f'(x) = \lim_{{h \to 0}} \frac{{f(x+h) - f(x)}}{h} \)
Limit Process
The limit process is a fundamental aspect of calculus and is crucial for defining derivatives. The limit, \( \lim_{{h \to 0}} \), in the derivative formula means that we want to see what happens to our expression as \( h \) gets incredibly close to zero. This is because we're interested in the instantaneous rate of change at a single point, not over an interval.
- In the step-by-step solution, after substituting \( f(x) = 17x + 11 \) into the derivative definition, simplifying shows that many terms cancel.
- The expression eventually simplifies to \( \lim_{{h \to 0}} 17 \) because the change in \( x \) vanishes as \( h \) approaches zero.
Linear Functions
Linear functions are perhaps the simplest type of function in mathematics. They take the form \( f(x) = mx + b \), where \( m \) is the slope and \( b \) is the y-intercept. In geometry, the slope \( m \) describes the steepness of the line. The function \( f(x) = 17x + 11 \) is a linear function with a slope of 17.
- The derivative of a linear function is always the slope \( m \).
- This is because as \( h \to 0 \), the change in the constant \( b \) becomes irrelevant, and only the rate \( m \) affects the steepness.
Calculus
Calculus is a branch of mathematics that studies continuous change. It is divided into two main parts: differentiation and integration. Differentiation, which includes finding derivatives, is concerned with understanding rates of change and slopes of curves at given points.
- The exercise you encountered is an example of differentiation, focusing on computing the derivative of a linear function.
- Calculus employs the limit process among other tools to handle tasks involving continuous change smoothly.