Chapter 1: Problem 44
The line \(y=a x+b\) is tangent to the graph of \(y=x^{3}\) at the point \(P=(-3,-27) .\) Find \(a\) and \(b.\)
Short Answer
Expert verified
a = 27, b = 54.
Step by step solution
01
Write the equation of the tangent line
Given the tangent line at point P(-3, -27) for the curve y = x^3, we can use the general form of the line: y = ax + b. Let's find a and b.
02
Find the derivative of y = x^3
The derivative of y = x^3 is y' = 3x^2. This gives us the slope of the tangent line at any point x.
03
Calculate the slope at x = -3
Substitute x = -3 into the derivative to find the slope at the specific point: y'(-3) = 3(-3)^2 = 27. So, the slope a is 27.
04
Use point-slope form to find b
With the slope a = 27 and the point P(-3, -27), use the point-slope form y - y1 = a(x - x1) to find b. Substitute into y - (-27) = 27(x - (-3)): y + 27 = 27(x + 3).
05
Solve for the y-intercept b
Convert the equation into slope-intercept form y = 27x + b by expanding and isolating y: y = 27x + 81 - 27, hence b = 54.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Differentiation
Differentiation is the process of finding the derivative of a function. The derivative represents how a function changes as its input changes. It's a fundamental concept in calculus that helps us determine the slope of a function at any given point. In the exercise, we are given the curve represented by the function \(y = x^3\). To find the slope of the tangent line at any point on this curve, we need to find the derivative of \(y = x^3\). The calculation is straightforward: the derivative of \(x^3\) with respect to \(x\) is \(3x^2\). This derivative tells us the rate of change or the slope of the curve at any given point \(x\).
Slope of Tangent Line
The slope of the tangent line to a curve at a particular point is given by the value of the derivative at that point. In our exercise, we need to find the slope of the tangent line to the curve \(y = x^3\) at the point \((-3, -27)\). Using the derivative we found earlier, \(3x^2\), we substitute \(x = -3\) to get the slope at that point.
So, \[ y'(-3) = 3(-3)^2 = 27 \]
Therefore, the slope of the tangent line at \((-3, -27)\) is 27. This slope, represented by 'a' in the equation of the line \(y = ax + b\), helps us define the behavior of the tangent line at that specific point.
So, \[ y'(-3) = 3(-3)^2 = 27 \]
Therefore, the slope of the tangent line at \((-3, -27)\) is 27. This slope, represented by 'a' in the equation of the line \(y = ax + b\), helps us define the behavior of the tangent line at that specific point.
Point-Slope Form
The point-slope form of a line's equation is extremely useful for finding the equation of a tangent line when you know a point on the line and its slope. The point-slope form is given by:
\[ y - y_1 = a(x - x_1) \]
Here, \(a\) is the slope, and \((x_1, y_1)\) is a point on the line. In our problem, we know the slope \(a = 27\) and the point \((-3, -27)\). Substituting these values into the point-slope form, we get:
\[ y - (-27) = 27(x - (-3)) \]
Simplifying, we have:
\[ y + 27 = 27(x + 3) \]
This equation represents the tangent line at the point \((-3, -27)\). The next step is to transform this into the slope-intercept form to find the y-intercept.
\[ y - y_1 = a(x - x_1) \]
Here, \(a\) is the slope, and \((x_1, y_1)\) is a point on the line. In our problem, we know the slope \(a = 27\) and the point \((-3, -27)\). Substituting these values into the point-slope form, we get:
\[ y - (-27) = 27(x - (-3)) \]
Simplifying, we have:
\[ y + 27 = 27(x + 3) \]
This equation represents the tangent line at the point \((-3, -27)\). The next step is to transform this into the slope-intercept form to find the y-intercept.
Y-Intercept
The y-intercept of a line is the point where the line crosses the y-axis. This is the value of \(y\) when \(x = 0\). To find the y-intercept from the point-slope form of our tangent line equation, we need to simplify it into the slope-intercept form \(y = ax + b\).
Starting from:
\[ y + 27 = 27(x + 3) \]
we distribute and simplify:
\[ y + 27 = 27x + 81 \]
Isolating \(y\), we get:
\[ y = 27x + 81 - 27 \]
So, the equation in slope-intercept form is:
\[ y = 27x + 54 \]
Therefore, the y-intercept \(b\) is 54. This tells us that when \(x = 0\), the value of \(y\) is 54, and it completes our equation of the tangent line: \(y = 27x + 54\).
Starting from:
\[ y + 27 = 27(x + 3) \]
we distribute and simplify:
\[ y + 27 = 27x + 81 \]
Isolating \(y\), we get:
\[ y = 27x + 81 - 27 \]
So, the equation in slope-intercept form is:
\[ y = 27x + 54 \]
Therefore, the y-intercept \(b\) is 54. This tells us that when \(x = 0\), the value of \(y\) is 54, and it completes our equation of the tangent line: \(y = 27x + 54\).