Chapter 29: Problem 3
Differentiate (a) \(y=6\) (b) \(y=6 x\).
Short Answer
Expert verified
(a) \(\frac{dy}{dx}=0\); (b) \(\frac{dy}{dx}=6\).
Step by step solution
01
Identify the type of function
For part (a), the function given is a constant, which is of the form \(y = c\), where \(c\) is a constant. For part (b), the function is linear, given in the form \(y = m x\), where \(m\) is the slope of the line.
02
Differentiate the Constant Function
The derivative of a constant function \(y = c\) is zero. This is because a constant function has no change as \(x\) changes. Therefore, for part (a), the derivative \(\frac{dy}{dx} = 0\).
03
Differentiate the Linear Function
For a linear function \(y = mx\), the derivative is simply \(m\) because the slope of the line is constant. Thus, for part (b), the derivative \(\frac{dy}{dx} = 6\).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Constant Function
A constant function is perhaps one of the simplest types of functions in mathematics. It is expressed in the form \( y = c \), where \( c \) is a constant value and does not depend on \( x \). This means that no matter what value \( x \) takes, \( y \) will always be the same. Hence, if you were to plot this on a graph, you would see a horizontal line.
- It has no slope, as it doesn't rise or fall.
- Its graph is a straight line parallel to the x-axis.
- It is unchanging, and hence its derivative is always zero.
Linear Function
A linear function is another fundamental concept in algebra and calculus. It is usually represented as \( y = mx + b \), where \( m \) is the slope of the line, and \( b \) is the y-intercept. For the purpose of differentiation, we simplify this to \( y = mx \), especially when \( b = 0 \).
- The slope \( m \) determines how steep the line is.
- If you graph a linear function, it results in a straight line.
- Each unit increase in \( x \) leads to an increase of \( m \) units in \( y \).
Derivative
The derivative of a function is a fundamental tool in calculus that provides the rate of change or slope of the function at any given point. When we say we 'differentiate' a function, we mean we are finding its derivative.
- It tells us how the function \( y \) changes with respect to \( x \).
- For a constant function, the derivative is zero because a constant does not change.
- For a linear function, the derivative equals the slope \( m \).
Calculus
Calculus is the branch of mathematics that deals with rates of change and the accumulation of quantities. It is divided broadly into differential calculus and integral calculus.
- Differential calculus focuses on finding derivatives and understanding slopes and rates of change.
- Integral calculus focuses on the accumulation of quantities and areas under curves.
- It helps in analyzing trends, predicting future outcomes, and optimizing functions.