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Find the slope of the function's graph at the given point. Then find an equation for the line tangent to the graph there. $$h(t)=t^{3}+3 t, \quad\quad(1,4)$$

Short Answer

Expert verified
Slope is 6; tangent line equation is \( y = 6t - 2 \).

Step by step solution

01

Differentiate the Function

To find the slope of the tangent line at a specific point, we first need to differentiate the function with respect to \( t \). The given function is \( h(t) = t^3 + 3t \). Differentiating this with respect to \( t \) gives:\[ h'(t) = \frac{d}{dt}(t^3) + \frac{d}{dt}(3t) = 3t^2 + 3. \]
02

Evaluate the Derivative at the Given Point

Next, substitute the \( t \)-coordinate of the given point, \( t = 1 \), into the derivative to find the slope of the tangent line at that point. \[ h'(1) = 3(1)^2 + 3 = 3 + 3 = 6. \]So, the slope of the tangent line at the point (1, 4) is 6.
03

Use the Point-Slope Form to Find the Tangent Line Equation

Now that we have the slope of the tangent line, use the point-slope form of a line equation, which is:\[ y - y_1 = m(x - x_1) \]where \( m \) is the slope, \( (x_1, y_1) \) is the point on the line (1, 4), and we want to find the equation in terms of \( t \) for the variable \( y \). Substituting the known values gives:\[ y - 4 = 6(t - 1). \]
04

Simplify the Equation

To write the equation in its standard form, distribute and simplify:\[ y - 4 = 6(t - 1) \] \[ y - 4 = 6t - 6 \] \[ y = 6t - 6 + 4 \] \[ y = 6t - 2. \]This is the equation of the line tangent to \( h(t) \) at the point (1, 4).

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Derivative
In calculus, a derivative represents how a function grows or shrinks at any given point. It tells us the rate of change of the function's output with respect to changes in the input. Imagine you're on a hill; the derivative is like knowing the steepness or incline at your exact location.
For the function \( h(t) = t^3 + 3t \), taking the derivative means computing the slope at any point \( t \).
  • The process involves applying differentiation rules. For \( t^3 \), we multiply \( 3 \) by \( t^2 \), and for \( 3t \), we simplify it to \( 3 \). This results in the derivative \( h'(t) = 3t^2 + 3 \).

The derivative function now allows us to find the slope of the curve at any specific time \( t \), which is crucial for identifying how quickly the function changes.
Tangent Line
A tangent line lightly "touches" a curve at a specific point and mirrors the curve's immediate direction at that location. Imagine touching a ball with a stick: wherever the stick touches, it's the tangent. This line provides a snapshot of the curve's behavior.
To find the equation of a tangent line at a given point, you need two things: the point itself and the slope of the curve at that point, found using the derivative.
  • Consider the point \( (1, 4) \) on the function \( h(t) \). With the derivative \( h'(t) = 3t^2 + 3 \), we calculate the slope at \( t = 1 \).

This tangent line equation is significant in approximating and interpreting the function's immediate behavior, offering insight into how the function veers near this specific point.
Slope of a Function
The slope of a function is a major concept in calculus and geometry, indicating how steep a line is on a graph. It essentially describes the angle or tilt of a line. For a function defined as \( y = f(x) \), the slope at a particular point is determined by the derivative.
In our example, at \( t = 1 \), the slope is computed by substituting into the derivative \( h'(t) = 3t^2 + 3 \). Plugging \( t = 1 \) gives \( h'(1) = 6 \).
This result means that, at the point (1, 4), the function \( h(t) \) ascends with a steepness of \( 6 \). Understanding the slope helps grasp the rate and direction of change, whether the graph rises or falls as you move along it.
Point-Slope Form
The point-slope form of a line is a practical tool for forming linear equations. It is useful when the slope and a specific point are known. The formula is
\[ y - y_1 = m(x - x_1) \]
where \( m \) is the slope, and \( (x_1, y_1) \) is the point on the line.
  • In our example, the slope \( m \) is \( 6 \), and the point is \( (1, 4) \).
Replace these variables in the formula to find the line's equation, \( y - 4 = 6(t - 1) \).
This simple form proves beneficial in highlighting how a line extends from a known point in any graph, connecting the tangent slope with the curve at specified coordinates. Simplifying gives the tangent line's equation in its elementary form \( y = 6t - 2 \).

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