GENERAL MATH: PROBLEM SET 1
Functions and their Graphs in R2
Question 1:
The graph of the function f in the figure
resembles the letter W. Define f(x) piecewise.
Some review on Linear Equations...
Slope-Intercept Form
f (x) = y = mx + b
Where m is the slope of the equation, and b is the y-intercept. T
his is the
form you are more likely to use.
Point-Slope Form
y 2 −y 1
m= x 2 −x 1 or m(x 2 − x 1 ) = y 2 − y 1
In this form, if you have two coordinates, (x₁,y₁) and (x₂,y₂), you can divide
the term x₂-x₁ by the term y₂-y₁ to get the slope of the equation.
Points to take note of:
P 1 : (-2,2) P 2 : (-1,0) P 3 : (0,1) P 4 : (1,0) P 5 : (2,2)
There are four linear equations to take note of:
Line 1 (Point 1 to Point 2) Line 2 (Point 2 to Point 3)
P 1 = (− 2, 2) P 2 = (− 1, 0) P 2 = (− 1, 0) P 3 = (0, 1)
m(x 2 − x 1 ) = y 2 − y 1 m(x 3 − x 2 ) = y 3 − y 2
m[(− 1) − (− 2)] = 0 − 2 m(0) − (− 1)) = 1 − 0
m(1) = − 2 m(1) = 1
m= − 2 m= 1
Finding b Finding b
2 = (− 2)(− 2) + b 0 = (− 2)(− 1) + b 0 = (1)(− 1) + b 1 = (1)(0) + b
2=4+b 0 = (2) + b 0 =− 1 + b 1=0+b
−2=b −2=b 1=b 1=b
∴ f (x) = − 2x − 2 ; − 2 ≤ x ≤− 1 ∴ f (x) = 1x + 1 ; − 1 ≤ x ≤− 0
Line 3 (Point 3 to Point 4) Line 4 (Point 4 to Point 5)
P 3 = (0, 1) P 4 = (1, 0) P 4 = (1, 0) P 5 = (2, 2)
m(x 4 − x 3 ) = y 4 − y 3 m(x 5 − x 4 ) = y 5 − y 4
m(1 − 0) = 0 − 1 m(2 − 1) = 2 − 0
m(1) = − 1 m(1) = 2
m= − 1 m= 2
Finding b Finding b
1 = (− 1)(0) + b 0 = (− 1)(1) + b 0 = (2)(1) + b 2 = (2)(2) + b
1=0+b 0 = (− 1) + b 0=2+b 2=4+b
1=b 1=b −2=b −2=b
∴ f (x) = − 1x + 1 ; 0 ≤ x ≤ 1 ∴ f (x) = 2x − 2 ; 1 ≤ x ≤ 2
Together, they form this piecewise function:
− 2x − 2 ; − 2 ≤ x ≤− 1
f (x) =
{ 1x + 1 ; − 1 ≤ x ≤− 0
− 1x + 1 ; 0 ≤ x ≤ 1
2x − 2 ; 1≤x≤2
Question 2:
A cardboard box manufacturer wishes to make
open boxes from rectangular pieces of
cardboard with dimensions 10 in. by 17 in.
by cutting equal squares from the four corners
and turning up the sides.
(a) Find a mathematical model expressing the volume of the box
as a function of the length of the side of the square cut out.
Volume of a box = length x width x height
Square length = Square width = Sl
Length= 17 in. -2Sl Width= 10 in. -2Sl Height= Sl
Volume of the this box= V(Sl )= (17 in. -2Sl ) x (10 in. - 2Sl ) x Sl
4Sl3 -34Sl2 -20Sl2 + 170Sl
4Sl3 -54Sl2 + 170Sl
(b) What is the domain of the function obtained in (a)?
First off, negative length makes no sense in the real world.
Given that there is no width left if Sl=5,
the domain of Sl is x ∈ (0,5).
(c) Using Desmos Graphing Utility, find accurate to two-decimal
places the length of the side of the square cut out so that the box
has the largest possible volume. What is the maximum volume?
Looking at the graph and the table, you can see that the highest point is
around 2. Specifically, it is 2.03, down to 2 decimal places.
Question 3:
The consumer demand for a particular toy in a
certain marketplace is a function f of p,
the number of dollars in its price,
which in turn is a function of g of t,
the number of months since the toy reached the
marketplace.
5000 1 2 7
If f (p) = p2 and g (t) = 20 t + 20 t +5
Do the following:
(a) Find a mathematical model expressing the consumer demand
as a function of the number of months since the toy reached the
marketplace.
5,000
Simply replace p with g(t) ⇨ f (t) = 1 2 7
2
( 20 t + 20 t +5)
Then expand,
5,000
f (t) = 1 4 7 3 5 2 7 3 49 2 35 5 t2 + 35 t +25
400 t + 400 t + 20 t + 400 t + 400 t + 20 t + 20 20
Combine like terms,
5,000
f (t) = 1 t4 +( 7 + 7 )t3 +( 5 + 49 + 5 )t2 +( 35 + 35 )t
400 400 400 20 400 20 20 20 +25
5,000
f (t) = 1 t4 + 14 t3 + 249 t2 + 70 t
400 400 400 20 +25
And simplify
5,000
f (t) = 1 4 14 3 249 2 1,400 10,000
400 t + 400 t + 400 t + 400 t + 400
5,000
f (t) = 1 (t4 +14t3 +249t2 +1,400t
400 +10,000)
2,000,000
f (t) =
t4 +14t3 +249t2 +1,400t +10,000
(b) Find the consumer demand 5 months after the toy reached the
marketplace.
Simply replace 5 for t in the function.
2,000,000
f (5) =
54 +(14)53 +(249)52 +(1,400)5 +10,000
2,000,000
f (5) =
625+(14)(125)+(249)(25)+(1,400)5 +10,000
2,000,000
f (5) = 625+1,750+6,225+7,000+10,000
2,000,000
f (5) = 25,600
f (5) = 78.125
The consumer demand is 78.125,
which probably means for every stock of toy, ~78 customers want to buy it.
Or is it 1 person would want to buy 78 stocks of the toy?
I don’t really know... Ask your teacher.
