Get Help with Midterm Calculus Questions from a First Year Student

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a calculus midterm question focused on finding the derivative of the tangent function at a specific point, x = π/6, without using the tangent addition formula. Participants are exploring various approaches to tackle this problem.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the derivative of tan(x) at x = π/6, with some suggesting the use of limits and others questioning the complexity of the approaches being taken. There are inquiries about how to format mathematical expressions for clarity.

Discussion Status

The conversation is ongoing, with some participants providing guidance on how to simplify the problem and others expressing confusion about the steps involved. There is no explicit consensus, but several productive lines of reasoning are being explored.

Contextual Notes

Participants are encouraged to show their work, and there is a mention of constraints regarding the use of specific formulas in the problem. The original poster is a first-year calculus student, indicating a potential gap in experience with these types of problems.

toosm:)ey
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Hello everyone!

I have a calculus midterm next week and I need some help solving old midterm questions. I'm a first year calculus student so they're not hard, but I can't figure them out!

I am told to solve without using the tan addition formula.
 

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problem number 2
 

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Since:
[tex]tan(\frac{\pi}{6})=\frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}[/tex]
the question merely asks you to calculate the derivative of tan(x) at [tex]x=\frac{\pi}{6}[/tex]
 
For your other questions, show some of your own work on these.
 
Sure, but how do I use the code thing? Or is there an easy way to type out the work I have?
 
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toosm:)ey said:
Sure, but how do I use the code thing? Or is there an easy way to type out the work I have?
Click on a given "LATEX" code to see how you generate it. There's a sticky in General Physics which tells you a bit about it.
 
[tex]\lim_{h\rightarrow0} \frac{1}{h}} (\frac{sin(h+(\pi/6))}{cos(h+(\pi/6))}} - \frac{1}{\sqrt3}})[/tex]

[tex]\lim_{h\rightarrow0} \frac{1}{h}} (\frac{sin(x)cos(\pi/6) + cos(x)sin(\pi/6)}{cos(x)cos(\pi/6) + sin(x)sin(\pi/6)}} - \frac{1}{\sqrt3}})[/tex]

[tex]\lim_{h\rightarrow0} \frac{1}{h}} (\frac{sin(x)(\sqrt3/2) + cos(x)(1/2)}{cos(x)(\sqrt3/2) + sin(x)(1/2)}} - \frac{1}{\sqrt3}})[/tex]

[tex]\lim_{h\rightarrow0} \frac{1}{h}} ({\frac{\sqrt3sin(x) + cos(x)}{{\sqrt3cos(x) +sin(x)}} - \frac{1}{\sqrt3}})[/tex]

[tex]\lim_{h\rightarrow0} \frac{1}{h}} (\frac{2sin(x)}{3cos(x) + \sqrt3sin(x)})[/tex]

Wow, that latex is hard to code... I think I have it now though.

This is asfar as I can go with this problem, from here, I am confused.
 
you're making it way to diffcult, lim(h->0) 1/h * (tan(Pi/6 + h)-1/sqrt(3)) is also lim(h->0) 1/h * (tan(Pi/6 + h)-tan(Pi/6)), lim(h->0) 1/h * f(a+h)-f(a) is the differential of f in a, so you really just need to calculate tan's differential in Pi/6
 
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Okay, that makes sense and therefore:

[tex]\lim_{h\rightarrow0^+} \frac{1}{h}} (\tan(h+(\pi/6))}- \frac{1}{\sqrt3}})[/tex]

equals

[tex]\lim_{h\rightarrow0^+} \frac{1}{h}} (\tan(h+(\pi/6))}- \tan(\frac{\pi}{6}}))[/tex]

[tex]\frac{d}{dx}}\tan(x) = \sec^2(x)[/tex]

[tex]\sec^2(\frac{\pi}{6}}) = \frac{4}{3}}[/tex]

and


[tex]\lim_{h\rightarrow0^+} \frac{1}{h}} (\tan(h+(\pi/6))}- \frac{1}{\sqrt3}}) = \frac{4}{3}}[/tex]

Is this true?
 
  • #10
yeah, that's what i meant
 

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